THE HOLY PRIESTLY

July 30

From the Prologue

Valentine was the bishop of the Italian City of Interamna. He cured the brother of the Roman tribune, Frontanus, of an illness. When Cherimon, the son of the renown philosopher Craton, took ill and at the advice of Frontanus, Craton summoned Bishop Valentine to Rome. Cherimon was completely crippled, so that his head was bent over between his knees. Valentine closed himself off in a room with Cherimon and spent the entire night in prayer. The next day he brought Cherimon out completely cured and handed him over to his father. Then Craton with his entire household and three of his disciples, was baptized. Cherimon left the home of his father and went with Valentine. Also baptized at that time was Abundius, the son of the Roman eparch. Enraged at this, the eparch arrested Valentine and after much torture he was beheaded. Also beheaded at this time were those three disciples of Craton: Proclus, Abibus and Apollonius. Their bodies were taken by Abundius and he buried them with honor. They all suffered in the year 273 A.D. and became citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom.