Image by jackmac34 on Pixabay · Pixabay License
Key facts
- Born
- unknown, Verulamium , Roman Britain (modern-day St Albans , United Kingdom)
- Died
- disputed: 209, c. 251 or 304, Holywell Hill (formerly Holmhurst Hill), St Albans
- Venerated in
- Catholic Church , Anglican Communion , Eastern Orthodox Church , Oriental Orthodox Church , Church of the East
- Major shrine
- Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban
- Feast
- 22 June (Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church, General Roman Calendar of 1960 ) , 20 June ( Current Roman Calendar )
- Attributes
- soldier with a very large cross and a sword; decapitated, with his head in a holly bush and the eyes of his executioner dropping out
- Patronage
- converts, refugees, torture victims
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Given name
- Alban
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- Ancient Rome
- Place of birth
- Verulamium
- Place of death
- Verulamium
- Occupation
- military personnel
- Religion
- ancient Roman religion
- Military rank
- soldier
- Image
- StAlban.jpg
Show 10 more facts
- Commons category
- Saint Alban
- date of death
- 0400-00-00
- date of birth
- 0200-00-00
- time period
- Roman Empire
- cause of death
- decapitation
- feast day
- June 22
- name in native language
- Albanus
- manner of death
- capital punishment
- P12749
- Cardiobacteriaceae
Sources (3)
via Wikidata · CC0
~32 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Saint Alban (/ˈɔːlbən, ˈæl-/; Latin: Albanus) is venerated as the first-recorded British Christian martyr, for which reason he is considered to be the protomartyr of Britain. Along with fellow Saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three named martyrs recorded at an early date from Roman Britain (Amphibalus was the name given much later to the priest he was said to have been protecting). He is traditionally believed to have been beheaded in Verulamium (modern-day St Albans) sometime during the 3rd or 4th century, and has been celebrated there since ancient times.
Life and hagiography
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Saint Alban” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.