Synaxarion of the Holy Martyrs Pasikratos and Valention

Sts. Pasikratos andValention (Feast Day - April 24)

Verses

The head of Pasikratos was removed by decapitation,
Valentionos banished fear of the sword.

These Saints were from Dorostolum which was in European Moesia, which is called Durostorum and is now a village. They were in a legion consisting of six thousand soldiers, when the prefect of that place was Aulozanes. When the Saints saw the Greeks of that time given over to the delusion of idols, and how they were all in fear, being mislead by the orders of the idolatrous emperor, for this reason they presented themselves in their midst, and proclaimed themselves Christians. The idolaters therefore arrested them, and brought them before the governor. The governor sought to compel them to sacrifice to the idols, but the Saints disguised their acceptance. Thus when the idol of Apollo was brought before Saint Pasikratos, he went near to it and spit on it, saying, "This is the honor due to it." He was therefore immediately bound with chains, and cast into prison. Saint Pasikratos rejoiced that he was bound this way, and he clung on to the chain which he was bound in for Christ, as if it were a golden earring or a decorated stole. Because this chain was an instrument by which he could commune with the Passion of Christ, it brought him hope that he would be saved by means of it. They then took him out of prison, and had him stand again before the governor. The brother of Saint Pasikratos, whose name was Papianos, came weeping and advised his brother to only put some incense on the altar, and thus he would be freed from punishments, following his own example. For Papianos had turned away from future good things, out of his longing for temporal things, and because of his fear of torments, he earlier renounced - alas! - his faith in Christ.

Saint Pasikratos rejected him, saying, "You are unworthy of being my relative and of my brotherhood, and it is not befitting for you to advise others, having separated yourself from the faith of Christ." Then the Saint approached the altar of his own will, and laid out his hand for them to burn. He said to the governor, "This flesh, being mortal, can be conquered by fire, as you see, for it is destroyed and dissolves. Because the soul is immaterial and immortal, and does not have a nature for it to be destroyed by visible elements and suffering, for this reason it cannot be conquered, but it stands steadfast and immovable. Guard it in order to live life in eternity." Saint Valention was then asked if he agreed with Pasikratos, and because he said that he indeed agreed, both of them were sentenced to be beheaded. It is said that when the Saints came to the place of their execution, that the mother of Saint Pasikratos followed him and attended to him, encouraging him to bend his neck to the sword, and to die eagerly for Christ. When Saint Pasikratos was beheaded, he was twenty-two years old, and Saint Valention was thirty years old.