St Alban's Catholic Primary School

St. Alban was one of the first saints in England, and his story is full of courage and faith. He lived a long time ago, during the early days of Christianity, when being a Christian could be very dangerous. In those days, the Roman rulers did not like Christians because they believed in Jesus, and many Christians were arrested for their faith.

St. Alban was a good and kind man who lived in a town called Verulamium, which is now called St. Albans in England. One day, a Christian priest who was being chased by the Roman soldiers came to Alban’s house to hide. St. Alban, being a brave and kind person, decided to help the priest. He gave the priest food and shelter, even though he knew that the soldiers might come looking for him.

As the soldiers came closer, St. Alban decided to dress in the priest's clothes to protect him. When the soldiers arrived, they thought St. Alban was the priest, and they took him away instead. He didn't try to escape or deny what he had done. He was willing to suffer because he wanted to follow Jesus, just like the priest had.

The soldiers took St. Alban to the Roman governor, who told him to give up his Christian faith. But St. Alban refused. He boldly told the governor that he was a Christian and believed in Jesus, and he would not give up his faith. The governor was very angry and ordered that St. Alban be punished. In the end, St. Alban was sentenced to death, and he was martyred for his belief in Jesus.

Before he died, something amazing happened. As St. Alban walked to the place where he was going to be executed, the ground miraculously became wet with water, which people believed was a sign of God's love and blessing. The spot where this happened became a place of pilgrimage, where people came to pray and honor St. Alban.

St. Alban is remembered as a brave and faithful saint who stood up for what he believed in, even when it was very difficult. He shows us that sometimes following Jesus can be hard, but it’s always worth it because God’s love is always with us. He is the patron saint of England, and people all around the world look to him as an example of courage, kindness, and faith.

St. Alban’s life teaches us to be kind to others, to help those in need, and to always be strong in our faith, no matter what challenges we may face.