Albinus of Angers
Encyclopedia
Saint Albinus of Angers (c. 470—March 1, 550) was a French abbot
and bishop
. Born to a noble
Gallo-Roman family at Vannes
, Brittany
, St. Albinus was a monk
and afterwards Abbot of Tintillac (which no longer stands; its location has not been satisfactorily identified) (from 504). His reputation spread during the twenty-five years in which he served as abbot. In 529, St. Albinus was elected, against his wishes, Bishop of Angers.
(538) after King Childebert
granted permission for this council to take place. Albinus sought advice from St. Caesarius of Arles after seeing laxity in other bishops.
Tradition states that he helped all in distress, using diocesan funds to free hostages from pirates. Another tradition states that he clashed with King Childebert
, who had imprisoned a woman called Etherie, from Douille near Angers. Unable to secure her release Albinus visited her in prison, and the soldier who tried to resist him fell dead at his feet. This so impressed the king that he allowed St. Albinus to bail her out.
Another legend relates that St. Albinus once prayed far into the night for some men imprisoned in the Tower of Angers. Suddenly a great stone collapsed from the wall, allowing their escape.
. Near this church an abbey arose, called Saint-Aubin.
St. Gregory of Tours
remarks on the cult of St. Albinus, which later became diffused in Germany, England, and Poland, making St. Albinus a popular saint during the Middle Ages
. St. Venantius Fortunatus
, a near contemporary, wrote a life of this saint.
Churches were dedicated to him right across the continent as far as Poland, and he was sometimes seen as the patron saint
for protection from pirate attack. This may have been based on the tradition that he bought back parishioners who had been taken captive by pirates sailing up the Loire
river. Later the tradition was reinforced by a miracle recorded in the tenth century, when the walled town of Guérande
, near the mouth of the Loire
, prayed to St. Albinus for help and found their attackers miraculously defeated.
In the Middle Ages
, Nicholas Belfort notably wrote describing miracles performed at the tomb of St. Aubin after the year 1000 AD. Belfort was a Regular Canon in the monastery of St John the Baptist by the city of Soissons
.
Thus, his fame increased and many coastal villages chose Aubin as their patron saint. Presumably this is the reason why St. Aubin
in Jersey
bears his name, preserving the name of an ancient chapel that has long since disappeared. St. Aubin is venerated there in the Anglican
church of St Aubin on the Hill. (See Saint-Aubin
for other places named for him.)
St. Albinus' feast day is celebrated on March 1.
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. Born to a noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
Gallo-Roman family at Vannes
Vannes
Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, St. Albinus was a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and afterwards Abbot of Tintillac (which no longer stands; its location has not been satisfactorily identified) (from 504). His reputation spread during the twenty-five years in which he served as abbot. In 529, St. Albinus was elected, against his wishes, Bishop of Angers.
Episcopate
He campaigned against incestuous weddings, such as those that occurred between members of the nobility. He participated in the Council of OrléansCouncil of Orléans
The Council of Orléans may refer to any of several synods held in Orléans:*First Council of Orléans *Second Council of Orléans *Third Council of Orléans *Fourth Council of Orléans *Fifth Council of Orléans...
(538) after King Childebert
Childebert
Childebert was the name of several Frankish kings:*Childebert I, king of Paris *Childebert II, king of Austrasia *Childebert the Adopted, king of Austrasia, known as Childebert III in France...
granted permission for this council to take place. Albinus sought advice from St. Caesarius of Arles after seeing laxity in other bishops.
Tradition states that he helped all in distress, using diocesan funds to free hostages from pirates. Another tradition states that he clashed with King Childebert
Childebert I
Childebert I was the Frankish king of Paris, a Merovingian dynast, one of the four sons of Clovis I who shared the kingdom of the Franks upon their father's death in 511...
, who had imprisoned a woman called Etherie, from Douille near Angers. Unable to secure her release Albinus visited her in prison, and the soldier who tried to resist him fell dead at his feet. This so impressed the king that he allowed St. Albinus to bail her out.
Another legend relates that St. Albinus once prayed far into the night for some men imprisoned in the Tower of Angers. Suddenly a great stone collapsed from the wall, allowing their escape.
Death and burial
St. Albinus died in 550 and was buried in the church of Saint-Pierre at Angers. In 556, a church was dedicated to him and his body was buried in its cryptCrypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
. Near this church an abbey arose, called Saint-Aubin.
Veneration
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
remarks on the cult of St. Albinus, which later became diffused in Germany, England, and Poland, making St. Albinus a popular saint during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. St. Venantius Fortunatus
Venantius Fortunatus
Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus was a Latin poet and hymnodist in the Merovingian Court, and a Bishop of the early Catholic Church. He was never canonised but was venerated as Saint Venantius Fortunatus during the Middle Ages.-Life:Venantius Fortunatus was born between 530 and 540 A.D....
, a near contemporary, wrote a life of this saint.
Churches were dedicated to him right across the continent as far as Poland, and he was sometimes seen as the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
for protection from pirate attack. This may have been based on the tradition that he bought back parishioners who had been taken captive by pirates sailing up the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
river. Later the tradition was reinforced by a miracle recorded in the tenth century, when the walled town of Guérande
Guérande
The medieval town of Guérande is located in the département of Loire-Atlantique in western France.The inhabitants are so called Guérandais, for men, and Guérandaise, for women....
, near the mouth of the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
, prayed to St. Albinus for help and found their attackers miraculously defeated.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Nicholas Belfort notably wrote describing miracles performed at the tomb of St. Aubin after the year 1000 AD. Belfort was a Regular Canon in the monastery of St John the Baptist by the city of Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
.
Thus, his fame increased and many coastal villages chose Aubin as their patron saint. Presumably this is the reason why St. Aubin
Saint Aubin, Jersey
Saint Aubin is a port in the Channel Island of Jersey. It opens out to a bay of the Gulf of Saint-Malo.Originally a fishing village at the opposite end of Saint Aubin's Bay from the town of Saint Helier, Saint Aubin is now the hub of the parish of St. Brelade. Its name refers to Saint Aubin of...
in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
bears his name, preserving the name of an ancient chapel that has long since disappeared. St. Aubin is venerated there in the Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church of St Aubin on the Hill. (See Saint-Aubin
Saint-Aubin
-People:* Charles Germain de Saint Aubin , French draftsman and embroidery designer to King Louis XV* Helen Callaghan St. Aubin , American baseball player* Lisa St Aubin de Terán -People:* Charles Germain de Saint Aubin (1721 – 1786), French draftsman and embroidery designer to King Louis XV* Helen...
for other places named for him.)
St. Albinus' feast day is celebrated on March 1.