ON ST. JULIAN, MARTYR IN SYRIA,
His worship from the ancient Martyrologies.
Julianus, M. in Syria (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR G. C.
The Roman Martyrology today
assigns in Syria the memory of holy Julian
the martyr, This Saint, having suffered in Syria, and the most eminent
Baronius in the notes
to this announcement asserts
that ancient manuscripts treat of him,
and that more recent writers support it. Would that that most eminent
expounder of the Martyrology had openly
taught us what and of what sort these ancient manuscripts are!
For if by them he understands ancient
codices of Martyrologies, we freely confess that this
holy Martyr is announced on this day in various Hieronymian copies
and Usuardine Supplements.
But if he would indicate ancient manuscript monuments of a Life or
of a Martyrdom, we neither
have nor can find them. Castellan also seems
to have lacked them, who today in his universal Martyrology
doubts in the margin whether
this St. Julian be not the same as he who on the day XII
of August is announced with St. Macarius his companion in Syria.
But he gives no reason for his doubt.
[2] is inscribed in the ancient Martyrologies, Perhaps Castellan was led to this suspicion
by the almost like clause which is then added to each
announcement: for on the day XII
of August there is announced in Florentinius: In Syria,
in the village of Magaratum, the birthday of the holy Macarius, Julianus;
where a great district of monks assembles.
But on the day XXV of August today's St. Julian alone
is thus recorded: In the province of Syria, the birthday
of holy Julianus, where there is a great gathering of monks,
who deserved to be crowned for his faith. Florentinius
in the notes to each announcement tries in vain by divining
to scatter these thick shadows.
Meanwhile about the ancient Acts of either or of one of the two
Martyrs he supplies nothing.
[3] although the time and circumstances of the martyrdom are not found. Pietro de' Natali sufficiently distinguishes these two Julians,
martyrs in Syria, from one another, when
in book XI of the Catalogue of the Saints, num. 214, he thus relates the former
with his companion: Macarius and Julianus on the same
day (namely the XII of August) are crowned in Syria.
Then in the same place, num. 224, he thus joins the martyrdom
of the other with the priesthood: Julianus,
martyr and presbyter, suffered in the province of Syria on the VIII Kalends
of September. Therefore today's St. Julian, because of the different day
of veneration and the dignity of the priesthood, seems
to be distinguished from the other martyr of the same name
and region. When the most eminent
Baronius in the notes to the Roman Martyrology
says that more recent writers support it, he likely
wished to indicate more recent Martyrologists,
among whom Bellino of Padua in the double
edition of his Martyrology places this holy Martyr
in the province of Stiria for of Syria, which
perhaps is a printer's fault. Further, it does not please us
to grope longer in these shadows, until from some quarter
some light shall shine forth: for we have already for too
long sought in vain the time and the circumstances of the martyrdom.