St Alban Feast day 20 June St Alban is widely regarded as the first British martyr. The life of St Alban before his conversion is not known. Legends say that he was a Roman soldier at Verulamium; he may have been a Romano-Briton. Scholars have suggested that Verulamium, which is now St Albans in Hertfordshire, was part of an enclave in Britain which resisted Roman rule. Alban, a pagan, is said to have sheltered a priest who was fleeing persecution. We are told that the priest was called Amphibalus. Alban had been so moved by the priest’s faith that he asked to be told more about Christianity- at that time a forbidden religion. Alban took the priest's cloak and allowed him to escape. Roman soldiers arrested Alban. He was brought before the town’s magistrate. Alban refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, and declared: ‘I am Alban and I worship and adore the true and living God, who created all things’. The magistrate ordered that Alban should therefore receive the punishment due to the priest. He was brought out of the town and up a hill to the site of execution where he was beheaded. Legend has it that Alban’s head rolled down the hill and where it came to rest a fountain sprang up. Alban’s grave became a place of pilgrimage and remains so today.

Bede dates the event to the reign of Diocletian (c. 305); modern scholars redate it to the reign of Septimius Severus (c. 209) or Decius. Gildas, in the VI Century, relates the story of Alban's martyrdom, and Bede details the story and discusses a church dedicated to the martyr. The traditional site of Alban's death, Holmhurst Hill, became the site of St Alban Abbey, founded by King Offa in the VIII Century. During a Danish invasion, Alban's relics are said to have been transported to Ely; St Canute's in Odense claims to have relics of Alban, which Canute stole in his 1075 raid on York. What remained of Alban's relics were scattered in the time of the Dissolution. Alban is a saint for all Christians. His hospitality and kindness to a persecuted stranger reflect the courage and compassion we are called upon to show today to those less fortunate in our society. Alban is the patron saint of converts, refugees and torture victims. Prayer to St Alban

O generous St Alban, you took in and kept safe a holy priest who was fleeing persecution and you were martyred for your faith. Look kindly upon all who are fleeing persecution or are seeking refuge for any reason. Ask the Lord to protect them and keep them safe from harm. Pray for them dear St Alban that they have the strength, courage and assistance to live faithfully each day in unfamiliar places far from their homes. Pray that the Lord blesses them with all the help and assistance they need to adjust to new environments and cultures and with hope for a better future. Oh holy martyr, may we too who celebrate this feast be helped continually by your prayers to assist those in need. Amen