Страдание святых мучеников Пасикрата и Валентина

The martyrs of Christ Pasikrates and Valentinus came from Rhodostoles, a Mysian city, and, being warriors, served under the hegemon of that country, Avsolan. In that country there were many idolaters who made sacrifices to demons, for the rulers of the country, with the threat of torture, forced people to idolatry. The Christians of that country, fearing torture, fled and hid. These same two holy men openly and boldly declared themselves Christians and, glorifying the one true God, cursed soulless idols. For this they were seized by idolaters and brought to the judgment seat, where they were forced to burn incense in front of the idols. There was an idol of Apollo here. Saint Pasikrates, approaching the idol, spat in its face and said: - Such is the honor due to this god! Pasikrates was immediately tied up with heavy chains and thrown into prison. The warrior of Christ, adorned with these chains, as if decorated with golden royal attire, rejoiced that he was honored to wear these chains for Christ. Valentin was imprisoned with him. Soon they were again demanded for trial before the hegemon. When they appeared at the court, Pasikrates’ brother Papian also came there. He was a Christian, but for fear of torment he sacrificed to idols. Papian began with tears to beg his brother to, following the example of himself, bring incense to the idol, so that, having temporarily become an idolater, he would be freed from fierce torment, but Pasikrates rejected his brother’s request and called him unworthy to be considered in his family because he had departed from the faith of Christ. He himself, going up to the altar and placing his hand on the fire, said to the hegemon: – The body is mortal and, as you can see, burns in fire, but the soul, being immortal, despises all these visible torments. Saint Valentine, interrogated immediately by the hegemon, said the same thing and showed his complete readiness to endure all torment for Christ. They were both sentenced to be beheaded by the sword. When the tormentor's servants led them out of the city to death, Pasikrates' mother followed them, who admonished him to go to death fearlessly, fearing for him, so that he would not be afraid, for he was very young. The heads of the holy martyrs were beheaded. Saint Pasicrates was twenty-two years old, and Valentine was thirty. The mother accepted their bodies with joy and joy and buried them with honor, glorifying Christ God. You might be interested in: