Saint Alban suffered death at the hands of his executioner in c. 304. The
commonly received account of the martyrdom of St. Alban meets us as early as
the pages of the Venerable Bede's "Ecclesiastical History." According to
this, St. Alban was a pagan and a soldier in the Roman army stationed at
Verulamium, a city about twenty miles northeast of London (now the town of
St. Alban's in Hertfordshire). Although he was a worshipper of Roman gods
including the emperor, he gave shelter to a Christian priest fleeing from
the persecution under the Emperor Septimus Severus.

Legend has it that Alban was influenced by the priest's prayers and teaching
and after some days being moved by his example, he was baptized and became
a Christian. When the authorities subsequently discovered the priest's hiding
place and sent the governor's emissaries to search the house, Alban disguised
himself in the cloak of his guest and gave himself up in his place. The priest
escaped and Alban was bound and taken before the judge. The judge was furious
at the deception and ordered that Alban should receive the punishment due the
priest, if he had indeed become a Christian.

The Venerable Bede gives this account of Alban's trial: "When Alban was brought
in, the judge happened to be standing before an altar, offering sacrifice to
devils...'What is your family and race?' demanded the judge. 'How does my family
concern you?' replied Alban; 'If you wish to know the truth about my religion,
know that I am a Christian and am ready to do a Christian's duty.' 'I demand
to know your name,' insisted the judge. 'Tell me at once.' 'My parents named
me Alban,' he answered, 'and I worship and adore the true and living God, who
created all things." He was then scourged and despite the flogging he refused
to sacrifice to the Roman gods and holding true to his faith in Christ Jesus,
he was sentenced to death.

He was brought out of the town, across a river, and up a hill to the site of
execution where he was beheaded. Legend tells us that on the hilltop a spring
of water miraculously appeared to give the martyr a drink. Also by his witness,
the original executioner refused to carry out the deed and was converted and
his replacement, after striking the fatal blow, was punished with blindness. This
is all based on the writing of the Venerable Bede (ca. 760 AD), who tells us,
"When the peace of Christian times was restored, a beautiful church worthy of
his martyrdom was built, where sick folks are healed and frequent miracles take
place to this day."

King Offa of Mercia established a monastery there about the year 793, and in the
high Middle Ages, St. Alban's ranked as the premier Abbey in England. The great
Norman abbey church, begun in 1077, now serves as the cathedral of the diocese of
St. Alban's, established in 1877. It is the second longest church in England
(Winchester Cathedral is the longest, by six feet), and it is built on higher
ground than any other English cathedral. In a chapel east of the choir and high
Altar, there are remains of the fourteenth century marble shrine of St. Alban.


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