22 June St Alban, First Martyr of Britain
There were probably Christians in the British Isles already
in the first century, but Alban is the first recorded Martyr.
The traditional date of his death is 304, under Diocletian,
but now many date it around 209 during persecutions
under Emperor Septimus Severus. Alban was a pagan
soldier in the Roman army. He sheltered a persecuted
Christian priest and converted to Christianity. He is said to
have dressed up in the priest’s cloak and was arrested
instead of him, was tried and beheaded. He thus became
the first Christian martyr in Britain, the second was his executioner (who had
converted on the spot) The third was the priest who gave himself up. The
place of their deaths is near the site of St Alban’s Cathedral today.
20 June St Fillan (8 th century)
Filan, Faolan (Gaelic) is the name of
probably 2 Scottish Saints of Irish origin. St
Fillan of the feast day 20 June has
churches dedicated in Ireland but also at
Loch Earn, Perthshire, & Kilmacolm SEC is
dedicated to him, also Strathfillan,
Perthshire, where there was an ancient
monastery. St Fillan came to Scotland in
717 as a hermit & became an abbot of a
monastery in Fife. The monastery was
restored in the reign of Robert the Bruce and received a grant in gratitude for
the aid which was given by a relic of the Saint at the victory at Bannockburn.
St Fillan was said to have had a luminous arm, by which glow he could write
in the dark. The ‘Quigriff, Fillan’s staff (crosier) and the ‘Bernane’ – a cast
bronze bell used in the coronation of King James IV and associated with
Fillan are in the National Museum of Scotland. St Fillan is the patron saint of
the mentally ill, who used to be treated by ducking them in St Fillan’s Pool.
When God Answers Prayer
After starting a new diet I altered my drive to work to avoid passing my
favourite bakery. I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and as I
approached, there in the window were a host of chocolates, donuts, and
cheesecakes.
I felt this was no accident, so I prayed … “Lord, it’s up to You. If You want me
to have any of those delicious goodies, create a parking place for me directly
in front of the bakery.”
And sure enough, on the eighth time around the block, there it was!
God is so good!
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