Alban
3rd century CE
Alban is regarded as the first British Christian martyr, having been decapitated on a hill above the Roman town of Verulamium, now known as St. Albans, a town to the north of London. St. Albans Cathedral was built near the site. The date of his execution is debated, with the date 283 being recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. A twentieth century historian has suggested an earlier date of 209.

Saint Alban was the first known Christian martyr of Britain. Shortly after his conversion, he allowed himself to be mistaken for the priest who converted him and to whom Alban had offered hospitality during a persecution. Traditionally believed to have died c. 304 C.E. during the reign of Diocletian, his dates are now disputed and may have been somewhat earlier. Along with saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain.

Alban’s career as a Christian was extremely brief, being executed shortly after his conversion. However, several miracles are associated with his death by beheading, including that he changed the course of a river on his way to the site of his death and that his executioner was struck blind as soon as he delivered the fatal blow.

In 1977 Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi went with some of her early followers to stay at a yogi’s house in the town of St.Albans. They went to see St. Albans Cathedral and visited Saint Alban’s grave where Shri Mataji “knelt to pay Her respects to Saint Alban who She said was an Adi Guru.” (Djamel Metouri). Another yogi present that day reported that Shri Mataji described Saint Alban as “a part incarnation of the Adi Guru.” (Pat Anslow)