ST. ALBAN
One thing I find interesting about Christian History is a story like this one.
Alban 22 June 304
While it appears that there were Christians in the British Isles already in the first century, Alban is the first recorded Christian martyr. In fact, by the end of the second century a great many of the inhabitants of southern England were Christians.
The traditional date of his death is 304, during the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian; but many scholars now date it as around 209, during the persecution under the Emperor Septimius Severus. Alban was a pagan (as where most inhabitants of the area), and a soldier in the Roman Army. He gave shelter to a Christian priest who was fleeing from arrest, and in the next few days the two talked at length, and Alban became a Christian. Giving shelter to someone who was a fugitive from the Emperor's laws, was in and of itself an extraordinarily brave act.
When officers came in search of the priest, Alban met them, dressed in the priest's cloak, and he allowed himself to be arrested in place of the priest who he had sheltered. When the cloak was removed and his true identity was discovered, the governor was furious. Alban then declared himself to be a Christian, and the governor angrily ordered him to be taken before a Roman altar. He was threatened with all the tortures that had been prepared for the priest if he did not recant. He was then commanded to sacrifice to the Roman gods, but he refused and was cruelly tortured. Alban bore the punishment and when it was seen that he could not be forced to retract, he was sentenced to decapitation. He thus became the first Christian martyr in Britain. The second was the executioner who was to kill him, but who heard his testimony and was so impressed that he became a Christian on the spot, and refused to kill Alban. The third was the priest, who when he learned that Alban had been arrested in his place, hurried to the court in the hope of saving Alban by turning himself in. The place of their deaths is near the site of St. Alban's Cathedral today. What an amazing testimony to the power of the Gospel.
Alban 22 June 304
While it appears that there were Christians in the British Isles already in the first century, Alban is the first recorded Christian martyr. In fact, by the end of the second century a great many of the inhabitants of southern England were Christians.
The traditional date of his death is 304, during the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian; but many scholars now date it as around 209, during the persecution under the Emperor Septimius Severus. Alban was a pagan (as where most inhabitants of the area), and a soldier in the Roman Army. He gave shelter to a Christian priest who was fleeing from arrest, and in the next few days the two talked at length, and Alban became a Christian. Giving shelter to someone who was a fugitive from the Emperor's laws, was in and of itself an extraordinarily brave act.
When officers came in search of the priest, Alban met them, dressed in the priest's cloak, and he allowed himself to be arrested in place of the priest who he had sheltered. When the cloak was removed and his true identity was discovered, the governor was furious. Alban then declared himself to be a Christian, and the governor angrily ordered him to be taken before a Roman altar. He was threatened with all the tortures that had been prepared for the priest if he did not recant. He was then commanded to sacrifice to the Roman gods, but he refused and was cruelly tortured. Alban bore the punishment and when it was seen that he could not be forced to retract, he was sentenced to decapitation. He thus became the first Christian martyr in Britain. The second was the executioner who was to kill him, but who heard his testimony and was so impressed that he became a Christian on the spot, and refused to kill Alban. The third was the priest, who when he learned that Alban had been arrested in his place, hurried to the court in the hope of saving Alban by turning himself in. The place of their deaths is near the site of St. Alban's Cathedral today. What an amazing testimony to the power of the Gospel.
posted by Ben at 8:40 PM
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