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• The Feast of St Alban

  Fri 12 Jun 2020

  Dear Parent/Guardian,

   

   On Monday 22 June we celebrate the feast day of St. Alban.  Unfortunately, we are not able to celebrate with the traditional S.A Cup final and ice cream this year. 

  However, we thought we could still celebrate with a “Wear your school jumper day” instead.  If you are home learning or in school, we want to see you all in your school jumpers.

  On the noticeboard of our school website you will find the story of St.Alban with a reflection and prayer as well as a coat of arms colouring sheet and template for those children who would like to design their own. 

  However you choose to celebrate, please send photos of your child/children to: office@stalbans.blackburn.sch.uk

  We miss you and look forward to seeing you join in in our celebrations.

  Thank you,

  Mrs C. Speakman

  The Story of St. Alban

   

  The dates are uncertain, but Alban lived sometime during the third or fourth century. He worked in Verulamium, a town in Roman Britain (near modern-day St Albans); the river Ver ran through it.
  
  We don’t know much about Alban’s background, but we do know that he met an early Christian priest called Amphibalus and took him into his house to save him from persecution and probably death. This was during the time when it was not permitted to be a Christian. Amphibalus was not only a Christian, but a priest who was actively preaching about Jesus. At this time, there were very few Christians in England.

  Alban and Amphibalus were together for long enough for Alban to decide to become a Christian. He was baptized, presumably by night, in the river Ver. Amphibalus taught Alban the Christian faith and they stayed together until the Romans discovered where Amphibalus was.

  When soldiers arrived to arrest Amphibalus, Alban suggested that he and Amphibalus exchange cloaks. In this way, Amphibalus escaped and Alban was arrested. Alban was taken to the Roman governor, who was sacrificing an animal to the local god at the time that Alban was brought in.

  When Alban threw back his cloak, the governor realised that he was not Amphibalus. He asked Alban who he was. He is said to have replied, ‘I am Alban and I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things.’ This was not the best way to guarantee himself an easy time!

  The governor was so angry that he condemned Alban to death.

   

  Alban’s story became well-known and over time, people began to come to worship and remember Alban on the spot where he died. Eventually, a shrine was established, and this was gradually enlarged over the years. Today, if you go to modern-day St Albans, the town that bears his name, the cathedral marks this spot, at the top of Holywell Hill.

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Time for reflection

   

  Alban was the first English Christian to die for his faith; he was the first English martyr, or protomartyr. His story is largely unknown, but he is remembered through St Albans, a pretty town in Hertfordshire. Its cathedral has a shrine that is said to contain some of his bones.

  St Alban put the needs of his friend Amphibalus before his own. He acted in a courageous and generous way.

  Hopefully, none of us will ever have to face such choices. However, we all face choices that affect other people every day of our lives. These choices may not be a matter of life or death, but they do show how we care for others and what things really matter in our lives.

  Let’s make good choices that consider other people.

  Let’s be good friends, putting our friends’ needs selflessly before our own.

   

  Prayer

  
  Dear God,
  Thank you for the life of St Alban.
  Thank you for the lessons we can learn from his actions and his love for his friend.
  Please help us to be good friends.
  Please help us to consider the needs of other people.
  Please help us to love, care, be courageous and be generous.
  Please give us the courage to hold fast to our belief in you.
  Amen.