Holy Martyrs Pasicrates, Valentio, Julius, and Others

Life

Roman soldiers; they suffered for Christ in Dorostolum of Macedonia around the year 302. When Pasicrates' brother Papian, who had apostatized from Christ out of fear, approached him and began to urge him to renounce Christ and remain alive, Saint Pasicrates answered him: "Away from me, thou art not my brother!" Pasicrates and Valentio were beheaded together. The holy Julius said at his trial: "I am a veteran; for twenty-six years I faithfully served the emperor. If I have until now been faithful to the lesser, how should I now not be faithful to the Greater?" — that is, the Heavenly King. Then Nicander was brought before the prefect Maximus. Nicander's wife encouraged her husband to die for Christ. "Foolish woman," Maximus said to her angrily, "thou dost want a better husband!" The wife answered him: "If thou thinkest that of me, then command that I be executed now, before my husband!" With Nicander there also perished Marcian. His wife came to the place of execution carrying their son in her arms. Marcian kissed his son and prayed to God: "O Almighty Lord, do Thou care for him!" Then they were beheaded and passed over into the kingdom of Christ.