Who we are
The Diocese of St Albans is part of the Church of England and home to more than 1.6 million people. It includes Bedfordshire, Luton, Hertfordshire and parts of the London Borough of Barnet.
- It ranges from small rural communities to major urban centres like Luton, Bedford, Watford and Hemel Hempstead, and includes suburban areas on London's outer reaches.
- The region has many sites of historic interest, and is crossed by ancient British and Roman routes including the Icknield Way and Watling Street.
- Today, the M1 and A1(M) provide rapid access through the diocesan area. London Luton Airport is rapidly developing in its passenger handling, and railway connections across the area are excellent, with several routes running directly to London.
- These communities are served by some 336 parishes, more than 400 churches and over 130 church schools.
- Across the Diocese many thousands of Christians seek to express their faith in their daily lives - in their families and at home, at their place of work and in their local communities.
- Some 350 clergy and around 300 Readers and other lay ministers offer spiritual and pastoral care, and help people to explore the significance and the challenge of the Christian faith in today's world.
- The Anglican churches work to develop close links with churches of other Christian denominations, and to build understanding with members of other faiths.
- The Diocese also has close ties with churches across the world, particularly in the Caribbean and in Continental Europe.
- The Diocese is overseen by the Bishop of St Albans, whose 'cathedra' (or chair) is in St Albans Cathedral. He is supported by the Bishops of Bedford and Hertford, and by three Archdeacons.
History of St Albans Diocese
The Diocese of St Albans was founded by an Order in Council in
April 1877, implementing the Bishopric of St Albans Act, passed by Parliament
two years earlier. At that time, the
bishop extended jurisdiction over the counties of Essex and Hertford, a total
of over 600 parishes. In 1914, the new diocese of Chelmsford was created,
removing Essex from the diocese. A few months later the county archdeaconry
of Bedford
was severed from the diocese of Ely, and St Albans Diocese substantially
took on its present form.
The diocese
has three archdeaconries; St Albans, Bedford and Hertford. The Hertford archdeaconry
came into being on January 1st 1997,
created from eastern elements of St Albans archdeaconry, which was until
then one of the largest in the country.
The Story of Alban
Alban was England's first martyr, dying for his faith in about the year 209 AD. In the 3rd century AD, the Roman city of Verulamium, close to the site of present-day St Albans, was one of the most important and largest sites in the country.
Alban was a citizen of Verulamium, and as the historian Bede records, he took
in and sheltered a Christian seeking sanctuary from persecution. So impressed
was Alban by the prayer and witness of the stranger, that he accepted the Christian
faith and disguised the visitor in his own cloak, taking his place when the
soldiers came. Alban was arrested and brought before the authorities, but despite
torture, he would not renounce his new-found faith, saying 'I worship and adore
the true and living God.' He was condemned to die by beheading on a hill outside
the city wall. 
In a legendary but fitting embellishment to the story, it is told how roses sprang up under Alban's feet as he walked to his place of execution. Within a few years of Alban's martyrdom, a shrine had been built to his honour, and the site quickly developed a reputation for miraculous healings. Much was done by King Offa (757 - 796) to secure a permanent church dedicated to the saint, including the founding of a monastery after the Benedictine order.
Today, the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban stands in a dramatic location overlooking Verulam Park and the Roman remains. It is a popular centre for pilgrimage and tourism, and its education centre is nationally renowned.
