Juliana

ON ST. JULIANA, VIRGIN OF NICOMEDIA AND MARTYR, AT BRUSSELS IN BELGIUM AND ELSEWHERE,

Under Maximian.

Preliminary Commentary.

Juliana, Virgin of Nicomedia and Martyr, at Brussels in Belgium (St.)

By I. B.

Section I. The age, homeland, feast day, and two sets of Latin Acts of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr.

[1] Nicomedia, a city of Bithynia on the Gulf of Astacus (called "pericallēs" — most beautiful — by Athenaeus in book 1, and by Simeon Metaphrastes seven hundred years after Athenaeus, the most beautiful of cities) was for Diocletian another theater for the exercise of cruelty against the Christians. Hence in the ecclesiastical records, many thousands of Martyrs are read to have been slain by him and by his colleague Maximian Herculeus at Rome, and many at Nicomedia by the same and by Galerius Maximianus Armentarius. Among these was St. Juliana the Virgin, who at nine years of age, as the Menaea and Metaphrastes assert, was betrothed to Eleusius, a noble and wealthy young man; nine years later, when she was eighteen, since she refused to marry him unless he first embraced the Christian religion, she was tortured with various torments by him, now Prefect of the city, and finally beheaded. In what year this occurred is not sufficiently established. Baronius in volume 3, at the year 311, number 17, mentions her and others slain at Nicomedia, but does not assign a definite time for the martyrdom. It occurred under Maximian. He was created Caesar in the year 291, Augustus in 304, and died in 311. Since the Prefect is said to have been consulted in the case of Juliana and her companion Martyrs with no mention made of Diocletian, it is likely that this happened after the year 304, when Diocletian had abdicated the empire.

[2] The Greeks celebrate her anniversary on the twenty-first of December. On that day the Menologion edited by Henricus Canisius has the following: "Commemoration of St. Juliana the Martyr at Nicomedia, under the Emperor Maximian." The Menaea, Maximus Cytheraeus, and the Anthologion of Arcudius treat of her more fully, and report that her solemnity is celebrated in a church dedicated to her which is near the temple of St. Euphemia in the Petrion. Of the Latin authors, Galesinius and Ferrarius mention her on that day; Ferrarius writes that the feast of her birthday is celebrated then, and the memory of her Translation on the sixteenth of February, which also seemed right to Baronius. The Latin Acts, written, as we shall soon prove, before the body of St. Juliana was translated to Cumae, have her killed on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of March. On that same day, all the ancient Martyrologies of the Latins record her celebration. The most ancient Roman Martyrology, or that of St. Jerome, has the following: "At Nicomedia, the passion of St. Juliana the Virgin." The smaller manuscript Martyrology of the monastery of St. Maximinus at Trier reads: "The birthday of St. Juliana the Martyr." Wandelbert writes:

"The fourteenth shines with Juliana the Martyr." The rest attribute her to Cumae, because her relics were later transferred there. Thus the old Roman Martyrology edited by Rosweyde, the Centula text, and others read: "And at Cumae, of St. Juliana the Virgin." A very ancient manuscript of Her Most Serene Majesty the Queen of Sweden reads: "And in the city of Cumae, the passion of St. Juliana the Virgin, who in the time of the Emperor Maximian, afflicted with every kind of torment, was at last beheaded." Other sources agree. Usuard: "In the city of Cumae, of St. Juliana the Virgin, who after various torments and imprisonment openly contended with the devil; then, overcoming the flames of fire and a boiling cauldron, she consummated her martyrdom by beheading." Some copies add: "in the time of the Emperor Maximian." Ado, the published text of Bede, Rabanus, Notker, the Liessies manuscript, and that of St. Martin of Tournai: "And at Cumae, of St. Juliana the Virgin, who in the time of the Emperor Maximian," etc. "She suffered indeed at Nicomedia, but after a short time, by God's arrangement, was translated to Campania." In different phrasing, the Roman Martyrology of Baronius reads: "At Cumae in Campania, the translation of St. Juliana the Virgin and Martyr, who at Nicomedia under the Emperor Maximian," etc. Against the opinion of the most learned writer of the Annals stands the authority of the most wise Pontiff Paul IV. For he judged that St. Juliana won her victory over the demon and the tyrant on the sixteenth of February. So writes Antonius Caracciolus in chapter 16 of his work on the sacred monuments of the city of Naples: "For the great Paul IV, co-founder, together with the blessed Gaetano Thienaeus, of our Order of Canons Regular, being very devoted to this Virgin (Juliana), observed that on that very sixteenth of February, the fortieth day after the baptism of Christ by John, on which about two hundred years before, her Spouse Christ had conquered the devil in the desert, this most brave Virgin also conquered and bound the same devil. For (as the Acts of her martyrdom relate) with the very chains with which she was bound in prison, by a miracle unheard of in all ages, she more tightly bound the devil, who had appeared to her in human form," etc. Since, however, the same Caracciolus had previously placed the martyrdom of St. Juliana in the year 294, not merely two hundred but at least two hundred and sixty-four years had passed since Christ's baptism.

[3] Constantius Felicius seems to doubt whether there were not two Julianas — one of Nicomedia, the other of Cumae. For after treating of the one from Nicomedia, he adds: "Others place another Juliana from the city of Cumae, who also underwent martyrdom there. Some wish her to be the same person, born at Cumae and having suffered martyrdom at Nicomedia." So he writes. Georgius Cardosus in the Portuguese Hagiologion for this day, Note 6, says that the more probable opinion is that of those who establish Cumae, a city of Campania, as the homeland of St. Juliana. But who are these authors? I find only the physician Felicius who wrote that some say this. For when others have the formula "At Cumae, the passion of St. Juliana," they mean only that the memory of her contest is recalled at Cumae on this day — not that she was born at Cumae and then, having traveled to Asia, obtained the triumph of martyrdom at Nicomedia. In the manuscript Martyrology of the Church of Aachen, after a lengthy eulogy of St. Juliana, similar to that found in the published text of Bede, Ado, and others, in which it is narrated that she suffered at Nicomedia and was afterward translated to Campania, other Saints are enumerated, and finally this is added: "Of Juliana, Virgin and Martyr." If she is different from the former, I do not see how she pertains to Nicomedia or Cumae.

[4] The Acts of St. Juliana are most ancient, written when her body was still in the territory of Puteoli; it was afterward, as is stated in the second Life at number 24, "with the Pagan ferocity threatening," translated to the city of Cumae. It was at Cumae when Usuard composed his Martyrology in the time of Charlemagne, more than thirteen hundred years ago. Therefore the Acts were written earlier, and indeed before the times of the Lombards, whose Pagan ferocity seems to be indicated here. Yet Johannes Hesselius of Louvain, in his Censure on the Histories of the Saints, chapter 2, harshly criticizes them in these words: "The Life of St. Juliana (which begins: 'In the times of the Emperor Maximian, persecutor of the Christian religion, there was a certain Senator in the city of Nicomedia') is not acceptable. Because she herself prays that the Prefect may become a partaker of demons. Likewise the demon says to her that he conquered the first parents, instigated Judas to betrayal, and that he accomplishes all the evils that are done in this world. Likewise that by no one among the Patriarchs, Apostles, or Martyrs was he so afflicted as by Juliana. Likewise that he is not Satan but one of his subjects — whereas Scripture says that Satan entered into Judas and conquered the first parents. And although it could be said that the devil lies, this nevertheless should not be said when the Martyr compels him to speak the truth; or one would have to accuse the Martyr of superstition, inasmuch as she enters into a fellowship of friendship, and not merely of coercion, with the demon."

[5] But those arguments carry hardly any serious weight. For when the holy Virgin in chapter 1, number 5, prays thus: "And make the Prefect himself a partaker of demons, to be mocked by me, and make him consumed by worms and tormented with great pain," etc. — she is not praying that he become a partaker of demons; but rather that he who had already entered into a nefarious partnership with demons might be tormented with disgrace and other temporal punishments, and thus the power of God be shown. Why indeed could she not also pray that he be handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, and so become a consort of demons, so that either torment might give him understanding, or at least his pride be blunted? Certainly, many Fathers and interpreters agree that the man whom the Apostle commands in 1 Corinthians 5 to be excommunicated and handed over to Satan was truly possessed by a demon. Metaphrastes neatly explains and softens that prayer of Juliana thus: "But him who wages war against me, crush, O unconquered King, along with the adversary, and Satan, who tries to overthrow us."

