Valerius of Langres

Holy Martyr Valerius of Langres, also called Vallier, was archdeacon of Langres in Gaul. He was seized by Vandals led by a man named Chrocus, beaten with rods and beheaded on 22 October 411, at Port-⁠sur-⁠Saône or at Port-⁠Saint-⁠Pierre, a ford on the Saône, today within the commune of Heuilley-⁠sur-⁠Saône.

In 411 the Vandals invaded Gaul, took Langres and killed the bishop of the city, Desiderius, who had tried to stand between the barbarians and the inhabitants. After the martyrdom of the bishop, the archdeacon Valerius rallied the Christians and tried to save them by fleeing toward the Jura mountains. On reaching a place on the Saône called Portus Bucinus, Valerius and his group were overtaken by the enemy and killed. Scholars disagree about the exact location of Portus Bucinus, some placing it at Port-⁠sur-⁠Saône, others at Port-⁠Saint-⁠Pierre. A church was built at the place of the martyrdom. He is honored as a saint of the undivided Church.