St. Aaron

St. Aaron is recognized as one of three known Christian martyrs from Roman Britain, alongside St. Julius and St. Alban. His martyrdom is associated with Caerleon, a Roman legionary fortress known as Isca Augusta. The earliest account of his martyrdom comes from the sixth-century British monk Gildas, who wrote that Aaron, a citizen of Caerleon, was steadfast in his faith despite severe tortures and was eventually executed, likely during a wave of persecution under Emperor Decius or Valerian in the mid-third century. Gildas' account was later repeated by St. Bede. A ninth-century land charter and the twelfth-century Llandaff registry attest to the existence of a shrine to St. Aaron at Caerleon. Today, his feast is celebrated on June 20 alongside St. Julius, having been moved from July 1 and then June 22. However, it is crucial to differentiate him from another St. Aaron, a sixth-century hermit and abbot known for his work in Brittany, whose feast day is June 22. The path to sainthood for St. Aaron of Caerleon is not well-documented, but his martyrdom has been commemorated in historical records and religious traditions for centuries.