[6] In the same Metaphrastes, just as in the Latin Acts, the demon boasts of the fall of Eve, the betrayal of Judas, and other crimes, as perpetrated by his instigation — whether he was merely a minister and attendant to another who was principally the persuader, or the primary author and perpetrator of all wickedness and crime. For as to what Hesselius alleges about Satan, that he entered into Judas — how does it follow that he was the chief of all demons? That word, which signifies "adversary," is frequently taken for any demon: as in Matthew 12:16, "if Satan casts out Satan," and often elsewhere. Grant, however, that another sense of that word is sometimes found, as when Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 confesses himself to be buffeted by an angel of Satan — that is, by an emissary either of the prince of all demons or of one who is especially the instigator of a particular vice. Yet where does Hesselius read the word "Satan" used when the sin of Eve is discussed? Nor in these Acts of St. Juliana does the demon deny that he is Satan; though he acknowledges his leader, or father as he calls him at number 8, to be Satan, but under the name Beelzebub. If, however, the learned Doctor thinks that the demon, when compelled to speak the truth either by the exorcisms of the Church or by the command of the Saints, so complies that he does not either frequently equivocate or intermingle many lies, he is greatly mistaken. Nor is it superstition or a fellowship of friendship with the demon if he is ordered to declare certain things, to the clear and true exposition of which God does not always compel him, as the one commanding had hoped would happen. Although nothing should be rashly inquired from him, nor should he be allowed to babble digressions by which he may weave a snare for the unwary. I would not, however, maintain here that copyists, while transcribing these Acts, added nothing of their own. When the demon says that by none of the Patriarchs, Apostles, or Martyrs were such great tortures inflicted upon him, whether he speaks the truth or lies I do not wish to inquire, nor is it clear. Christ, certainly, is not recorded as then having bound with chains or punished with blows the one who had tempted Him in the desert, but only as having driven him away from Himself. Finally, the demon does not say that he accomplishes all the evils that are done in the world, but adds "with my brothers," which is true.

[7] Moreover, these Acts are found everywhere in all the ancient manuscript Legendaries or Passionaries. We have chiefly used eleven copies, most of them of the best quality: from the monastery of Gladbach in the territory of Julich, from Cusa, from two Trier copies from the monasteries of St. Maximinus and St. Martin, from the Utrecht copy of the Church of St. Salvator, from Rouge-Cloitre of the Canons Regular in the Sonian Forest, from the Hubergen monastery of the Williamites in the diocese of Antwerp, from the collection of Her Most Serene Majesty the Queen of Sweden, and from three of our own, of which one agreed most closely with the Gladbach copy, a second was somewhat abridged here and there, and the third somewhat more so. Other copies were available among friends, but we did not think it necessary to have them sent to us.

[8] Simeon Metaphrastes had the same Acts, or very similar ones, which he admirably explained and embellished. Aloisius Lipomanus had them translated into Latin and published them; Laurentius Surius then incorporated them into his own work on the Acts of the Saints. We have set these aside since they are readily available. We have preferred those written in Latin several centuries before Metaphrastes, but not yet printed, except in the second part of the Legenda published at Louvain in the year 1485, where they are, however, somewhat abridged. More than four hundred years ago, Vincent of Beauvais transcribed them in summary into his Speculum Historiale, book 12, chapters 34 and following; and from him, St. Antoninus in his Chronicle, part 1, title 8, chapter 1, section 8, and Petrus Equilinus in book 3, chapter 131.

[9] Baronius writes that he had other Acts of St. Juliana, rendered into Latin from Greek by a certain Petrus, who directed them to Petrus, Bishop of Naples, as his preface teaches. But the preface does not teach that they were rendered from Greek into Latin, but polished in a more refined style; for he writes that since her Passion, on account of its unpolished diction, could not at all be read in the assembly of the faithful, he was urged by Bishop Petrus to endeavor to illuminate it with his own eulogy. Furthermore, Bartholomaeus Chioccarellus, in his distinguished commentary on the Bishops of Naples, considers that the Petrus to whom that writer dedicated his work was Petrus de Surrento, who was elevated to that See in the year 1217. But ten years earlier, namely in the year 1207, the body of St. Juliana had been translated from Cumae to Naples by Archbishop Anselmus, as will be more fully narrated below. It is, however, established that the body was still at Cumae when Petrus composed her Life. This is clear from the prologue, where he addresses Archbishop Petrus thus: "Since the most sacred body of the blessed and glorious Martyr Juliana rests in the vicinity of your city, that is, in the church of the See of Cumae, and shines most excellently with sacred miracles." And somewhat more explicitly at the end of that Life: "Afterward, however, with the Pagan ferocity threatening, lest so great a treasure be dishonored, her body was translated to the city of Cumae, and there in the basilica of the same and of the blessed Maximus it is placed with glory, where it does not cease to bestow very many benefits to those who ask, to the praise of the Lord, even to the present day."

[10] That Life, therefore, was written when the body of Juliana was still resting and shining with miracles at Cumae, before the episcopate of Peter II. Antonius Caracciolus writes that the aforesaid Acts were committed to writing by Petrus under Leo, the last Bishop of Cumae. Leo was a contemporary of Anselmus; and the Acts were not composed under him, since they are dedicated "to the Excellent Father Lord Petrus, most worthy Pastor of the holy Church of Naples." Who could that be, with the sacred body still at Cumae, except Peter the First Archbishop of that name, a hundred years before Leo, since the same Chioccarellus shows him to have presided over the Church of Naples in the year 1094 and thenceforward for at least sixteen years? That Life was sent to us from the Acts of the Church of Naples in the year 1638 by our Antonius Beatillus. Caracciolus says the author of it was a certain Peter, a Subdeacon. Concerning those who obtained the laurel of martyrdom at Nicomedia at the same time as St. Juliana, and also (as it seems) on the same day, we shall treat separately below. The Virgin Juliana who suffered martyrdom at Nicomedia with St. Barbara on the fourth of December seems to us to be different from this one.

Section II. The threefold translation of St. Juliana: churches dedicated to her; whether her relics are at Naples.

[11] The body of St. Juliana, removed from Nicomedia after a short time, as the Acts relate — Petrus says "when peace had been restored to the holy Church" — was obtained by a matron of senatorial rank, whom many manuscript codices call Sephonia, some with Metaphrastes call Sophia, and Petrus calls Sophronia; Caracciolus asserts she was Melania. Can a "short time" then be consistent with the ninety years that elapsed between the martyrdom of St. Juliana and Melania's return from the East to Italy? Metaphrastes supposed that this heavenly pledge was brought all the way to Rome, and indeed soon after the martyrdom. "A certain woman," he says, "named Sophia, happening then to pass through Nicomedia and traveling to the great city of Rome, took those sacred relics with her, and carrying them home, erected a temple to the Martyr worthy of her contests." But when Sephonia had reached the Tyrrhenian Sea with this heavenly treasure, a violent storm arose, as the Acts relate, and the ship was driven to the borders of Campania. The blessed Juliana was placed near the territory of Puteoli, where she has a mausoleum one mile from the sea.

[12] "Afterward, however, with the Pagan ferocity threatening ... her body was translated to the city of Cumae," as the second Life written by Petrus states at number 24, whose words we have already cited at number 8. We believe that by "Pagan ferocity" is meant the savagery of the Lombards, who invaded Italy around the year 568 and devastated it widely, except for certain cities which remained loyal to the Republic; among which the fortress of Cumae must be counted, as is clear from the Life of St. Gregory II by Anastasius the Librarian, which we gave on the thirteenth of February. For in that work, chapter 1, number 8, it is said that it was afterward seized by the Lombards through a treacherous peace, in the autumn of the year 716, as we showed there in section 3, number 21, and then recovered with the aid of John, Duke of Naples; for Naples too had always resisted the Lombards.

[13] Nor is there any doubt that the relics of St. Juliana were brought to Cumae with the assent of the Bishop of Naples, who on that occasion perhaps obtained fragments of them, or could later obtain them from the Bishop of Cumae. Therefore St. Gregory the Great, in book 7 of his Register, epistle 84, Indiction 2, given in the year 599, commands Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples, to consecrate the oratory which Januaria, a religious woman, had founded on a certain property of hers and desired to have consecrated in honor of Sts. Severinus the Confessor and Juliana the Martyr, "if the said building rightfully stands within the jurisdiction of his parish," etc. And concerning the relics he adds: "You will place the sacred items received with due reverence." And then in epistle 85 he reiterates the same: "Januaria, a religious woman, has requested by a petition submitted to her that the relics of the blessed Severinus the Confessor and Juliana the Martyr be granted to her, so that the oratory built at her own expense in their name may be solemnly consecrated. Therefore, most beloved brother, it is fitting that you comply at our command with the desires of the aforesaid Januaria." The relics of St. Severinus, Apostle of Noricum, had been translated a hundred years earlier, in the time of Pope St. Gelasius, to the Lucullan fortress, situated between Naples and Puteoli, as we related in his Life on the eighth of January. Caesar Engenius errs when he writes in his Neapoli Sacra on page 302 that the body of St. Juliana was brought to Cumae from Nicomedia by the Roman matron Sophia. For she built a mausoleum for her in the territory of Puteoli, whence the body finally came to Cumae.

