Alban (304 AD)

March 3rd, 2025
by Jon Holaday

Alban was from Roman Britain, a pagan soldier in the Roman army. He would become the 1st Christian Martyr of Britain and would be known in England as St. Alban.
While serving under the evil Eastern Roman emperor Diocletian, the emperor gave a strict edict against the Christians which essentially was death. He gave shelter to a fleeing priest, was impressed by this Christian priests life & devotion to Jesus, & thru many conversations, surrendered his life unto Jesus, as his Lord & Master. He would then be baptized, a very bold move. What came next proved his conversion.
The authorities discovered this priest to be at Albans home and when they had approached, Alban quickly put on the priests cloak and freely turned himself over to allow the priest to live. Who does this? Jesus! Now it was discovered that Alban had done this, it was ordered him be drug before the pagan gods and punished. Since he became a Christian, he too faced severe punishment. His words to them, "I worship & adore the true & living God who created all things." They tried to ask him about his lineage when he stated, "what difference is that to you but know this, I am a Christian and devote myself to Christian service."
He was ordered to be beaten in hopes he would recant Christ. Alban endured the torture. Since that didn't work, they ordered him to be beheaded! Alban was the 1st in Britain to be martyred but it gets better! The second was his executioner, who heard Albans testimony and became a Christian on the spot, and refused to kill Alban. Well, he was killed as well. The 3rd was the original suspect, the priest, who when heard Alban took his place, rushed to save him and be killed instead. There are several ways to look at this but the facts are these: One faithful Christian became at least three faithful Christians that we know of if not more! No one was recruited to die but all three laid their lives down willingly for Jesus Christ. I believe we would do so as well.