[Officium]
Sts. Tiburtius, Valerian et Maximus, Martyrs

[Oratio]
Almighty God, for Whom holy Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus uplifted their testimony, grant, we beseech Thee, unto all whosoever call the same to solemn memory, grace to imitate the example of their godly courage.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio93]
Valerian was a Roman, of a family as noble as that of the blessed maiden Cecily, to whom he was contracted in marriage, in the reign of the Emperor Alexander Severus. At her persuasion he and his brother Tiburtius were baptized by the holy Pope Urban. When it came to the knowledge of Almachius, the Prefect of the city, that they were become Christians, had given their substance to the poor, and were burying the bodies of the faithful, he sent for them and strongly rebuked them but as they constantly confessed that Christ is God, and that the gods of the heathen are but vain images of devils, he commanded them to be beaten with rods. But, forasmuch as no blows could force them to worship the image of Jupiter, but they seemed rather to wax strong in witnessing to the truth of the faith that was in them, they were beheaded at the fourth mile-stone from the city. One of the clerks of the Prefect, named Maximus, who had led them out to die, was so moved at the sight of their courage that he himself, with many other servants of the Prefect, owned to being a Christian they were sentenced to be scourged to death with whips loaded with lead, under the which torment, in a little while, all these, who had once been the devil's ministers, passed away as martyrs of Christ the Lord.
&teDeum