Saints Nazarios, Protasios, Gervasios and Kelsios
Date of celebration: 14/10
The parents of Nazarius (Africanus and Perpetua) are said to have been disciples of the Apostle Peter, who attracted them to the Christian faith and baptized them.
Their son was orphaned at a young age in a corrupt society. But Nazarius had inherited the virtues of his parents. He remained pure and blameless, according to the advice of his spiritual father, the Apostle Peter, who says: “Pure your souls in obedience to the truth” (1st letter of Peter, 1st 22).
You ought, says the Apostle Peter, to make your souls pure and clean from every impure passion and desire and inclination, by your obedience to the truth of the Gospel. And Nazarius not only remained pure in his corrupt social environment, but when he was 20 years old he distributed his possessions to the poor and began to travel, preaching the Gospel with much fruit.
When he went to Milan, he met two pious men, Protasius and Gervasius. There, all three together through the divine word achieved many conquests. Not only from the mob, but also from the upper social classes.
Then Nazarios went to France, where with the net of speech he had many successes. Among those who believed, was a young soul, Kelsios.
When Nazarios returned to Milan, he was arrested. Previously they had also arrested Protasius and Gervasius. The prefect Annulinus, when he saw that they did not change their faith, beheaded them all, together with the young Kelsius.
