Ephebus of Interamna

Holy Martyr Ephebus of Interamna suffered in the time of the Emperor Aurelian (270-275) together with Proculus and Apollonius, the disciples of Craton, and was buried beside the tomb of the Holy Hieromartyr Valentine, bishop of Interamna.

Valentine was bishop of the city of Interamna in Umbria, in Italy, and had received from God the gift of healing diseases by calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Three youths from Athens, Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, came to Rome to study and lived in the house of their teacher Craton. Craton's son Chorymon had injured his back, which had curved so that he could not stand upright. For three years he went to various physicians without result. At last Craton invited Bishop Valentine to pray for his sick son.

Coming to Rome, the bishop shut himself in a room with the young man and prayed earnestly all night. In the morning the young man came out entirely well. The news of the wonder spread in Rome and many began to turn to the Christian faith, among them the son of the city governor, Abundius. The governor, a fanatical pagan, turned all his anger on Valentine.

They tried to make him renounce the faith and bow to the idols, and, failing, threw him into prison. There he was visited by the disciples of Craton, who accepted Christianity. Soon Valentine's head was cut off. After him the disciples of Craton, Proculus, Ephebus and Apollonius, also suffered, for spreading the Christian faith. Abundius buried them near the tomb of Saint Valentine.

The Synaxarion commemorates Valentine, Proculus, Ephebus, Apollonius and Abundius on 12 August (new style).