Valerius and Rufinus are venerated as Christian

Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 saints and martyr

Martyr

A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...

s. Their legend states that they were imperial tax collectors in Soissons

Soissons

Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...

 who were pious Christians. They were ordered to be arrested by Rictius Varus

Rictius Varus

Rictius Varus was reportedly a prefect in Roman Gaul at the end of the third century. He was appointed by the Emperor Maximian, and severely persecuted Christians. He is mentioned in Christian martyrologies...

, the praefectus-praetorii in Gaul

Gaul

Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...

. The two saints hid themselves, but were eventually caught, and then tortured and beheaded

Decapitation

Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...

 on the high road leading to Soissons.

Rufinus is one of the 140 Colonnade saints which adorn St. Peter's Square.