[14] That sacred pledge remained at Cumae for six hundred years and more, and was at last translated to Naples by Archbishop Anselmus on the twenty-fifth day of February in the year 1207. It is venerated at Naples and throughout the diocese with the office of semi-double, as prescribed by Cardinal Decius Carafa, Archbishop of Naples, in the year 1619, in a booklet entitled Catalogue of Certain Saints, etc., where the following is also noted: "The sacred body is honorably preserved in the church of St. Mary Donna Romita, as is recorded in the history of the translation written in Lombard script in manuscript." There formerly existed at Naples an ancient church of St. Juliana, which Pope St. Gregory mentions in book 8 of his Register, epistle 14. Her feast was celebrated with a solemn office in the Neapolitan churches, as can be seen in two manuscript sacred Calendars and in the ancient Litanies of the Church of Naples, as well as in an ancient manuscript Missal which is preserved in the Library of the Holy Apostles. By the nuns of the monastery of Donna Romita, however, it is celebrated with a proper office with an Octave. So much for that. The words of St. Gregory in the epistle cited here are as follows: "Fuscus, Abbot of the monastery of Sts. Erasmus, Maximus, and Juliana, which, as you know, was founded at Naples by Alexandra, a woman of most illustrious memory," etc. That Alexandra wished Sts. Maximus and Juliana to be the patrons of the monastery she founded is an indication that by that time the body of Juliana had already been translated to Cumae and there preserved in the basilica of St. Maximus, having shone there either with miracles or with the glorious commemoration of her martyrdom. St. Erasmus, as we shall say on the second of June, is venerated at Formiae on the same coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, where he suffered martyrdom.

[15] The history of this third Translation of Sts. Juliana and Maximus was committed to writing by an anonymous author who witnessed it, and who was perhaps from among the Priests who administered the sacred rites to the nuns of St. Mary Donna Romita; he was certainly subject to the Abbess. This is clear from what he himself prays at number 8: "Guide, O Lord, our Abbess; save and increase this congregation, for in You, O Lord, we hope." At this time there are eight such Priests who celebrate Masses and perform other sacred functions, together with two Clerics, and eighty nuns. That history was formerly sent to us from the Acts of the Church of Naples by our Antonius Beatillus; Chioccarellus and Caracciolus also indicate that they had it. It seems that a prologue or epistle addressed to Archbishop Anselmus was prefixed but omitted by the copyist. For the author addresses him thus at number 7: "Those whom you sent, most holy Father." And then: "When you heard this, you came, most blessed Father, with a great procession of all the clergy," etc. To this history we shall append the Lessons customarily recited in the Ecclesiastical Office on the day of St. Juliana, which the most courteous and most learned Silvester Aiossa sent to us from Capua.

[16] The monastery in which the relics of St. Juliana were deposited at Naples is called by the writer St. Mary de Donna Aromata, and then St. Mary Donna Aromatae or Aromate, for so it is written, perhaps erroneously. The Lessons of the office read "Blessed Mary de Donnaromata." Caesar Engenius, when treating of this convent in his Neapoli Sacra, writes that it was founded by nuns who had come from Constantinople to Naples to escape persecution, and who observed the rule of St. Basil, and afterward embraced Cistercian institutions, then Benedictine. He confirms this by ancient tradition and various diplomas of the Kings of Naples and other public acts, the words of which he cites. In these it is called "the monastery of nuns of the Church of St. Mary de Perceio de Constantinople, of the Cistercian Order at Naples"; elsewhere, "the Church of St. Mary of the Ladies of Romania at Naples, of the Cistercian Order"; elsewhere, "St. Mary de Perceio de Constantinople," "St. Mary de Perceio of the Ladies of Romania"; elsewhere, "St. Mary Donna Romita," and "the monastery of St. Mary Donna Romita." Caracciolus thinks the building was called "tēs Marias kyrias rhōmatos," that is, "of Mary the Lady of Power," because "rhōma" signifies force, strength, and power. It is not necessary for us to dispute whence the place derived its name. We only declare that the body of St. Juliana was brought there, with Abbess Bienna most urgently requesting it.

[17] Engenius reports that many more churches were afterward erected at Naples in honor of St. Juliana: for there exists in the public records the memorial of land sold by the Rector of the Church of the Most Blessed John, Apostle and Evangelist of Christ, and of the Blessed Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, within this city of Naples, near the street called that of St. Juliana, in the district of the Gate of St. Januarius. Since, however, Engenius acknowledges that these records were signed in the first year of King William, it is certain that this occurred forty years before the body of St. Juliana was brought to Naples, if William the Good is meant, and more if his father, called the Bad. Juliana may have been adopted as patroness of this church along with St. John, just as she was of the monastery at Naples which we reported above from St. Gregory as founded by Alexandra, and of the oratory founded elsewhere by Januaria.

[18] The nuns of Donna Romita, and perhaps the Abbess Bienna herself, built another church of St. Juliana next to their old one, where her deeds, torments, and miracles could be seen in paintings. This was later demolished and converted into a secular dwelling, along with part of the monastery, which was splendidly enlarged by other purchased buildings. So says Engenius, and much else besides. Chioccarellus and Caracciolus affirm that the body of St. Juliana is still preserved in that monastery. But the latter acknowledges that no one knows where it is interred; he denies, however, that from this it can be conjectured that it has been carried elsewhere, since no one would deny that the body of St. Jerome is at Rome, that of St. Augustine at Pavia, that of St. Ambrose at Milan, and that of St. Nicholas at Tolentino, even though where these rest is known to no one. These observations are sound, as long as no other city claims that their relics were brought to it.

[19] But multiple cities claim the relics of St. Juliana: in Italy alone, Como, Benevento, Verona, Ravenna, and Monte Vergine, as Caracciolus himself acknowledges. Ferrarius writes that the people of Como venerate St. Juliana as their fellow citizen and as having completed her martyrdom among them, moved by the reasoning that Como is said to have been once called Cumae. But she did not undergo her martyrdom even at Cumae, but at Nicomedia. "Nor was Como ever called Cumae," says Ferrarius, "except among the ignorant." Marius de Vipera selected and published in the year 1635 a careful Catalogue of the Saints of the city of Benevento, who are celebrated either with annual feasts or by reputation of holiness alone, confirmed by the testimony of the elders; there is no mention of St. Juliana in it. The St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, who is venerated at Verona is a different person, as we shall show below.

[20] Felix Renda, Prior of the monastery of Monte Vergine (about which we shall treat on the twenty-fifth of June in the Life of St. William its founder), writes that the body of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, is preserved there. Hieronymus Rubeus in his History of Ravenna, book 6, page 385, writes that the blessed Juliana, Virgin and Martyr of God, rests at Ravenna in the sacred church of the convent of St. Mary of the Rotunda. He proves this by the testimony of Archbishop Simeon, whom he states was elevated to that See in the year 1207; but since it is established that the body of St. Juliana was translated from Cumae to Naples only ten years earlier, either there was a different Juliana at Ravenna, or perhaps a not very large portion of our Juliana was previously obtained at Cumae.

Section III. Relics of St. Juliana in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Belgium: not all belong to this saint.

[21] But the Spaniards boast that they possess the Juliana of Nicomedia, or of Cumae, about whom we treat here. For the city of the Asturians which is called Santillana — formerly, they say, called Lobania — took its new name from St. Juliana when her body was translated there, according to Juan Maldonado, Alfonso de Villegas, Francisco de Padilla in century 4 of his Ecclesiastical History of Spain, chapter 18, Juan Marieta book 4, chapter 42, Juan Tamayo Salazar at the sixth of March, Rodrigo Mendez de Silva, Prudentius Sandoval in the Life of Alfonso the Catholic, and others. We shall describe here what Juan Maldonado has reported about her, since he is both more ancient than the others already cited and, in comparison with them, knowledgeable about the antiquities of the Church of Burgos, of which, as Padilla attests, he was the Provisor; and Santillana is in that diocese. He writes thus:

[22] "Juliana was martyred at Nicomedia, a city of Bithynia, by the Prefect Eleusius, to whom she was betrothed; and her body was carried by the patrician woman Sophonia to Campania (so tradition holds). The Church of Burgos, however, not undeservedly looks up to and venerates her as its tutelary saint and propitious patron. It is indeed established that her relics, in ages long before our memory, were translated to the region of Burgos, although by whom or at what time has been obliterated by the carelessness of our ancestors. In the territory of Burgos there is a town called Santillana, not at all obscure, in which a sacred basilica of ancient construction is to be seen; since it contains the relics of the blessed Juliana and bears her name, it is revered by all the surrounding peoples. That the town itself also derived its name from Juliana is manifest if you restore a few letters that have become obsolete with age."

[23] "Accordingly, Alfonso of Carthagena, Bishop of Burgos, a man certainly pious and prudent in the memory of our parents, approaching the venerable monument in his pastoral duty and seeing that so great a pledge of Juliana was not kept in a sufficiently worthy and fitting place (for it was in the middle of the church, as though abandoned), caused it to be transferred by the authority of the clergy and people to the head of the same church and to the principal altar itself, with a great pomp of priests and a concourse of the laity. And so that the memory of the translation, celebrated with such great applause of all ranks, might be handed down to posterity, with the endorsement especially of the clergy of Burgos (what they call the Chapter) and of many nobles, he decreed and ordained under threat of anathema that the feast of St. Juliana, which had been kept on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of March up to that day, should be celebrated on the day before the Nones of March in honor of the new translation. Let us therefore pray to the most holy Juliana that she who wished to honor our province with her burial, and who did not disdain to be translated so many times from place to place in order to be our patroness, may obtain from almighty God that we, having laid down the burdens of our sins, may after the course of our lives be transferred from here to the heavenly abodes."

