Crato the Orator

CONCERNING ST. CRATO THE ORATOR, HIS WIFE AND HOUSEHOLD, MARTYRS AT ROME.

ABOUT THE YEAR 273.

Crato the Orator, Martyr at Rome (Saint) His wife, Martyr at Rome Household members, Martyrs at Rome

By G. H.

[1] Two things especially deserve consideration in the case of St. Crato: first, his manner of life and conversion to the faith of Christ; second, his contest in defense of the faith he had embraced. The former is so accurately explained in the Acts of St. Valentine, Bishop of Terni, St. Crato which we gave on the preceding day, February 14, that if a few things were removed, it could be entitled the Life and Conversion of St. Crato; the latter, which concerns the manner of his death, is taught by the tables of most of the martyrologies. We here make a few observations on that Life of St. Valentine, but only those that pertain to St. Crato; the reader will find the rest in those same Acts.

[2] First, Crato was a citizen of Athens, as Peter of Equilo rightly observes in book 3 of his Catalogue of Saints, chapter 126. An Athenian, For Saints Proculus, Ephebus, and Apollonius, noble men and scholarly among the Greek Athenians, An Orator at Rome, distinguished in both the Latin and Greek languages, having desired the study of Latin, lodged in the city of Rome with Crato, their fellow citizen, an Orator fluent in both languages, and were supported by both his teaching and his hospitality. So say the Acts of St. Valentine. Ferrari, in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, calls him a philosopher and rhetorician. The Acts call him an Orator of both languages, Latin and Greek. And certainly he was so distinguished that when St. Valentine was asked by him, through noble men sent to him, he left his own city and diocese and came to Rome, and even while still a pagan availed himself of his hospitality.

[3] This was the occasion of his conversion. St. Crato pressed that health be restored to his son Chaeremon, who was ill, offering even half of all his possessions. Valentine refused what was being thrust upon him, and asked only that Crato embrace the Christian faith. He is taught the mysteries of the faith by St. Valentine the Bishop, Crato gladly listened to Valentine explaining the mysteries of our religion, and, as if to stimulate the teacher further, proposed what seemed to him difficult. Would not each person attain salvation through his own faith? How could the faith of one person benefit another, or another's unbelief harm him? What were the things difficult to believe, which he had not been able to hear or conceive in his heart until now? What also were the works of Christians through which faith could be shown? How could water, which washes the filth of the body, cleanse from sins? When St. Valentine the Bishop had explained these and similar matters, Crato the orator fell at his feet, saying: I believe that He whom you preach is the true God, and that besides Him there is no other who can command disease to depart, command death to flee, command life to return. And at last he summoned his wife with all his household, and prostrate at his feet, he began to promise that if his son were made well, all would believe in Christ. And after his son is healed through him. St. Valentine accepted the agreement, shut himself in a room, prayed, and obtained health for the son. Then Crato, with his wife and all his household, believed and was baptized. He is baptized with his family: But Chaeremon could by no persuasion be induced to leave the footsteps of St. Valentine. So far those Acts of St. Valentine.

[4] The martyrdom of Crato is narrated thus by Equilinus: After Valentine the Bishop had suffered, Crato also was seized by the Roman Senate out of envy, and by their sentence was beheaded. He is crowned with martyrdom, His body was buried by his son Chaeremon on his own estate, on the fifteenth day before the Kalends of March; and Chaeremon, after the martyrdom of his father, serving Christ in holy works, himself also departed this life praiseworthy after some time. So writes Equilinus, and Ferrari published nearly the same. St. Crato is inscribed on this day in the old Roman Martyrology published by Rosweyde, in the manuscript Martyrologies of St. Riquier, of St. Mary ad Gradus at Cologne, and of the Most Serene Christina, Queen of Sweden, in which these words are read: "At Rome, of St. Crato the Martyr." Bede and Ado add: Inscribed in the Martyrologies, "who, having a son named Chaeremon, a scholar, who had fallen into a most grievous illness, offered him to the blessed Bishop Valentine to be healed, on the condition that if the boy were healed, he himself with all his household would become a Christian; the boy having been healed, he fulfilled what he had promised, and having been baptized with his wife and all his household, was consummated in martyrdom not many days later." Similar entries are found in Notker, Maurolycus, the manuscript Florarium, the Viola Sanctorum, the Martyrology printed at Cologne in the year 1490, and others.

[5] In other Martyrologies the martyrdom is extended in clearer terms to his wife and the rest of his household. Of these Usuard, Bellinus, and others write: "At Rome, of St. Crato the Martyr, who, having been instructed in the teachings of the faith by the blessed Valentine, was consummated in martyrdom not many days later, together with his wife and all his household." Similar entries are found in the manuscript Martyrologies of St. Mary at Utrecht, of St. Gudula at Brussels, Together with his wife and household members, killed, and the Viola Sanctorum. But Galesinius writes: "At Rome, of St. Crato the Martyr. When he had seen his son healed by the blessed Valentine, Bishop of Terni, he was instructed in the rudiments of the faith by the same and baptized, and a few days later, together with his wife and all his household, condemned to death, he underwent martyrdom steadfastly and bravely." Finally, in the Roman Martyrology the martyrdom of all is set forth thus: "At Rome, of St. Crato the Martyr, who, having been baptized with his wife and all his household by the blessed Bishop Valentine, was consummated in martyrdom together with them not long after."

[6] We said above, in connection with the Acts of St. Valentine the Bishop, that he appears to have been killed in the persecution of Aurelian around the year 273, Around the year 273. around which time it is also necessary that St. Crato with his household perished. The year 271 is assigned in the manuscript Florarium.