St Albinus was born to a noble family and was noted to be a pious child. From his mid twenties til into his sixties, he would devote himself to a monastic life. After being Abbot of his monastery for nearly twenty five years, Albinus would become Bishop of the diocese of Angers, France.
The customs of the day permitted consanguinary marriage. Albinus declared that this was incest, which drew tensions between him and many of the powerful families of the area who practiced it. Albinus would help call councils to decree this and other amoral offeces to the light.
Legend says that when he visited Etheria, a woman imprisoned by King Childebert for bad debts, the woman threw herself at Albinus' feet, and pled for help. A guard made a move to strike her, but Albinus breathed in the man's face, and he fell dead. Etheria was soon released.
At another time, Albinus was passing by a prison and heard the moans and wails of the prisoners who were being treated badly. He would plead with the local magistrate for their release, but he refused. Albinus would go outside to pray and after several hours, a small landside came and took part of the tower's wall down. Using this oppertunity, the prisoners escaped and followed St Albinus to the church of St Maurichies, reformed their ways and converted. They would be model citizens and Christians.
On Sunday, March 1st, we celebrate the feast day of St Albinus, monk, Bishop, and helper of the less fortunate. We should contemplate the mercy of St Albinus and his devotion and try to emulate it during this Lenten season. | |
