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The Feast Day of Saint Amphibalus is the 22nd of June.
On 25th June 304 Saint Amphibalus died.
The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales: Book 1 Chapter 5. Julius and Aaron, after suffering martyrdom, were buried in this city [Caerleon [Map]], and had each a church dedicated to him. After Albanus and Amphibalus, they were esteemed the chief protomartyrs of Britannia Major. In ancient times there were three fine churches in this city: one dedicated to Julius the martyr, graced with a choir of nuns; another to Aaron, his associate, and ennobled with an order of canons; and the third distinguished as the metropolitan of Wales. Amphibalus, the instructor of Albanus in the true faith, was born in this place. This city is well situated on the river Usk, navigable to the sea, and adorned with woods and meadows. The Roman ambassadors here received their audience at the court of the great king Arthur; and here also, the archbishop Dubricius ceded his honours to David of Menevia, the metropolitan see being translated from this place to Menevia, according to the prophecy of Merlin Ambrosius. "Menevia pallio urbis Legionum induetur." "Menevia shall be invested with the pall of the city of Legions."
St Albans Cathedral [Map]. Shrine of Saint Amphibalus. Amphibalus is a venerated early Christian priest said to have converted Saint Alban to Christianity. In 1323, a portion of the abbey roof collapsed, damaging the shrine. The shrine was then moved to the north aisle of the chancel. Eventually, around 1350, the shrine was given a position in the centre of the retrochoir, east of St Alban's own shrine in the 'Saint's Chapel', complete with a stone tomb, paintings, and a silver gilt plate. The shrine was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the pieces were used to block the eastern arches of "Saints' Chapel". The relics were scattered; however, the remains of the shrine were discovered in the 19th-century during renovations, and were reassembled in 1872 under the direction of Sir George Gilbert Scott. The stone shrine was restored in 2021 by the Skillington Workshop
Bede. Now, as he was spreading the Gospel in the aforesaid province, it happened that when the king himself, having received instruction as a catechumen, was being baptized together with his people, Oswald, the most holy and victorious king of the Northumbrians, being present, received him as he came forth from baptism, and by an honourable alliance most acceptable to God, first adopted as his son, thus born again and dedicated to God, the man whose daughter320 he was about to receive in marriage. The two kings gave to the bishop the city called Dorcic321, there to establish his episcopal see; where having built and consecrated churches, and by his pious labours called many to the Lord, he departed to the Lord, and was buried in the same city; but many years after, when Haedde was bishop322, he was translated thence to the city of Venta323, and laid in the church of the blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul.
Note 320. Called Cyneburga by Reginald of Durham (Life of St. Oswald).
Note 321. Dorchester, about nine miles from Oxford, near the junction of the Thame and the Thames. The Abbey Church of SS. Peter and Paul stands on the traditional site of Cynegil's baptism. The see became extinct on the retirement of Agilbert (v. infra), but there are some grounds for believing that it was revived for a short time as a Mercian see in 679 (v. p. 272, note), after which it again disappeared till, in the ninth century, the Bishop of Leicester moved his see to Dorchester.
Note 322. IV, 12; V, 18. Haedde became bishop in 676 (Sax. Chron.). His see was at Winchester. He removed the bones of Birinus, because Dorchester had ceased to be an episcopal see. Winchester continued to be the only West Saxon see till the diocese was again divided (v. V, 18), when Daniel was established at Winchester, and Aldhelm at Sherborne.
Note 323. Winchester; Gwent (Celtic) = a plain. This, the "old Church," as distinguished from the present Cathedral, was built by Coinwalch on his restoration to his kingdom. There are legends of early British churches on the site, the first founded by "King Lucius" (I, 4), the second dedicated to "St. Amphibalus" (I, 7, p. 15, note).
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