Alban lived in Hertfordshire, England, and was a pagan soldier in the Roman Army. In 303, Emperor Diocletian published his edict against the Christians. At some point, Alban gave shelter to a Christian priest who was fleeing the authorities. Impressed by the priest’s lifestyle and devotion, and through their many conversations, Alban was converted to Christ and baptized.
Hearing that the priest was in that vicinity, the local magistrate sent soldiers to search for him. As they approached Alban’s cottage, he changed clothes with the priest, wearing his hooded cloak, and was arrested in his place. Alban was brought before the magistrate as he was offering sacrifices to the pagan gods. Seeing that the prisoner was Alban and not the priest, the magistrate became enraged that Alban had freely offered himself to the soldiers in place of his guest.
He ordered Alban to be dragged to the pagan idols and ordered the punishment for him that the priest would have received, if Alban had indeed become a Christian. Alban declared, “I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things.” He openly stated that he would not obey the government’s commands. Then the magistrate asked, “Of what house and stock are you?” Alban replied, “What business is it of yours of what lineage I am born? If on the other hand you desire to hear the truth of my religion, know that I am now a Christian and devote myself to Christian service.”
Angered even more, the magistrate ordered Alban to be beaten, hoping that he would recant. But Alban patiently endured the torture. Realizing that Alban was determined to confess Christ, he ordered him to be beheaded.
Alban was taken out of town to the top of the hill across the river. The place of his beheading is where St. Alban’s Cathedral now stands. Alban thus became the first martyr in Britain. The second was the executioner that was ordered to kill him, who after hearing his testimony became a Christian on the spot and refused to follow the order. The third was the priest, who, after hearing that Alban had been arrested in his place, hurried to the court to turn himself in and save Alban.
[taken from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs]