stalbanslife

Hertfordshire has played its part in papal affairs. In the 12^th century, a young boy from Abbots Langley near St Albans, called Nicholas, lived on a farm like many of his peers. Little did he know that as a result of unforeseen disappointments and his own strength of character, he would be the only Englishman to become a pope.

This September marks the 850^th anniversary of Nicholas Breakspear’s death. It is not known whether he died of Quinsy (abscess on tonsils) or if he was poisoned.

Nicholas was born in the early 1100’s. His father worked at St Albans Benedictine Abbey so Nicholas was allowed to attend school there. He wanted to become a priest but ironically was refused by the Abbott, Paul of Caen, who didn’t consider him able enough!

With his strong spirit, Nicholas collected (perhaps even begged) enough money to get him to Arles, France where he continued his education. From there, Nicholas, who was a great observer of discipline, joined an Augustinian Monastery (St Rufus) near Avignon. He successfully became elected as their prior, then Abbot.

However, Nicholas, a disciplinarian, wanted the monks to strictly adhere to the rule of the monastery. This was resented by the monks, who consequently complained to Pope Eugenius III. The pope sensed that Satan might have a hand in all this and summoned Nicholas to the Vatican as he felt Nicholas was capable of greater things. Nicholas became Cardinal Bishop of Albano, near Rome. He was eventually sent to war-torn Scandinavia to organize the church. ‘The Apostle of the North’ did this successfully and was welcomed back to Rome with great honour and respect.

On December 5^th 1954, Nicholas Breakspear was unanimously elected Pope Adrian IV. Unfortunately, he was disliked by the people of Rome but worse still, he got into dispute with the King of Sicily and Frederick Barbarossa. Frederick wanted to become Emperor of Italy but was angered by Pope Adrian for making peace with the King of Sicily.  Furthermore, as Frederick

intended to assume the government of Rome, Pope Adrian wanted to excommunicate him.  Pope Adrian died suddenly before this sentence was passed. The real cause of his death is still in question.

Nicholas Breakspear (Pope Adrian IV) was buried in the Grotto of the Vatican basilica (beside Pope Eugenius III tomb). Eight years later his body was transferred to the crypt. In 1925 a marble plaque, with the inscription Hadrianus Papa IIII, was placed on his tomb.

Hertfordshire has many places and roads named after Nicholas Breakspear e.g. Popes Road, Breakspear Way and Adrian Road.  The Nicholas Breakspear Catholic College, St Albans has a mission statement ‘Everything we say and everything we do should be based on the Gospel values of Truth, Justice, Peace and Love.’ It is said that they have an excellent Catholic ethos and Religious Education department so maybe there is another English pope in the making…..

This post has also been published in the Independent Catholic News

Alban is a two act community opera involving over 150 performers which has been commissioned by the St. Albans Cathedral Music Trust. It will be given five performances (including a matinee) in St. Albans Cathedral between May 20-24 2009, bringing together a wealth of local talent. Singers, actors, dancers and musicians of all ages drawn principally, though not exclusively, from parish and school choirs across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire will join a core of experienced professional performers. Like all large-scale community ventures it will offer many their first experience of taking part in a professionally-staged theatrical production.

This exciting project will build on the Music Trust’s previous success in staging Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, a major community undertaking which made imaginative use of the cathedral’s setting. Alban will be even more immediate as it has been composed with this particular building in mind. From the start it has been a site-specific enterprise with composer Tom Wiggall and librettist John Mole taking into consideration all the possibilities for music and movement, drama and ritual offered by the cathedral’s architectural design.

Composer and librettist have imagined the last week of Alban’s life – a family man, a successful doctor with a wife and two young children, and the opera will be staged through a combination of intimate domestic drama, and events in the public arena – the former exploring the psychological impact on Alban’s family of his new-found capacity for Christian belief, and the latter dramatising the inevitable consequence of his decision to sacrifice himself in place of the priest to whom he has offered sanctuary.

Alban has been designed to encourage engagement at all levels of musical ability and it involves many different kinds of music ranging from market cries and exclamatory mob interventions through to a closing hymn in which the audience joins with the performers.

The Cathedral Music Trust is working to ensure that Alban will be a high profile event, a celebration of the city’s patron saint and a moving experience for everyone involved, whether as a participant or as a member of the audience.

In this current climate of recession, residents of St Albans were happy to have the opportunity to visit the top attractions for free! There were numerous themed guided walks / tours available e.g. Ghost walk, Crime and Punishment walk and the Cathedral Tower Tours. The Abbey also held an exhibition of the vestments. Here you had the opportunity to see the amazing handwork close up as well as speak to the ladies who were responsible for some of them.

Those who were at the Abbey around Saturday lunchtime would have been fortunate enough to encounter the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, St Albans Choir and soloists rehearsing for their evening concert.

Restaurants took part by offering discounts or free wine and desserts with meals. Attractions such as Redbournbury Water Mill, The Roman Theatre and The Clock Tower were free to enter.

This weekend was well worth the visit, even if it’s to sit by the clock tower, watch the people in droves walk around our historic city and listen to the music of the buskers.