Asterius of Rome

Holy Martyr Asterius of Rome was a high imperial official, converted to Christ by the priest Valentine and put to death with him in the time of Emperor Claudius II (268-270). He is commemorated on 19 July, in the company of the martyrs Marinus, Martha, Audifax, Abachum, Cyrinus, Valentine, Asterius and many others.

In the time of Claudius II, Marinus came from Persia to Rome with his wife Martha and their sons Audifax and Abachum, to venerate the tombs of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. In those days the Church of Rome was struck by cruel persecutions and executions. Marinus and his family began to serve the Christians in the prisons and to bury the bodies of the slain martyrs. In one prison they found a prisoner named Cyrinus and served him with love, as one who had endured many torments for Christ. The persecution spread and seized ever more Christians. Two hundred and sixty Christians, among them the tribune Blastus, sent by the court to dig earth near the Via Salaria, were killed with arrows. Learning of this killing, Marinus and his family, together with the priest John, began to carry the bodies of the martyrs by night and bury them in the catacombs. Returning then to the prison, they did not find Cyrinus, for he had been killed the day before and his body thrown into the Tiber. Marinus, Martha and their sons drew the body of the holy martyr from the river and buried it. The holy labourers were received by the Christians who continued to serve in secret, led by Bishop Callistus, and hid with them from the persecutors.

As a crown of their works of mercy, the holy family was found worthy to serve the Lord by a martyr's death. The pagans beheaded the courageous confessor, the priest Valentine, and the imperial official Asterius, whom he had converted to Christianity, and with him the ascetics from Persia who lived with them were arrested and tormented. By the emperor's command, in the year 269 Marinus, Audifax and Abachum were beheaded, and Martha was drowned in the river.

The relics of the martyrs are in Rome, in the church of Saint John the Hut-⁠dweller, and those of Saint Valentine in the church of the Holy Martyr Praxedes, called Parascheva in the Russian sources.