medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> I've always been curious about the term "protomartyr."
> Why is Stephen not just a martyr (witness to the
> faith)? What exactly is a protomartyr?
The first (known) martyr. The prototype of martyrdom.
Saint Alban (beheaded according to some reckonings in 208AD) is the
"Protomartyr of the English" according to the later inscription on the 12th
century slab recently remounted in St Albans Abbey. "S Albanus Verolamensis
Anglorum Protomarty"
He is honoured - and has been since at least the time of St Germanus of
Auxerre - as the first (known) Christian martyr in the land which is now
England although at the time, of course, it was the Roman province of
Britannia. Verulamium was the name of the Roman city which was the
forerunner of the present-day city of St Albans.
In a number of English churches at all periods up to today, artistic
representations of Stephen and Alban occur as one of the standard pairs.
Brenda MC
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