[24] So far Maldonado; the others say much the same. Padilla is mistaken in saying that the body of St. Juliana was translated by Bishop Alfonso de Cartagena from Santillana to Burgos, since it was only moved from the middle of the church at Santillana to the principal altar or (as others have it) the main chapel. Since the testimony concerning the body of the holy Virgin and Martyr Juliana — that it was carried from Nicomedia to the territory of Puteoli, thence to Cumae, and when that city was destroyed in the year 1207 to Naples — rests on certain evidence, and since the cited Spanish writers seem to believe that it was brought to Spain long before that year, after several years had passed (as Tamayo Salazar says) since the first translation by Sophia, we may not rashly suspect that either only some portion of the relics is at Santillana, or rather that it is the body of another Juliana. What if, when Spain was occupied by the Moors, just as many relics of Saints were packed into a chest and brought to Oviedo, certain relics were likewise brought to Santillana, especially when from various destroyed cities King Alfonso the Catholic, son-in-law of Pelagius, led colonists there? It could then have happened that, since it was unknown to which Saints those relics belonged, some ignorant person conjectured from the name of the city of Santillana that they were of St. Juliana, and this gradually passed down to posterity. Granted, however, that Juliana is venerated there under a genuine name (for I do not wish to overthrow an immemorial tradition, which would be to oppose public piety), yet how large a portion of her relics is there is not specified, nor at what time or in what manner they arrived there. Franciscus Gonzaga, in part 3 of the Seraphic Religion, on the province of Cantabria, chapter 13, writes that at Orduna, in the convent of St. Marina, besides other relics, the heads of Sts. Joanna, Cecilia, Juliana, and Eugenia are preserved, "who once suffered for the faith of Christ with the Blessed Ursula." Why should we not suspect that relics of the same or another Juliana from the company of St. Ursula were likewise brought to Asturias as well as to Cantabria?

[25] The following also supports our conjecture: that Villegas, Padilla, and Mendez Silva write that the Juliana of Santillana consummated her martyrdom on the twenty-eighth of June, although the first two place this at Nicomedia in the year of Christ 307. Hence Marieta also records her for that day. On the same day Ferrarius writes in his General Catalogue of Saints: "In the diocese of Burgos, of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr." And in his Notes he indicates that she is the one who gave the town of Santillana its name. Georgius Cardosus writes in his Notes to the Portuguese Hagiologion that the relics of St. Juliana were brought to Santillana on the twenty-eighth of June, and for this reason that day was dedicated to her honor. In the Breviary of Burgos, printed in the year 1601 by the authority of Paschasius of Burgos, the office of St. Juliana with nine Lessons is placed on that day, with no distinction made between birthday and translation.

[26] Now she is venerated on the sixth of March, which is the anniversary celebration of the latest translation, as we have already related from Maldonado, to which Marieta and the others subscribe. On that day Ferrarius also writes: "At Santillana in Asturias, the translation of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr." And more fully, Juan Tamayo Salazar for the same day: "Near the city of Burgos in Spain, the translation of the body of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr of Nicomedia, which, having been carried from ancient times from Campania to the town of St. Juliana — and with the name shortened, Santillana — in the diocese of Burgos, rests there." In his Notes he promises to transcribe her Acts for the twenty-eighth of June in volume 3. But he afterward changed his plan, for on that day he does not mention St. Juliana.

[27] Georgius Cardosus, as we have already said, agrees with the Spaniards concerning the body of St. Juliana brought to Santillana; but he says the head is in Portugal. There is a village there called Sacavem, not far distant from Lisbon, in which Michael Moura, secretary of King Sebastian, founded a monastery called St. Mary of the Martyrs and donated to it the head of St. Juliana. Whence he himself obtained it, Cardosus says he has not discovered; but he states that many distinguished relics of the Saints are preserved there. Why then does he affirm it to be the head of the Juliana of Nicomedia? Indeed, Franciscus Gonzaga in part 3 of the Seraphic Religion, on the province of the Algarve, chapter 30, where he treats of this convent, shows that it belongs to another; for he writes thus: "They most devoutly guard the head of the blessed Virgin and Martyr Barbara, and five other heads from the Eleven Thousand Virgins, as well as a part of the most holy Cross of Christ. All of these sacred relics the aforesaid founder most munificently and with the greatest liberality donated, having brought them from elsewhere, as a gift for the adornment, ornament, and devotion of the house."

[28] We reported on the first of February, in the Life of St. Ignatius of Antioch, section 4, on his Relics, number 15, the diploma of Antonius, Archbishop of Prague, in which he attests that fragments of the head of that same holy Martyr and Bishop and of St. John the Evangelist, and the skull of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, enclosed in two silver head-reliquaries, were donated by the Abbot of Osek of the Cistercian Order to Maria Manrique, wife of Wratislav of Pernstein, Chancellor of Bohemia. The relics of St. Ignatius were afterward donated to the church of the Society of Jesus at Rome; what became of the skull of St. Juliana I have not yet discovered. Moreover, the same Archbishop in that diploma attests that the feast of St. Juliana was accustomed to be devoutly commemorated and celebrated every year on the sixteenth of February in the Metropolitan church. On that same day these holy relics, as he says, were always displayed at the main altar in the monastery of Osek and visited by the people with all veneration and due worship. Whence it is established that this was believed to be the skull of the Juliana of Nicomedia.

[29] At Hall also, a celebrated town of the County of Tyrol, in the parish basilica enriched with an immense treasure of sacred relics, there is a head of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, or perhaps a part of the head. Whether, however, it belongs to this Juliana or to another, I cannot ascertain. There are there relics of very many Virgins who are also Martyrs, companions of St. Ursula, some of whom are named while many more are without names; but for most of them, in the Catalogue transmitted to us by Father Albertus Faber, Rector of the college of the Society of Jesus at Hall, a notation is appended if they are from that virginal company, which notation is lacking for this head of St. Juliana. For our Hermannus Crombach lists many women named Juliana among the companions of St. Ursula in his Vindication of St. Ursula. Therefore, the Most Reverend Lord Aegidius Gelenius, who is now Suffragan of Osnabruck, when he writes in book 3, On the Greatness of Cologne, section 2, that in the collegiate church of St. Gereon a good part of the skull of St. Juliana is preserved; in section 4, in the likewise collegiate church of St. Cunibert, relics of Juliana the Martyr; in section 12, in the monastery of St. Pantaleon, a finger of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr; in section 22, in the parish church of St. Lupus, relics of St. Juliana — nowhere, as for other Saints, does he append the feast day, nor in book 4 in the sacred Fasti at the sixteenth of February does he mention the name of St. Juliana, evidently thinking that pearls that are born at home ought to be preferred to foreign ones summoned on uncertain authority. At Munich, the seat of the Dukes of Bavaria, the Society of Jesus has a magnificent church, rich in relics of many illustrious Saints, including those of St. Juliana, who is therefore venerated there with the Ecclesiastical Office on the sixteenth of February; but what her relics are, whence and when they were brought, I have not yet discovered.

[30] Whether St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, whose arm is kept at Douai in Belgium in the collegiate church of St. Peter, was from the triumphal host of St. Ursula mentioned above, we cannot determine with certainty. She is indeed listed by Arnold Raisse together with other relics of those Virgins. In the same place, in the likewise collegiate church of St. Amatus, according to the same Raisse, a tooth of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, is preserved; it is not established to which Juliana it belongs. Nor is it clear whose relics are kept in the Premonstratensian monastery of Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian near the Flemish town of Ninove, which the same writer says are elegantly adorned. It is more probable that they were relics of St. Juliana of Nicomedia which Frederick of Baden, Bishop of Utrecht, attests by a diploma dated the eighteenth of June 1515, according to Raisse, were discovered in his time together with many others in the collegiate church of St. John, formerly placed there by the Blessed Bishop Bernold in the eleventh century of Christ; these he had perhaps obtained from Cumae.

Section IV. Relics of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, at Brussels in Belgium.

