The Holy Martyr Pontius the Senator.

Commemorated August 5 in the Orthodox Christian Menaion

From the Prologue

Pontius was the son of the senator Marcus and his wife Julia, who was barren for twenty-two years before giving him birth. Baptised by Pope Pontianus, along with his friend Valerius (who wrote his life), he succeeded in bringing his father, Marcus, the Emperor Philip and his son, and many other eminent Romans to the Christian faith. He gave great protection and help to the Church as a senator, and was a close friend of Pope Fabian. When Decius's persecution began, Pontius fled from Rome and hid in the Alps, but, in the time of Valerian, he was taken and put to harsh torture, during which many miracles of God were revealed and many turned to Christ. There happened to be many Jews there, who cried to the judge: 'Kill him; kill this magician at once!' At this, Pontius raised his hands to heaven and said: 'I give thanks to Thee, O my God, that the Jews also cry against me, as their fathers once cried against Christ: "Crucify him; crucify him!" '. He was beheaded in 257 and was buried by his friend Valerius.

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK