12 March 2025, Mesilla, New Mexico, Steven Zimmerman –
I attend the Basilica of San Albino in Mesilla, New Mexico. The Basilica is named after San Albino, Saint Albinus of Angers, and Saint-Aubin in French. In English, he is Saint Alban.
Interestingly, I ended up at another Church named after Alban.
My journey to the Roman Catholic Church has twists and turns. I come from an Orthodox Jewish background. Growing up, I didn’t think of Jesus Christ, much less know who He was. However, I began to feel that my life was bereft of God’s Mercy and Grace, and I began to search for just that.
After Judaism, I went to what I thought was the only other monotheistic religion, Islam. I “reverted” to Islam [Muslims do not use the word convert as they believe all people are born Muslim]. I spent years studying the Quran, Hadith, and Sunnah as a Muslim. Still, I did not feel any closer to God.
In the past thirty years as a reporter and photojournalist, I’ve focused on two main topics: faith and human interest. Because of my job, I found myself in both Episcopal and Catholic Churches.
I spent some time at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in El Paso, Texas. I first visited there while writing an article about a new Vicar of the Church. Still, even there, I didn’t feel at home or any closer to God. I simply stopped going and returned to Judaism.
The Catholic Diocese of El Paso and its Churches always seemed to call to me. At one point, I created a website that featured only photos of parishes within the Diocese, which caught the eye of the Bishop, Mark Seitz.
I discovered there would be a Confirmation Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in El Paso, Texas, and I wanted nothing more than to cover it. Through God’s work, I received permission.
Before the Mass, I met with the parish priest. I told him who I was and what my background was, and we had a conversation.
During the Mass, Bishop Seitz gave a homily that touched something inside of me.
After Mass, I was invited to lunch with the bishop. I had a great conversation about God, faith, and the Church.
Later that year, I covered Christmas events in San Elizario, Texas, where I met Father Victor of the San Elizario Catholic Church.
Listening to that Christmas homily, I knew God had been trying to get my attention. I knew that this was where God wanted me.
I began the RCIA program just before COVID and was baptized on 4 October 2020.
So, who is San Albino, or Saint Alban?
St. Alban was the first martyr of England, his homeland. During the persecution of Christians, Alban, though a pagan, hid a priest in his house as others, possibly Romans, were hunting priests down. St. Alban secreted the priest into a small, hidden section of his home. When the Romans arrived, the priest couldn’t be found.
Imagine you are a Catholic priest, running for your life, and the only place you feel safe is the home of an avowed pagan.
While what must have felt like the whole world was chasing him, the priest must have had conversations with Alban. It is unknown how long the priest remained in Alban’s home, but it was enough time for the priest to leave a remarkable impression on Alban, as he received instruction from the priest and became a Christian.
I can almost imagine the conversations, late at night, by the dying embers of a fire, the priest instructs Alban in the Catechism of the Church. I like to imagine Alban, before being baptized, crying to God to forgive him for his pagan ways.
The area governor had been told that the priest was hiding in Alban’s house, and he sent soldiers to capture him. Rather than give up the priest, Alban, and the priest traded clothes, and Alban gave himself up.
The Judge was furious when he found out that the priest had escaped, and he said to Alban, “You shall get the punishment he was to get unless you worship the gods.” The Saint answered that he would never worship those false gods again. “To what family do you belong?” demanded the Judge. “That does not concern you,” said Alban. “If you want to know my religion, I am a Christian.” Angrily, the Judge commanded him to sacrifice to the gods again. “Your sacrifices are offered to devils,” answered the Alban. “They cannot help you or answer your requests. The reward for such sacrifices is the everlasting punishment of Hell.”
The Judge was beyond angry. Alban refused to give up the priest and insulted the false gods the Judge worshiped.
“you shall suffer the fate that awaited the priest,” said the Judge.
The Judge commanded that Alban be tortured and beheaded. On the way to the place of execution, the first soldier whose job was to kill Alban converted himself, and he, too, became a martyr after refusing to kill Alban.
Several other conversions are claimed to have happened thanks to the witness of St. Alban’s martyrdom, specifically on behalf of spectators of his execution.
When the priest learned that Alban was arrested in his place, he turned himself in, hoping to save Alban’s life. But that wasn’t the case. The priest was killed as well.
Saint Alban is venerated as the first recorded British Christian martyr, so he is considered the British protomartyr.
Who is Saint Albinus of Angers – Bishop?
Saint Albinus, or San Albino, was a Bishop and miracle worker, also known as Aubin. As a youngster, he entered the monastery at Tincilloc, near his hometown of Vannes, in Brittany. When he was thirty-five, he became an abbot and was later named Bishop of Angers in 529.
San Albino was known as a miracle worker during his lifetime. There are stories of Albinus healing the sick and restoring the sight of the blind. One miracle that stands out the most to me was when he raised a boy named Alabald from the dead.
During my research for this article, I worked to find as much information about Alabald as I could. What I do know is that San Albino did raise Alabald from the dead.
I can imagine Alabald’s parents praying as they watched their son’s health worsen. They sat there, watching their son slowly die. “What more can we do?” I can imagine what his mother was saying to his father.
Alabald’s father, not wanting to lose his son and not knowing how to answer his wife, left home for Bishop Albinus’ residence. When he arrived, he may have begun to pound on the door.
When the Bishop, or maybe another priest, opens the door, Alabald’s father begins to tell him about his son, his health, and how they don’t want to lose their child.
As I imagine this scenario, I can see the Bishop grabbing his cloak, and he and the boy’s father head out of the carriage, racing to Alabald.
I can’t find information on how or just when Alabald died, but I can imagine his death happening as the Bishop and Alabald’s father raced home.
The Bishop arrives at Alabald’s bedside and sees the poor mother crying over her son. The Bishop, being a man of faith and prayer, begins to call upon God, asking for a miracle to raise this boy from the dead.
God, hearing the prayer of his faithful Bishop, Alabald is raised from the dead.
There is also this incident of a King and kidnapped girl.
The King himself carried off a beautiful young girl and locked her away for his own pleasure. When Albinus heard about it, he marched directly to the castle and demanded her freedom. Seeing Albinus’ righteous fury, the guards dared not oppose him and handed her over. Thinking better of the situation, the King did not pursue the girl but demanded a ransom for her freedom, which Albinus paid himself.
Paying the ransom for the girl was nothing new to Albinus. During his lifetime, Albinus would often pay to free slaves and care for them himself.
After Albinus’s death, his grave became a popular pilgrimage destination because of the miracles he performed. Albinus always showed generosity to the sick and poor.
San Albino, Saint Albinus of Angers, and Saint-Aubin in French. In English, he is Saint Alban. They are two different people from different locations and times, but each is inspired to please God and examples to us all.