[31] We have enumerated many cities and certain monasteries that boast of possessing the relics of St. Juliana, some, as we have shown, with no right, others with uncertain right. One city remains, in whose favor we should not hesitate to pronounce, if we wish to rely on tradition and the testimonies of weighty writers. This is Brussels, capital of Brabant, the chief province of Belgium, formerly the seat of the Dukes and now of the Governors of Catholic Belgium. Here, then, notable relics of the body of St. Juliana are preserved in the church called St. Mary of the Sablon. Philippus Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy for this day notes the following: "The people of Brussels also, as Molanus attests, believe they have this venerable body." Molanus, in his supplement to Usuard in the first edition, adds the following for this day concerning St. Juliana: "She suffered indeed at Nicomedia; but after a short time, by God's arrangement, she was translated to Campania; afterward to Brussels, to the Sablon." Canisius writes the same in the Martyrology. But the manuscript Florarium reads: "In the city of Cumae, of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr. She suffered at Nicomedia in the year of salvation 287, but after a short time, by God's arrangement, was translated to Campania. Now, however, her body is preserved at Brussels in a silver casket." Aubertus Miraeus in the Belgian Fasti, after treating of St. Juliana, adds: "A portion of the relics of the same is preserved at the Church of Our Lady of the Sablon, as they call it, at Brussels, with great honor." Arnold Raisse writes the following on page 335 of the Belgian Hierogazophylacium: "The parish church of St. Mary of the Sablon at Brussels possesses a portion of the body of the illustrious Virgin St. Juliana, which was once brought from France to this church of the Blessed Virgin by a certain Duke of Brabant after a victory won over the enemy." That church, although ornate and spacious, is not, however, a parish church, as Raisse supposed. Finally, Andreas Saussaius writes in the Gallican Martyrology: "At Brussels, in the basilica of the Blessed Mary of the Sablon, the reception of the relics of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, who under Maximian," etc.

[32] In the convent of Rouge-Cloitre in the Sonian Forest there exist, in volume 2 of the Hagiologion of the Brabantines, Acts of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, to which the following Prologue is prefixed, composed, as I believe, by Johannes Gilemannus, who was Subprior of the Canons Regular there and collected several volumes concerning the deeds of the Saints, writing them in his own hand, and who finally died in the year 1487. In that Prologue he speaks thus: "I shall now undertake, with God providing me assistance, to move my hand and pen alike, committing to writing for the memory of posterity the history of the martyrdom of the holy, chaste, and brave Virgin of Christ, Juliana; who although she suffered long ago in the regions of the East, nevertheless Brabant still possesses and honors the pledge of her venerable remains. For the grain of wheat cast into this land has, after death, produced much fruit, since the presence of her sacred body, through its shining virtues and merits, has made the devout Brabantines not a little more devout. I see indeed set before our eyes a most brilliant mirror of constancy in the passion of this Virgin. I see, I say, a woman manly not indeed in sex, yet in soul, to be sufficiently admired by all ages. For she, following the counsel of the Apostle Paul, by no means giving credence to every spirit, placed her entire hope in her heavenly Spouse; for whom she preferred to cut short a chaste life by death rather than temporarily enjoy the pleasantness of this present exile. Strengthened therefore by the help of Him who knows how to be always powerfully present to His faithful, she wisely avoided the seductions of the ancient serpent, subjecting his head beneath her own heel; to whom it was granted not only to speak with him mouth to mouth, but also to bind him, beat him, and restrain him in every possible way. May she therefore aid us with her prayers and merits, so that we who did not merit her presence in the flesh while she lived may at least venerate the pledge of her martyred sacred body with due honor, and recall her passion with the diligence it deserves; so that, fortified by the grace of God, we too may deserve to overcome the one whom she restrained and trampled in her contest; and having manfully subdued all temptations, may through her attain the glory of the heavenly kingdom, in which she lives and glories with her Spouse for all eternity."

[33] By what means, however, the people of Brussels obtained that sacred pledge, the cited writers do not explain. From the tradition of the elders, some of those who have the care of that basilica narrate that it happened as follows: When John, the third Duke of Brabant of that name, had been at war with the King of France for several years, peace was at last made. As a pledge to confirm this peace in good faith, the King sent to the Duke the body of St. Juliana, the Nicomedian Virgin and Martyr, enclosed in a silver casket and variously adorned. The Duke promptly gave it to the Church of the Sablon. Petrus Divaeus, in his work on Brabantine affairs, book 14, writes that in the year 1330, because Duke John had honorably received Robert of Artois, a fugitive from France, and refused to surrender him to the King who demanded him — being bound to the King by no obligation of vassalage — the King declared war on the Duke, having allied to himself in a league most of the princes of Belgium and John, King of Bohemia, who was previously hostile to Brabant. But William, Count of Holland and Hainaut, the King's brother-in-law, diligently labored to negotiate a peace and at last prevailed in having a day appointed for a conference. Our Duke was then brought by the Bishops of Sens and Therouanne into France and was received by the King at Compiegne with the highest honor... Thence they traveled together to Paris, and having confirmed peace between themselves, entered into an alliance by marriage, with Mary, the King's daughter, betrothed to the Duke's son John... When these matters had been concluded, the Duke returned home and sent his son to France with a fine retinue; but when the bride died before the nuptials, the King sent the son back to his father, honored with many gifts. These things occurred in the year 1333, and Franciscus Haraeus also narrates them in volume 1 of the Annals of Brabant, in the words of Divaeus. At that time, therefore, it is probable that the relics of St. Juliana were given to the Duke by the King. And they were perhaps part of the gifts with which John, the Duke's son, is said to have been honored by King Philip VI of Valois.

[34] Some think that the relics of St. Juliana were given not to John III or his son, but to John I, his grandfather — perhaps when he freed his sister, Queen of France, who had been falsely accused of murdering her stepson, by challenging the accuser to single combat, who was soon convicted of other crimes and hanged, as Haraeus narrates in the Annals at the year 1276. Or perhaps John obtained that sacred pledge when, as the same Haraeus and other writers of our country relate, he brought aid to Philip III, King of France, against Aragon; and when the King died in October of the year 1285, the French returned to France and he returned to Brabant at the end of autumn, perhaps honored with this gift by Philip IV, the deceased king's son. To the same purpose is the fact that, in memory of the most celebrated victory which the same Duke John I won over the Duke of Guelders and his allied princes at the fortress of Worringen, not far from Cologne, on the fifth of June in the year 1288, an annual procession is instituted at Brussels from the same church of St. Mary of the Sablon, in which the relics of St. Juliana have been carried in procession from time immemorial, on the first Sunday of Lent. As for this Brabantine victory at Worringen, it is ridiculous what Henricus Spondanus, Bishop of Pamiers in Gallia Narbonensis, writes in his Continuation of the Annals of Baronius at the year 1288, number 9: that there were no foot soldiers at all; that the Brabantine had only 2,000 cavalry, and the enemy (whom he makes from Luxembourg, because the latter had come to the aid of Guelders with his brothers) only 1,300. He cites Hocsemius, who was living at the time and was not particularly favorable to the Brabantine; yet Hocsemius writes thus in chapter 16: "The opposing party of the Duke had warriors nearly a third more in number." And then: "On the side of the Count of Guelders, two thousand five hundred fell, not counting those captured and pierced with wounds." Other writers agree that the forces on both sides were very large. I suppose the numbers he writes were perhaps of the cavalry — that is, men of eminent nobility.

[35] When, then, shall we suppose these relics came from Naples to France? Namely, when French kings held the Kingdom of Naples, from about the year 1264: Charles of Anjou, brother of King St. Louis; Charles the Lame, his son; and Robert, the latter's son. For it could easily have happened that one of these kings, or some queen, obtained those relics from the nuns of St. Mary Donna Romita, or without the rest knowing, from their Abbess, either by petition or by force, and sent them to France — a fitting gift for winning the favor of the Most Christian Kings, on whose aid they constantly depended. And at Naples certainly, as we have said, while the pious nuns believe they still possess that treasure, where it lies is entirely unknown.

[36] Nor should anyone suppose that the record of that donation or translation, if it were made, ought to exist in that convent. Either the matter was done secretly, or if openly, it was perhaps not consigned to writing. Nor is it always the case that when a part of the sacred treasure is thus dispersed, it is recorded in the Acts preserved in the place from which it is taken away. Commonly it suffices to draw up documents of donation and hand them to the one to whom the relics were given. I know that from the treasure of this House of ours, with the assent of the Praepositor General Mutius Vitelleschi, notable relics of the companions of St. Ursula were donated to the Quimper college of our Society in Brittany, and other relics of the same Virgins and Martyrs were sent to the West Indies by Andreas Judoci, who was then in charge of this House; and certain relics of various Saints were previously given by Johannes Tolenarius to the Aldenarde college in Flanders. Yet no mention of this is made in the annals of the House. Both judged it sufficient to draw up public documents as witnesses of the donation, to be presented to the Bishops to whose diocese they would be brought. Nor do I think it is usually done otherwise. So many bodies of Saints have in this century been transported from Rome to Belgium, Spain, Poland, and Austria, with legitimately drawn-up documents appended to each; yet these are not deposited in the Apostolic archives. We historians attend to these matters; others, as far as it serves them. But let us suppose that when that treasure was sent to France, the entire matter was most diligently recorded in the official Acts — do not the Acts themselves very frequently perish by fire, by decay, or by the negligence of those who should have guarded them?

[37] Justly, therefore, the people of Brussels religiously preserve the sacred treasure which they have had for three hundred years or even longer. During the tempest when heretics seized power in that city, plundered the ornaments of the churches, and scattered by fire and other means whatever relics of the Saints they could, that treasure was preserved by persons of upright faith, and when the heresy was suppressed, it was restored to its former place. The silver casket, however, was afterward, for I know not what purposes, whether of that basilica or of the Republic, broken up and melted down. But there are still living those who assert that their parents or other trustworthy persons told them that they once saw and venerated that casket.

