St. Albinus (Aubin) of Angers

St. Albinus was born to a noble family of Brittany and grew to be a pious child. He became a monk from his mid-20's into his 60's at Timcillac, which later renamed itself Saint Aubin's in his honor. He was elected Abbot for 25 years, beginning in 504. In 529 he was installed as Bishop of the diocese of Angers, France from c.529. His episcopacy was known for his charity to the poor, widows and orphans, for his ransoming of slaves from their owners, his personal holiness, and the miracles he worked. Custom of the day permitted consanguinary marriage. Albinus decried this as incest, and fought against it, making enemies in many powerful families who practiced it. He called councils at Orleans in 538 and 541, both of which condemned this and other morals offenses. Legend says that when he visited Etheria, a woman imprisoned by King Childebert for bad debts, the woman threw herself at Albinus' feet, and pled for help. A guard made a move to strike her, but Albinus breathed in the man's face, and he fell dead. Etheria was soon released. Another time Albinus passed a prison tower in Angers, and heard the cries and moans of badly treated prisoners. He pled with the local magistrate for their release, but was refused. He returned to the tower and prayed in front of it; after several hours, a landslide brought down part of the tower, the prisoners escaped, followed Albinus to the church of Saint Maurichies, reformed their ways, and became model citizens and Christians. The abbey of Saint Aubin in Angers was erected in his memory. His memory is kept on March 1.