Hieromartyr Valentine, Bishop of Interamna, and Those with Him — July 30 / August 12 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, July 30 according to the Julian Calendar (August 12 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates the Hieromartyr Valentine, Bishop of Interamna, his three disciples the Martyrs Proculus, Ephebus, and Apollonius, and the Righteous Abundius.

The Hieromartyr Valentine the Bishop, his three disciples — the holy martyrs Proculus, Ephebus, and Apollonius — and the righteous Abundius lived in the third century. Saint Valentine was bishop of the city of Interamna in Italy. For his God-pleasing labors he had been granted the gift of healing the sick. In those days three pagan youths — Proculus, Ephebus, and Apollonius — came from Athens to Rome to study. They found themselves a teacher, Craton by name, and settled in his house. It happened that Craton’s son Cherimon fell gravely ill: his body was so bent that his head was drawn down between his knees. The despairing father begged Bishop Valentine for help. The God-loving hierarch did not leave his plea unanswered: he came to Rome, shut himself in a room with the sick youth, and prayed the whole night through. In the morning the overjoyed parents saw that no trace of the old sickness remained in their son; they believed in Christ and were baptized with their whole household. Proculus, Ephebus, and Apollonius were baptized as well, and together with Cherimon became disciples of Valentine.

The fame of the wondrous teacher soon spread abroad, and through him many youths and boys followed Christ. Among them was Abundius, the son of the prefect of the city, who after his baptism confessed the true faith before all. In an age when pagan polytheism ruled the whole world and Christianity was persecuted, this was an act of astonishing courage. The wrath of the authorities fell upon their spiritual father, Valentine. He was seized, commanded to offer sacrifice to the idols, and after manifold tortures was shut up in prison. His disciples did not shrink from the danger and visited their teacher even there. Soon the holy hierarch was beheaded. Proculus, Ephebus, and Apollonius carried the holy body of their spiritual father to the city of Interamna and buried it with honor. Day after day the young men prayed without ceasing at the precious grave. When all this became known to the rulers of the city, the youths were seized and, by night, secretly beheaded.

When Abundius, the son of the prefect, learned that his friends had been imprisoned, he hastened to visit them, but found only their lifeless bodies. Deeply grieved, the young man rendered the holy martyrs their final honor: he buried their precious remains beside the grave of their teacher, the hierarch Valentine.