[38] Now the relics are preserved in an oblong wooden casket, not very skillfully made, but adorned partly with gold and partly with colors. A small plaque, likewise of wood, is appended, on which the following inscription is engraved in golden letters: "Relics of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr." Above that casket another container is visible, likewise of wood, in the form and size of a human head, with a face painted in the likeness of a virginal countenance. The shoulders (for the arms and rest of the chest are absent) are of beaten silver; and some relics are visible at the neck. A portion of the skull, placed in the upper part of the head, can be seen when the thin silver plate covering that part of the skull is turned aside. This casket and head are placed above the door of the chapel which is in the choir of that basilica, at the horn of the altar where the Epistle is sung, enclosed by bronze grilles and small columns.

[39] Saussaius attests in the Gallican Martyrology that the memory of St. Juliana is celebrated today at Sens, Autun, Orleans, Reims, and Soissons; but at Limoges she is venerated on the preceding day. Whether those Churches possess particles of her relics, or whether they venerate her moved solely by the celebration of her martyrdom, we have not ascertained. The commemoration of St. Juliana is customarily performed in many other churches, especially Belgian ones, as well as at Wurzburg in Franconia and elsewhere.

Annotation

* Rather 1 John, Epistle 1, chapter 4, verse 1.

ACTS BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR.

From eleven ancient manuscripts.

Juliana, Virgin of Nicomedia and Martyr, at Brussels in Belgium (St.)

BHL Number: 4524

By an anonymous author, from manuscripts.

CHAPTER I

St. Juliana, having rejected marriage with a Gentile Prefect, is cruelly tortured by him and by her father.

[1] The goodness of our Savior, proven by the perseverance of the Martyrs, went so far as to crown the friends of the faith and to rescue their enemies from the very gates of hell. In the times, then, of the Emperor Maximian, persecutor of the Christian religion, there was a certain Senator in the city of Nicomedia named Eleusius, a friend of the Emperor. He had betrothed to himself a young woman of noble birth named Juliana. Her father was surnamed Africanus, and he too was a persecutor of Christians; his wife, however, while she inwardly shuddered at the sacrileges of Mars, associated neither with Christians nor with pagans. Juliana, possessed of a rational mind, prudent in counsel, worthy in her way of life, and filled with the fullest virtue, pondered within herself that the true God is He who made heaven and earth; and day by day, devoting herself to prayers, she hastened to the church of God, that she might understand the divine teachings. Eleusius her betrothed, however, was eager to celebrate the festivities of the wedding. But she said to him: "Unless you have attained the office of the prefecture, I cannot in any way be joined to you." Hearing this, Eleusius gave gifts to the Emperor Maximian, succeeded another Prefect who was administering the office, and sat in the official carriage, exercising the office of the prefecture. After a few days had passed, he sent to her again. Then Juliana, deliberating with prudent counsel, said to them: "Go and tell Eleusius: If you will believe in my God and worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I will accept you as my husband. But if you will not, seek another wife for yourself."

[2] Hearing this, the Prefect called her father and told him all the words that Juliana had conveyed. Her father, hearing these things, said: "By the merciful gods, who are lovers of humankind — if these words are true, I will hand her over to you." And having said this, he went to his daughter in great fury and called her, saying: "My sweetest daughter Juliana, light of my eyes, why do you not wish to accept the Prefect your betrothed? Behold, I truly wish to celebrate your nuptials." The blessed Juliana, trusting in Christ, said: "If he will worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I will marry him; but if he will not, he cannot take me in marriage." Hearing this, her father said: "By the merciful gods Apollo and Diana, if you persist in these words, I will hand you over to the wild beasts." Juliana answered: "Do not believe, father, that I am going to fear you. By the Son of the living God, even if I must be burned alive, I will never consent to you." Then her father again begged her to consent and not to lose such an honor. To this Juliana replied: "Come now, father, do you not understand what I am saying to you? I speak the truth and do not lie: I will gladly endure every interrogation and every judgment, and I will not depart from the commandment of my Lord Jesus Christ." Immediately her father ordered her to be stripped and beaten, saying to her: "Why do you not worship the gods?" But she cried out and said: "I do not believe, I do not worship, I do not sacrifice to deaf and mute idols; but I worship the Lord Jesus Christ, who lives forever and reigns in heaven." Then her father handed her over, after her torment, to the Prefect her betrothed.

[3] The Prefect then ordered her to be brought before his tribunal at dawn, and seeing her beauty, addressed her in the softest words: "Tell me, my sweetest Juliana, how have you deceived me for so long? Who has persuaded you to worship a foreign God? Turn to me and avoid all the tortures that are prepared for you if you refuse to sacrifice." The blessed Juliana answered: "And if you will consent to me, that you worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I will yield to you; but if you will not, you shall not be my lord." The Prefect said: "My lady Juliana, consent to me, and I will believe in your God." The blessed Juliana answered: "Receive the Spirit of God, and I will marry you." The Prefect said: "I cannot, my lady, because if I do, the Emperor will hear of it, and giving me a successor, will cut off my head with the sword." St. Juliana answered: "And if you fear this mortal Emperor, seated in filth, how can you compel me to deny the immortal Emperor? Hence, for all your flattery, you cannot deceive me. Whatever torments seem fit to you, inflict them upon me. For I believe in Him in whom Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed, and they were not put to shame, for He is able to deliver me from your torments."

[4] Hearing this, the Prefect, moved with anger, ordered her to be beaten. St. Juliana was stretched out on the ground, and he ordered her to be beaten naked with four rods in such a way that three soldiers alternated in striking her; and after this he ordered them to cease, and the Prefect said to her: "Behold, this is the beginning of the interrogation. Come and sacrifice to the great Diana, and you will be freed from torments. But if you will not, by the great god Apollo, I will not spare you." St. Juliana answered: "Do not believe that by your persuasions you can call me back from my Lord Jesus Christ." Then the Prefect ordered her to be hung by her hair. Suspended for six hours, she cried out and said: "Christ, Son of God, come and help me." Then the Prefect ordered her to be taken down, saying to her: "Come, Juliana, and sacrifice, lest you perish in your torments; for He whom you think to worship as God will not be able to free you." Juliana answered: "You will not be able to conquer me, wretch, by your torments; but I, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, will conquer your inhuman mind, and I will put to shame your father Satan, and I will find confidence in the sight of my Lord Jesus Christ." The Prefect, moved with wrath, ordered molten bronze to be prepared, and her to be stripped and drenched from head to ankles, and thus burned. When this was done, it harmed her not at all. Again he ordered a fetter to be put through her thighs, and she was thus taken back into the prison.

[5] When this was done, St. Juliana, placed in prison, began to say: "Lord God Almighty, my soul is at the point of departure; strengthen me and hear me and have mercy on me, and on those who grieve around me, have mercy; and grant me Your mercy, as You have to all who have pleased You. I entreat You also, Lord, do not abandon me, for my father and my mother have forsaken me. But You, Lord my God, receive me; and do not cast me from Your face, and do not forsake me in this time of sorrow, but preserve me in these torments, as You preserved Daniel in the lion's den, and as You delivered Ananias, Azarias, and Misael from the fiery furnace, so also guard me in the brevity of this life, and lead me into the harbor of Your will, as You led the children of Israel fleeing from Egypt through the sea as through dry land, while the sea covered their enemies. So, Lord, deign to hear me, and extinguish the threats of the tyrant who has risen against me, and destroy his power and his mind, for You, Lord, know human nature, that it cannot endure captivity. Be to me, O God, a present helper and defender in the torments which he who does not observe the precept of Your judgment is about to bring upon me; and make the Prefect himself a partaker of demons, to be mocked by me, and make him consumed by worms and tormented with great pain, so that Your power may be shown over me, Your handmaid; for You alone are God, and to You we declare glory forever and ever, Amen."

Annotations

p. The manuscript of St. Martin of Trier reads "seven." Vincent reads "five." Metaphrastes amplifies thus: "hanging for a great part of the day, so that from the violent stretching the skin was torn from her head, her face was greatly distorted, and her eyebrows were pulled up over her forehead."

q. So several manuscripts. Gladbach, Hubergen, and another of ours: "And your God whom you worship will not free you."

r. So the Cusa manuscript. Some read "tormenta afflari." Gladbach, Hubergen, and another: "aes incendi" (to heat bronze). St. Maximinus and one of ours: "aeramentum conflari." The Menaea and Metaphrastes, omitting this torment, say that her sides were seared with red-hot plates.

s. So most manuscripts and Vincent. But the Cusa manuscript, the Queen of Sweden's, and some others read "ligamenta" (fetters). Menaea: "He also drove another iron implement, heated in fire, through the middle of her thigh." Metaphrastes: "Then he orders her hands to be bound to her sides and some other iron to be driven through the middle of her thighs, and thus bound, or rather transfixed, to be taken away to prison."

t. The Menaea add: "with hands bound behind her back."

u. The Gladbach, Hubergen, and another of our manuscripts add: "Father of all, dispenser of all good things, hope in terror, giver of counsel, defender of the sorrowful, supporter of those in bonds, savior and restorer of the afflicted, shepherd of the wandering."

x. These words are absent in the Trier manuscripts of St. Maximinus and St. Martin, in the Cusa manuscript, in that of the Queen of Sweden, and in two of ours, and in Vincent; they are found in most of the rest. Hesselius in his Censure of Histories, chapter 2, objects to this Life because the Saint prays that the Prefect may become a partaker of demons, which we have refuted above.

