Saint Hieromartyrs Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus
of Valence.

Little is known with certainty about the early lives and families of these three saints. They were disciples and missionaries chosen by Saint Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyon and one of the great Fathers of the early Church. Irenaeus, who had himself been influenced by Saint Polycarp (a disciple of the Apostle John), sent numerous missionaries to evangelize the cities and towns of Roman Gaul during the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries. Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus were among these chosen preachers of the Gospel.

Felix held the ecclesiastical rank of priest, while Fortunatus and Achilleus served as deacons—an indication that they were already ordained clergy with formal standing in the young Church. They were likely well-versed in the faith and trained in the apostolic teachings, equipped to teach and defend Christian doctrine against pagan idolatry and heresy.

As ministers sent by the bishop of Lyon, Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus undertook the apostolic task of establishing Christianity in Valence. They lived together in humble circumstances and maintained a life of great penance and prayer. From their simple lodging, they labored day and night to proclaim the Gospel to the pagan inhabitants of the city.

Their preaching was accompanied by miracles that confirmed the power of Christ. Many of the people of Valence believed and were converted to the Christian faith through their testimony and intercession. The saints also performed a sacramental act of great symbolic importance: when freed from prison by an angelic visitation, they proceeded to the pagan temples and, in holy zeal for the true God, demolished the idols and images of the false gods—Mercury, Saturn, and the precious Jupiter statue. This act of iconoclasm against pagan idolatry marked their definitive stance against the worship of demons and false deities.

The martyrdom of these three priests was preceded by their arrest and imprisonment. While in custody, according to their accounts, an angel appeared and freed them from their chains, commanding them to destroy the idols in the temples. Upon their release and their bold destruction of pagan statues, they were immediately recaptured by the authorities and subjected to terrible punishments.

The magistrates ordered their legs to be broken—a form of execution in itself—and then had them bound to wheels and tortured. In addition, they were subjected to suffocating fumes and smoke, day and night, upon racks. Yet through all these inhuman torments, they remained steadfast in their confession of Christ and refused to renounce their faith or return to pagan worship. Finally, having endured all these sufferings, the three hieromartyrs were brought to execution and beheaded by the sword around the year 212 during the reign of Emperor Caracalla. By their martyrdom, they sealed their testimony with their blood and entered into eternal glory.

The three hieromartyrs of Valence became among the first known Christian martyrs of Roman Gaul and remain important witnesses to the early spread of Christianity in Western Europe. Their legacy endured in local tradition and the ecclesiastical memory of the Church, and they were commemorated in the liturgy from ancient times. The Church recognized their virtue and constancy as exemplars of faith and courage in the face of persecution.

Relics venerated as those of these saints have been preserved and honored in various locations. Relics believed to be those of Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus are venerated in Valencia, Spain, though historically these may be remains of other saints with similar names. Some relics of Fortunatus are also traditionally associated with the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome. Regardless of the precise location of their physical remains, the spiritual witness and intercessory power of these martyrs endures in the prayers and devotion of the Orthodox faithful who invoke them for protection and strength in the struggle against sin and error.

Hieromartyrs Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus were three early Christian martyrs who labored to establish the faith in Valence, a city in southeastern Roman Gaul (modern France). Felix held the rank of priest, while Fortunatus and Achilleus served as deacons. All three were sent on their evangelical mission by Saint Irenaeus, the renowned bishop of Lyon, to preach the Gospel and convert the pagan inhabitants of Valence to Christ.

According to their traditional accounts, the three martyrs lived austere lives of great penance from a humble lodging, working tirelessly to evangelize the city. Through their preaching and the working of miracles, they converted a great multitude of the inhabitants of Valence to the Christian faith. Their success, however, provoked the anger of the pagan authorities and Christian-haters, leading to their arrest.

While imprisoned, the three saints were miraculously freed by angels, who commanded them to destroy the idols in the pagan temples of the city. Obediently, Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus proceeded to demolish the images of the gods—Mercury, Saturn, and a particularly precious amber statue of Jupiter. This bold action led to their immediate recapture. The authorities subjected them to terrible torments: their legs were broken and they were tortured on wheels. Despite these horrific sufferings, they remained steadfast in their faith and unbroken in spirit. Finally, after enduring all these torments, the three hieromartyrs were executed by beheading, around the year 212 during the reign of Emperor Caracalla.

Their names and memory are preserved in the Eastern Orthodox Church as valiant witnesses to Christ and examples of unwavering faith in the midst of persecution. They are commemorated among the early Christian martyrs of Roman Gaul and remain interceding saints for all who invoke their protection.