Saint Albinus
Saint Albinus of Angers (French: Saint Aubin; born c. 470 AD in Vannes area, Brittany, France; died March 1, 550 AD in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France) was a sixth-century French abbot and bishop who served as the Bishop of Angers from around 529 until his death and is venerated as one of the great saints of the early Breton and Angevin Church. He governed a monastery at Tincillac for twenty-five years before being appointed bishop, and his long abbatial experience shaped his approach to the governance of his diocese. He presided over the Council of Orléans (538 AD) and the Council of Tours (461 AD, though this date is disputed). He is the patron saint of the city of Angers and of several places in Brittany. His feast day is March 1.
Albinus (Aubin) is one of the most venerated saints of western France. The great Abbey of Saint-Aubin in Angers—which became one of the most powerful Benedictine abbeys in the Loire valley—was dedicated to his memory, and his cult spread from Angers throughout Anjou and Brittany. He is depicted in art carrying a prisoner whom he has freed, reflecting his reputation for ransoming captives.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Albinus
| Saint Albinus | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | March 01 |
| Profession | Monk; Abbot; Bishop |
| Rel. Affiliation | Early Frankish-Breton Church; Diocese of Angers |
| Patronage | Angers; Brittany (in part); prisoners; those in captivity |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; crozier; prisoner being freed; captive with broken chains |
| Birthplace | Vannes area, Brittany, France (traditional) |
| Death Place | Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Angers Cathedral; Church of Saint-Aubin, Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar); feast in France and Brittany |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Birth
Albinus was born around 470 AD, traditionally in the region of Vannes in Brittany or in the western Loire valley. Brittany in the late fifth century was a Celtic-speaking land with strong connections to the British Isles, and Albinus's formation was shaped by both the Breton and the wider Gallo-Roman Christian tradition. He is said to have been dedicated to the Church from his youth.
Early Life
Albinus entered monastic life at a young age and eventually became the abbot of the monastery at Tincillac (in Anjou), which he governed with wisdom and holiness for twenty-five years. His abbatial tenure was marked by a demanding but charitable observance of the monastic Rule, the formation of the monks under his care, and a generous pastoral service to the surrounding region.
His reputation for holiness and administrative ability led to his election as Bishop of Angers around 529 AD, when he was approximately sixty years old.
Occupation
As Bishop of Angers, Albinus governed one of the important sees of the Loire valley for over twenty years. He participated in the ecclesiastical life of the Merovingian Church at the highest levels: he presided over the Council of Orléans in 538 AD, one of a series of Merovingian councils that sought to order the life of the Frankish Church in the aftermath of Clovis's conversion.
Albinus was particularly known for his care for prisoners and captives. He is said to have used his episcopal resources to ransom those enslaved or imprisoned, personally visiting prisoners and interceding for them with the Frankish kings and nobles. This aspect of his ministry gave him his characteristic iconographic attribute of a captive being freed.
He also organized the pastoral care of his diocese, built churches, and maintained a personal life of prayer and asceticism within his episcopal household.
Death
Saint Albinus of Angers died peacefully on March 1, 550 AD, at Angers, having served as bishop for over twenty years. He was approximately eighty years old at his death and had spent his entire adult life in the service of the Church—first as monk and abbot, then as bishop.
Saint Albinus met his end peacefully on March 1, 550 AD, at Angers, dying as a holy abbot-bishop after a lifetime of monastic and pastoral service in the Angevin and Breton Church.
Significant events
- Born c. 470 AD in Brittany or western France; entered monastic life.
- Served as Abbot of Tincillac for 25 years.
- Appointed Bishop of Angers c. 529 AD.
- Presided over the Council of Orléans (538 AD) and other Merovingian councils.
- Particularly known for ransoming prisoners and caring for the captive.
- Died March 1, 550 AD at Angers; feast established on March 1.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Vannes area, Brittany, France (traditional)
Death location: Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France
Notable location: Cathedral of the see he governed (Angers Cathedral, Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France)
Notable location: Monastery he governed for 25 years before his episcopate (Tincillac Abbey, near Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France)
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Albinus have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| The Inspiring Life of Saint Albinus, Bishop of Angers: Faith, Reform and Compassion | Under 5 minutes | Leyendas De Santos |
| Saint Albinus, Bishop - March 1st | Under 5 minutes | Saint of the Day |
| The Inspiring Life of St Albinus, Bishop of Angers Faith, Reform & Compassion #churchhistory | Under 5 minutes | Saints Stories |
Shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
List of shrines
Angers Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Maurice), Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France
- The Cathedral of Saint Maurice in Angers is the successor to the cathedral Albinus governed as bishop. The city of Angers has venerated Albinus as its patron since the sixth century. The great Abbey of Saint-Aubin (now the Hôtel du Département) was the principal center of his cult in Angers through the medieval period.
- Pilgrimage details: Place Monseigneur Rumeau, 49100 Angers, Maine-et-Loire, France. Open year-round. Diocese: Diocese of Angers.
- Facts: The Abbey of Saint-Aubin in Angers, founded in his honor, became one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in the Loire valley; its magnificent Romanesque cloister (now part of the prefecture building) remains a major monument of twelfth-century French architecture.
Canonization
Canonization
Saint Albinus of Angers is venerated as a canonized saint through the ancient process of equivalent canonization, confirmed by his inclusion in the Roman Martyrology and centuries of uninterrupted veneration in Angers and throughout France and Brittany.
Miracles
No specific miracles for beatification or canonization have been authenticated through the modern Congregation for the Causes of Saints process.
Other notable miracles
- Hagiographic tradition records healings of the blind, lame, and possessed attributed to Albinus's intercession.
- He is said to have freed prisoners miraculously through his prayer.
Patronage
Saint Albinus of Angers is the patron saint of the city of Angers and is invoked as patron of prisoners and those in captivity.
Feast day
March 01
Veneration
Saint Albinus is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on March 1. His cult is strongest in Angers and the surrounding Anjou region, and extends throughout Brittany and the Loire valley. He is also commemorated in the Anglican Communion and in the broader Western Christian tradition. He is depicted as a bishop holding a prisoner or a figure with broken chains, reflecting his reputation for freeing the captive.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
Written by the saint
- No writings by Saint Albinus are known to survive.