Fr Ben Garren

Dear Siblings in Christ,

Understanding where we come from, as Episcopalians caught up in the Anglican Tradition and the peculiarities of 2000 years of Christianity on the British Isles, is not always easy. The first few centuries are marked by a combination of us knowing that something was indeed happening but the details of such being very murky. Which brings us to the Martyrium of England.

A Martyrium is a shrine built around the grave of a martyr. When we have archeological evidence of them their shape, at least within a certain region, is often quite distinct. The issue being that we don’t have clear archeological evidence of early Christian Martyrs in England. What we have are their names within liturgical books and histories… and mention of their martyriums on the list of diocesan properties centuries later. Eventually these martyrium were forgotten, the relics of the saints moved, or they were always lost but simply believed to be present somewhere within a certain jurisdiction.

In two days, we will celebrate the Feast of Saint Alban, the major martyr of Roman Britain who stands out because we actually know something about him…or at least have some tales of a saint’s life associated with him. On this day, however, we have just two names Julius and Aaron. They are listed in saint books as martyrs in Roman Britain, they are listed in the histories as such, and their Martyrium is listed as having existed at Caerleon. As we know so little of these two individuals, I find it a good day to give thanks and pray for all those we know even less about within our history, as Episcopalians and Anglicans, but also individually.

Take a few moments to reflect on Julius and Aaron, these near anonymous Saints of England, and reflect on the many anonymous saints, the ones we have forgotten or whose names were never recorded. Amidst all the named saints it is, perhaps, these unnamed saints with which most of our lives have something truly in common.

Pax,

—Ben