Alban of England
Saint Alban of England was the first Christian martyr in Britain . He is venerated by the Catholic , Orthodox and Anglican churches. His feast day is June 22nd . He is mentioned in writing for the first time around the year 480 by Constantius in his life of St. Germanus of Auxerre .
Life
According to Bedas Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum I.vii and xviii, Alban was a pagan who converted to Christianity who lived near the Roman settlement Verulamium , today's St Albans , and was beheaded on a hill above it for his faith. It was near this hill that the St Albans Abbey and St. Albans Cathedral were later founded.
Bede says about the time of Alban's execution: "When the cruel emperors issued their first edicts against the Christians", in other words at the time of the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, some time before the end of the persecution of Christians by Emperor Constantine I in the year 314 .
Alban sheltered a Christian priest named Amphibilus when he was on the run from Roman authority. He converted and baptized him. While the priest was still in Alban's house, Roman soldiers broke into the house in search of the priest. Alban then exchanged his robe with the priest and was arrested in his place. Presented to the Roman magistrate, Alban was open to his new Christian convictions and was therefore sentenced to death and executed shortly afterwards.
There is evidence that Alban was worshiped as early as the 6th century . Beda quotes a line from the Carmina of Venantius Fortunatus as follows: Albanum egregium faecunda Britannia profert ( Carmina , VII, iii, 155, in German about "A fruitful Britain praises Alban's name").
Legends
Bede also passed on some legends related to Alban's execution: On the way to execution, Alban had to cross a river. But since the bridge was full of people, he is said to have ordered the water of the river to part, after which he reached the other bank with dry feet. The executioner was so impressed by Alban's faith that he converted to Christianity on the spot and refused to kill him. Another executioner was hired. His eyes are said to have fallen out of his head after the execution. The first executioner was also executed and thus became Britain's second martyr.
Adoration
Some customs in the veneration of St. Alban originally come from Alban von Mainz , who died a martyr in Mainz, but is often confused with him due to the similarity of names in English-speaking countries.
Often Alban is shown carrying his own head in his hand because he was beheaded. So z. B. on the coat of arms of Matrei in East Tyrol , although the local patron is actually Alban of Mainz .
St. Alban is among other things one of the three city saints of the city of Winterthur , after him the largest annual city festival in Europe, the Albanifest, was named.
literature
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bautz : Alban von Verulam. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 1, Bautz, Hamm 1975. 2nd, unchanged edition Hamm 1990, ISBN 3-88309-013-1 , column 76.
- Paul W. Roth: Soldiers Saints , Verlag Styria, Graz Vienna Cologne, 1993, ISBN 3-222-12185-0
Web links
- Beda, Ecclesiastical History Book I.vii (engl.)
- Cathedral of St Albans (Engl.)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Alban of England |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Christian martyr in Britain |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 3rd century |
| DATE OF DEATH | 3rd century or 4th century |