Abundius of Interamna

Holy Righteous Abundius of Interamna was the son of a Roman official and turned to Christ through the healing worked by the Holy Hieromartyr Valentine, bishop of Interamna. He is commemorated on 12 August, in the company of Valentine, the martyrs Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, and himself.

Valentine was bishop of the city of Interamna in Umbria, in Italy. He received from God the gift of healing illnesses by calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the time of Emperor Aurelian (270-275), three young men, Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, came from Athens to Rome to study the sciences and settled in the house of their teacher, Craton. Craton's son, Chaeremon, had injured his back, which had bent so that the young man could not straighten up. For three years he sought help from various physicians, but in vain. In the end Craton invited Bishop Valentine to pray for his sick son.

Coming to Rome, the saint shut himself in a room with the young man and prayed earnestly all night. The next morning the young man came out of the room completely healed. The news of the wonder spread in Rome and many turned to the Christian faith, among them the son of the governor of the city, Abundius. The governor, a fanatical pagan, turned all his anger on Saint Valentine. They forced him to renounce the faith and bow to the idols. Failing, they threw him into prison. There he was visited by the pupils of Craton, who had accepted Christianity. Soon Valentine was beheaded. After him the pupils of Craton also suffered: Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, for spreading the Christian faith. Abundius buried them beside the tomb of the hieromartyr Valentine.