Sts Albinus and David

SAINT ALBINUS
Bishop
(470-550)

Saint Albinus was of an ancient and noble family in Brittany, and from his childhood was fervent in every exercise of piety. He ardently sighed after the happiness which a devout soul finds in being disengaged from all earthly things. Having embraced the monastic state, despite his parents’ disapproval, he shone a perfect model of virtue, taking upon himself all the humblest offices and disciplining his flesh by every kind of mortification. In brief, he lived as if in all things he were without any will of his own; and his soul seemed so perfectly governed by the spirit of Christ as to live only for Him.

In 504, at the age of thirty-five Saint Albinus was chosen Abbot of his monastery; Saint Fortunatus, his first historian, compared the monastery at that time to a garden rendered beautiful by the most exquisite, most varied, most fragrant flowers. Twenty-five years later, divine Providence gave the Abbot to the entire region as Bishop of Angers. A day did not pass without his instructing his people, for he believed that the soul needs daily nourishment just as imperatively as does the flesh.

Many Christians of his diocese had fallen into slavery through the invasions of the barbarians, and Saint Albinus used every resource available to him for their redemption. To the graces of charity from which his people benefitted, were joined those deriving from his public miracles. He resurrected a young child; and when one of his servants died during his absence, those who carried the man to his grave were unable to lower him until the bishop arrived to give the final benediction. He established and restored measures of ecclesiastical discipline, through the third Council of Orleans, convened through his influence over King Childebert, son of Clovis, who greatly respected his opinions. In brief, he was inflamed with a holy zeal for the glory of God in all aspects of life. Honored by all, he was never affected with vanity.

Saint Albinus died after making a long journey which he undertook to consult Saint Cesarius, Bishop of Arles, concerning matters of episcopal government. He had been the benediction of his diocese for twenty-one years; he died on March 1, 549. He is often represented preaching in the episcopal pulpit or curing the sick, or holding chains while commanding prison doors to be opened.

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SAINT DAVID
Archbishop of Wales
(†561)

Saint David, son of the Prince of Cardigan and Non in Wales, was born in that land in the later fifth century, and from his earliest years gave himself wholly to the service of God. He began his religious life on the island of Wight, under Saint Paulinus, a disciple of Saint Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, sent to Britain by Pope Saint Celestine to arrest the ravages of the heresy of a certain abbot named Pelagius, in the same region. When his virtue had grown strong by practice, he went to preach on the mainland; he built a chapel at Glastonbury and founded twelve monasteries, the principal one in the valley of Ross.

When heresy began to reappear in the early years of the sixth century, the bishops of the region assembled at Cardiganshire and sent for Saint David, already known to the people through his virtues and miracles, to come from his cell and preach to them. The Saint obeyed, and it is related that as he preached, the ground beneath his feet rose and became a hill, so that he was heard by a vast crowd. The heresy retreated and fell under the sword of the Spirit.

Saint David was elected Bishop of Caerleon. He could not resist the common will, but obtained that his see be transferred to a more retired location, today called Saint David, a lone and desert spot, where he would be able, with his monks, to serve God away from the tumults of the world.

When he was about eighty years of age, he recognized that his hour had come. As his agony closed, Our Lord stood before him in a vision, and the Saint cried out, “Take me up with Thee!” and so breathed forth his soul. The date was March 1, 561. Many Saints of Ireland and Great Britain, who revered him as their spiritual father, were formed in his monasteries, whose strict rule of prayer and work nourished their virtue and recommended them to both God and men.

Reflection. With whatever virtues a man may be endowed, he will discover, if he considers himself attentively, a sufficient depth of misery to afford cause for deep humility. But Jesus Christ says, “He who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)