ST. ALBAN THE PROTOMARTYR (JUNE 22ND)
By Bp. Joseph Boyd ( Ancient Church of the West ) Today is the Feast of St. Alban the Protomartyr of England, a wonder-working and mystical witness to the power of Christ to transform lives, cause us to grow in faith, and love others as we love ourselves. Voluntarily taking the place of an old, despised Celtic pastor, who was captured during the reign of Diocletian, the handsome, educated, brave young Roman, Albanus, was beheaded for his faith, sometime around 209AD, and was the first martyr for Christ in Britain. His executioner refused to complete the evil emperor's commands, and was executed with him together. Upon giving up the ghost, a spring of living water was said to have sprung up where he was beheaded, and many were healed by the holy waters. Later, many pilgrims were cured of diseases by visiting his grave and praying that God would hear the prayers of St. Alban for them. These stories remind us of biblical tales, where God used the bones of the ...
