Saints Florentin, Hilary, and Aphrodisius

The goods they possessed first marked them out for the barbarian leader's greed, and, when he learned they were Christians, he had them brought to him and began to argue with them about the worship of gods and the power of idols. Florentin refuted him with ease. Then Chrocus changed his demeanor, and, fixing his gaze upon him, he made terrible threats against him.

Irritated by his answers, he ordered that he be struck on the mouth and his teeth broken to punish him for his impiety. When the executioners had obeyed, Fl orentinus Florentin Christian soldier and martyr in the Duesmois region. gave thanks to God, and mocked the idols. "Let his tongue be cut out to the root," cried Chrocus. And the tongue of the holy Martyr was cut out to the root; and, by the omnipotence of God, he nonetheless continued to glorify Our Lord and to mock the madness of his executioner. At the same time, armed with the sign of the cross, Florentinus and Hilary began to overturn and break the idols that were in that place, and to drive out the demons that inhabited them. The driven-out demons immediately seized the barbarian leader and some of his officers, and tormented them horribly. At the sight of these wonders, the terrified multitude asked to worship Jesus Christ.

A Christian of noble family, named A phrodisiu Aphrodise A Christian of noble family martyred with Florentinus and Hilarius. s, dared to openly blame Chrocus Chrocus Leader of the Vandals and persecutor of saints. for his impiety. The latter immediately had his tongue cut out. But God renewed in his favor the miracle He had already performed for Florentinus, and Aphrodisius praised Jesus Christ. The prince ordered, to put an end to this unequal struggle, that the disciples of Christ should have their heads severed. Scarcely had the executioner finished his work, when the hand of God was laid upon Chrocus and struck him blind. This punishment inspired in him feelings of repentance, and, in the hope of being healed, he prostrated himself before the holy Martyrs, confessed his sin, and begged them to return good for evil. They indeed prayed for him and obtained for him health and sight. In gratitude, he had them buried with honor. The Christians surrounded the sepulcher with prayers and love. Through political upheavals, invasions, and wars, this cult diminished, and the chapel that protected the holy relics collapsed from old age. In 855, Aurelian, archdeacon of Autun and abbot of Saint-Martin d'Ainay, obtained from the diocesan bishop Jonas, of Autun, the authorization to transport them to L Lyon Episcopal see of Saint Eucher. yon. The head of Saint Flore chef de saint Florentin Relic preserved in the church of Brémur. ntinus was left at Semond and is preserved in the chur ch of Brémur Place where the head of Saint Florentinus is preserved. Brémur (arrondissement of Châtillon-sur-Seine), near the place where he fell under the sword.

One still shows, says Mabillon, an oak tree called the oak of Saint Florentin, near which tradition fixes the site of the martyrdom. People go there in procession during times of drought to obtain rain.

Acta Sanctorum, translation by Abbé Duplus, in his Life of the Saints of the Diocese of Dijon.