CHAPTER II

The demon, urging impiety upon St. Juliana, is beaten by her and dragged about in chains.

[6] And when she had finished her prayer, a demon appeared to her, named Belial, in the form of an Angel, and said to her: "Juliana, my beloved, the Prefect is preparing evil and most wretched torments for you. Listen to me now and you will be saved. When he orders you to come out of the prison, come and sacrifice, and you will escape the torments." St. Juliana supposed that this was an Angel of God and said to him: "Who are you?" The devil said to her: "I am an Angel of the Lord. He has sent me to you so that you may sacrifice and not die." Juliana, however, groaning most bitterly, cried out to the Lord, and raising her eyes to heaven with tears, said: "Lord God of heaven and earth, do not forsake me, nor permit Your handmaid to perish; but strengthen my heart in Your power; and to me who trust in Your name, reveal to me who this is who speaks such things to me and persuades me to worship idols." And immediately a voice came from heaven to her, saying: "Be confident, Juliana; I am with you, I who speak to you. Seize the one who speaks with you, so that you may know who he is."

[7] Then St. Juliana, rising from the floor and making the sign of Christ, seized the demon Belial and said to him: "Tell me, who are you? And from where? And who sent you to me?" Then the demon answered: "Release me, and I will tell you." The blessed Juliana said: "Speak first, and then I will release you." Then the demon began to speak: "I am the demon Belial (whom some call Iopher the Black), delighting in the wickedness of men, rejoicing in murders, a lover of lust, embracing strife, destroying peace. I am the one who caused Adam and Eve to transgress in paradise; I am the one who caused Cain to kill his brother Abel; I am the one who caused all the possessions of Job to perish; I am the one who caused the people of Israel to worship idols in the desert; I am the one who caused the Prophet Isaiah to be sawn asunder like wood; I am the one who caused King Nebuchadnezzar to make an image; I am the one who caused the three youths to be cast into the furnace of burning fire; I am the one who caused Jerusalem to be set ablaze; I am the one who caused the infants to be slain by Herod; I am the one who caused Judas to betray the Son of God; I overtook Judas so that he would end his life by the noose; I am the one who prompted the soldier to pierce the side of the Son of God with a lance; I am the one who caused John to be beheaded by Herod; I am the one who spoke through Simon that Peter and Paul were magicians; I am the one who entered into the Emperor Nero so that he would crucify Peter and behead Paul; I am the one who caused Andrew to be handed over in the region of Patras. All these things and worse I have done with my brothers."

[8] The blessed Juliana said: "Who sent you to me?" The demon answered: "Satan, my father." St. Juliana said: "And what is your father called?" The demon answered: "Beelzebub." St. Juliana said: "And what is his work?" The demon answered: "He is the inventor of all evil. For as soon as we attend upon him, he directs us to tempt the souls of the faithful." St. Juliana said: "And the one who is repulsed by a Christian — what does he suffer?" The demon answered: "He suffers evil and most wretched torments. If we are sent against a just person to overthrow him, and if we cannot succeed, we will not be seen by the one who sent us. For when we are sought by him and not found, he commands other demons that wherever the one who was sent is found, he should be badly treated by them; then he flees so that he cannot be found. It is therefore necessary for us to do what he commands and to obey him as a most cherished parent." St. Juliana said: "Against what righteous works do you set out? Tell me." The demon answered: "Behold, my lady, that I may tell you everything and you may learn the truth from me — just as to my misfortune I came in here to you and thought to induce you to sacrifice and deny your God, so we enter into all people, both I and my brothers.

[9] "And wherever we find a wise person standing firm in the work of God, we cause him to desire many things, turning his mind to the things we set before him, producing error in his thoughts, and we do not permit him to persevere either in prayer or in any good work. And again, if we see certain persons hastening to church, afflicting themselves for their sins and desiring to hear the divine Scriptures so as to keep some part of them, we immediately enter their homes and do not allow them to do anything good, and we cast many thoughts into their hearts. But if any of them is able to overcome and departs from his vain thoughts and goes to pray and hear the holy Scriptures and receive the divine mystery, we are driven headlong from him. For when Christians receive the divine mystery, we withdraw from them at that hour. We take care of nothing except only to overthrow people who are living well. If indeed we see them engaged in something good, we bring bitter thoughts upon them, so that they may follow our wishes."

[10] St. Juliana said: "Unclean spirit, how do you presume to mix yourself with Christians?" The demon answered: "Tell me also, how did you dare to seize me, unless because you trust in Christ? So also I trust in my father, because he is the author of wicked deeds, and what he wills, I do. For I have attempted to perpetrate many evils, and sometimes my desire has met with success. But how to my misfortune I was sent to you! Would that I had never seen you! Woe is me, wretch, what am I enduring? How did my father not understand what would happen to me? Release me, so that I may at least pass to another place. For I will accuse you to my father, and it will not go well for you." Then St. Juliana bound his hands behind his back and cast him to the ground, and taking one of the chains with which she herself had been bound, she beat the demon. Then the demon cried out, begging and saying: "My lady Juliana, companion of the Apostles, fellow of the Martyrs, partaker of the Patriarchs, companion of the Angels, I adjure you by the Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on my wretchedness."

[11] St. Juliana said: "Confess to me, unclean spirit — to which persons have you done injury?" The demon answered: "I have put out the eyes of many people; I have broken the feet of others; I have cast others into fire; I have hanged others; I have made others vomit blood; I have drowned others in the sea; I have made others end their lives by violence; I have made others be tortured by their own hands in their fury. And to speak briefly: all the evils that are in this world are accomplished by my counsel, and I myself carry them out. And others whom I found not having the seal of Christ, I have killed. And although I have done all these evils, no one has dared to torment me as much as you. No Apostle has held my hand; but you have both bound me. No Martyr has struck me; no Prophet has done me the injuries that I endure from you; no Patriarch has laid a hand on me. For I even made trial of the Son of God Himself in the desert and caused Him to go up on a high mountain, and He did nothing to me; and you consume me with such torments? O virginity, why are you armed against us? O John, why did you show your virginity against us?"

[12] While the demon was saying these things, the Prefect ordered Juliana to be summoned from the prison to him. St. Juliana, as she was being led, dragged the demon along with her. The demon begged her, saying: "My lady Juliana, release me; do not make me any longer a laughingstock to people; for I shall not be able afterward to prevail over men. You have overcome my father; you have bound me — what more do you want? The unbelievers say that Christians are merciful, but you have appeared fierce toward me." And while the demon was saying these things, St. Juliana was dragging him through the forum; and when he had begged her for a long time, she cast him into a place full of filth.

Annotations

CHAPTER III

St. Juliana, variously tortured, is beheaded; one hundred and thirty are converted by her. Translation of her body.

[13] And coming into the praetorium, her face appeared glorious to all. And when the Prefect looked upon her, marveling at her, he said: "Tell me, Juliana, who has taught you such things? How have you overcome such great torments by enchantments?" St. Juliana answered: "Listen to me, most impious Prefect, and I will tell you. My Lord Jesus Christ taught me to worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and He Himself conquered your father Satan and his demons, and sent from His holy seat His Angel, who aided and strengthened me. But you, wretch, do not know that eternal torments are being prepared for you, where you will have everlasting tortures, the worm that eats and does not cease, and eternal darkness. Repent, unhappy one. For the Lord Jesus Christ is merciful and compassionate, and wishes to save all men, and gives repentance unto salvation and the remission of sins."

[14] Then the Prefect ordered an iron wheel to be brought and sharp swords to be fixed upon it, and the Virgin to be placed upon the wheel, so that the wheel would stand between two columns, and four soldiers on this side and another four on the other; and the soldiers pulled the wheel, with Juliana placed upon it. As the soldiers pulled, the device struck, and the noble body of the Virgin of Christ was cut open in all its limbs, and the marrow came out from her bones, and the entire wheel was stained with her blood, and the fire raged from the conflagration. But the blessed Juliana stood immovable in the faith of Christ, broken in body but firm in faith. And an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and extinguished the flame, and the bonds were loosed from the fire.

