The Holy Martyr Pancratius, Bishop of Tauromenia, was born at a time when our Lord Jesus Christ lived on earth.
Pancratius' parents were originally from Antioch. After hearing about the gospel of Jesus Christ, Father Pancratius, taking his young son with him, went to Jerusalem to personally see the great Teacher. He was shocked by the miracles, and when he heard the Divine teaching, he believed in Christ as the Son of God. He became close to the disciples of the Lord, especially the holy Apostle Peter. Since then, the young man Pankraty became known to the holy Apostle Peter.
After the Ascension of the Savior, one of the apostles came to Antioch and baptized Pancratius' parents and their entire household. When Pankraty's parents died, he left his estate, went to the Pontic Mountains and began to live in a cave, spending his days in prayer and deep spiritual meditation. The Holy Apostle Peter, passing through those places one day, met Pancratius in Pontus, took him with him to Antioch, and then to Cilicia, where the holy Apostle Paul was staying. There, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul ordained Pancratius bishop of the Sicilian city of Tauromenia.
St. Pancratius worked diligently for the Christian enlightenment of the people. Within one month, he built a church where he performed divine services. The number of believers grew rapidly, and soon almost all the inhabitants of Tavromenia and the surrounding towns converted to the Christian faith.
For many years, Saint Pancratius peacefully ruled his flock. One day, the pagans rebelled against the saint and, choosing the right time, suddenly attacked him and stoned him. This is how St. Pancratius (I) ended his life as a martyr. The relics of the saint rest in the church named after him in Rome.