St Albans: A City with its Own Patron Saint

St Alban’s is a beautiful small city, with its own patron saint, who lived around 305 AD. A former pagan, a priest who he sheltered made such an impression, he converted himself.

He is recorded as the first-ever Christian martyr (killed for his faith) and is apparently the patron saint of converts and torture victims. His prayer is often still said today:

I worship and adore the true and living God, who created all things’.

There is a story that St Alban’s execution was delayed, as the fast-flowing river that he could not cross dried up, allowing him to escape. When he was eventually beheaded, his head rolled down a hill and a spring immediately created fresh water.

The executioners were so surprised, they began to revere him as a saint, and the well still stands today at Holywell Hill. How can any reality TV compete with that?