[15] St. Juliana, standing without pain, glorified the Lord, and extending her hand toward heaven with tears and groaning, began to speak thus: "Lord God Almighty, You alone who possess immortality, giver of life, creator of all ages, who stretched out the heavens with Your hands and laid the foundations of the earth and fashioned man with Your hands, planter of paradise and governor of the living tree of the human race; who freed Lot from Sodom on account of his hospitality; who blessed Jacob and delivered Joseph from his brothers' envy — he who was sold into Egypt — and granted him the honor of princes; who sent Your servant Moses into Egypt and preserved him from the hand of Pharaoh, and led Your people through the Red Sea as on dry land, and subjugated the race of foreigners, and struck down the giant Goliath by the hands of Your holy child David, and exalted David in his kingdom; who assumed flesh from a Virgin and were seen by shepherds, who are magnified by Angels and were adored by the Magi; who raised the dead and gathered the Apostles and commanded them to proclaim Your kingdom; who were betrayed by Judas and crucified in the flesh and buried in the earth, and after the resurrection were seen by Your disciples and ascended to heaven; who by sending Apostles throughout the world gave knowledge of Yourself to all who believe; who are the salvation of the perishing, the way of the wandering, the refuge of the failing, the one powerful and only true God, whom no one can praise unjustly but only justly — I give thanks to You, God of all, who have deigned to bring me, unworthy and a sinner, to Your aid. And I ask, Lord, that You deign to deliver me from the malice of this tyrant, so that he may be utterly put to shame together with his father Satan; and I will declare glory to You always, forever and ever."

[16] And as she was saying "Amen," the executioners of the city of Nicomedia cried out: "There is one God Almighty, the God of the holy maiden Juliana, and there is no other God besides Him. We repent, Prefect, that until now we have been led into error." And they all said with one voice: "To You we flee, O Lord; let it suffice that we have erred until now. From now on we will believe that same God whom Juliana worships." And turning to the Governor, they said: "Let all the gods of the pagans perish; let all who worship idols be overthrown. But you, impious Prefect, bring punishments upon us; let us be in torment, who until now have worshipped idols. Light the fire, devise the works of your father. For from now on we choose to have the Lord Jesus Christ as our father, because for a long time we have been afflicted by your father the devil." The Prefect, filled with rage, reported everything to the Emperor Maximian. The Emperor Maximian then pronounced sentence against them, that all should be beheaded. And he ordered them all to be struck with the sword at once. One hundred and thirty persons were beheaded, men together with women.

[17] The Prefect then ordered St. Juliana to be burned alive. St. Juliana, hearing this, extended her hands toward heaven and said with tears: "Lord God Almighty, do not forsake me, neither depart from me, and do not cast me from Your face; but be my helper and deliver me from this punishment, and blot out my sins, if in any word, if in any thought I have sinned. Lord my God, compassionate and merciful, have mercy on me, lest my enemy the tyrant Eleusius say, 'Where is her God?' For You are God, blessed forever." And while she was saying these things, behold, suddenly an Angel of the Lord came and separated the fire and quenched the flame. St. Juliana, standing unharmed, glorified the Lord in the fire.

[18] But the Prefect raged against her like a savage wild beast, considering what punishment he might inflict upon her. Then he ordered a cauldron to be brought, and lead to be put in it, and her to be placed upon the boiling cauldron. When she had been placed upon it, it became for her like a well-tempered bath. The cauldron itself then burst, and burned seventy-five of the bystanders. When the Prefect saw this, enraged, he tore his garments and with groaning reviled his gods, because they had not been able to harm her, and because even though she had done injury to them as well, they had by no means been able to harm her. And immediately he dictated a sentence against her, that she should be punished by the sword.

[19] Hearing this, St. Juliana was filled with great joy, because the end of her contest was approaching. When she was being dragged to the place where she was to be beheaded, the demon who had been tormented by her suddenly came running to the Governor and said to him: "Do not spare her! She has reviled the gods and done injury to men; I too have suffered much evil from her. Give her therefore what she deserves." St. Juliana then opened her eyes a little to see who was speaking such things. Then the frightened demon cried out and said: "Woe to me, wretch! Perhaps she wants to seize me again." And immediately he vanished and fell silent in his flight.

[20] And when she had been led to the place where she was to be beheaded, she began to speak to those who had been converted to the faith, with other Christians present: "My fathers and mothers, listen to me, and repent of having sacrificed to demons, and build your houses upon a firm rock, lest you be torn apart when strong winds come. But always pray without ceasing in the holy church, and be attentive to the holy Scriptures, and love one another, and the Lord will grant you to find mercy in the sight of His saints. It is good to be watchful for God, it is good to sing psalms frequently, it is good to pray without ceasing, because you do not know when you will finish this life. And I ask you to pray for me, that my Lord Jesus Christ may deign to hold me acceptable and to introduce me, His humble handmaid, into His holy court, and may watch over the course of my contest, so that the enemy may not conquer me." And when she had given peace to all, she prayed again to the Lord, saying: "Lord God, Father of all, lover of faith, who do not hand over Your image into the hands of Your enemies, have mercy on me and help me, and receive my spirit in peace, Lord." And while she was saying this in prayer, she was beheaded.

[21] After a short time, a certain woman named Sephonia, of senatorial rank, passing through the city of Nicomedia and traveling to the city of Rome, took the body of the blessed Juliana, and embalming it with spices and precious linens, as she was coming toward the city, a violent storm arose, and the ship was driven to the borders of Campania. The blessed Juliana was placed near the territory of Puteoli, where she has a mausoleum one mile from the sea.

[22] The Prefect Eleusius, when he had set sail in his suburban estate, was struck by a violent storm, and his ship was sunk, and twenty-four men perished. And when the sea cast them onto a deserted place, their bodies were devoured by birds and wild beasts. The blessed Juliana suffered on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of March, at the hand of the Prefect Eleusius, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is glory forever and ever. Amen.

Annotations

p. The Gladbach manuscript reads "Filij" (of the Son). This prayer of the Saint is rendered thus in the Cusa manuscript: "Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as a reproach to our enemies; have mercy on me and help me, and receive my spirit in peace."

q. The Gladbach, Hubergen, and another of our manuscripts: "she gave up her soul to God."

r. So the manuscripts of St. Maximinus, St. Martin of Trier, Cusa, Equilinus, Gladbach, one of ours, and the Louvain Legenda: "Suffragoria senatoria." Another of our manuscripts: "Suff. ago senatoria." The manuscript of the Queen of Sweden and Metaphrastes: "Sophia." Petrus in the second Life: "Sophronia." The Hubergen manuscript, perhaps most correctly, reads: "suffragatu senatorio."

s. Some manuscripts add: "in a small chest."

t. For Nicomedia lies on a gulf of the sea.

u. The Hubergen manuscript: "32."

x. Metaphrastes writes that the rest drowned, while the Prefect himself was cast ashore alive and mangled by dogs.

y. Some manuscripts: "the seventh day before the Ides of February" — perhaps because on that day another St. Juliana, a widow, is venerated. The Cusa manuscript: "the fifth day before the Ides." On neither day do the Martyrologies mention this Juliana.

ANOTHER LIFE

By Petrus the Subdeacon, from the manuscripts of the Churches of Naples and Capua.

Juliana, Virgin of Nicomedia and Martyr, at Brussels in Belgium (St.)

BHL Number: 4526

By Petrus, from manuscripts.

PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR.

[1] To the excellent Father Lord Petrus, most worthy Pastor of the holy Church of Naples, Petrus sends the vows of the heavenly homeland. Learned in the studies of Sacred Scripture, being a beloved son of holy Mother Church, you have deigned to exhort me that, since the most sacred body of the blessed and glorious Martyr Juliana rests in the vicinity of your city — that is, in the church of the See of Cumae — and shines most excellently with sacred miracles, but her Passion, on account of its unpolished diction, cannot at all be read in the assembly of the faithful, I should endeavor to illuminate it with my own composition. We attempted indeed to refuse such a work, lest perhaps, under the cover of obedience, we should be marked with the stigma of unskilled talent. Meanwhile, considering the desire of your devout heart and the dispensation of almighty God, who deigned to send the aforesaid Martyr from the regions of the East for the protection of our homeland, we prefer to expose ourselves to the risk of inexperience rather than not obey your sacred exhortations. Therefore, since in this work we both obey the Lord's precepts and those of the blessed Apostle who says, "Let all your things be done in charity," may He Himself, with you praying and us serving, deign to bestow the aid of His grace, so that to the glory and honor of His name, the triumphant glory of His Martyr may be nobly declared, and spiritual nourishment may be effectively ministered thence to His people.

Annotations

CHAPTER I

St. Juliana's resolve not to marry a pagan, assailed in vain by her father with beatings and by the Prefect with manifold argumentation.

[2] Among the other persecutors of the holy Church, after the glorious Ascension of the Lord to the Father, the Emperor Diocletian was so cruel that when he found the Theban Legion (that is, about six thousand men in arms), among whom was the blessed Maurice, as is read in his Passion, worshipping the faith of Christ, he ordered them to be slain by the sword through the height of wickedness, in one day, in one place, without any compassion. Indeed, in order to be able to utterly destroy the Christian religion, in the second year of the tenth persecution, he took Maximian Galerius, surnamed Herculeus, as his associate in the empire, and giving him his daughter Valeria as wife, established him in authority over all regions. After receiving the empire in approximately the two hundred and ninety-first year from the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, while the most holy Pope Marcellinus occupied the See of the blessed Peter, when he had appointed a certain illustrious man as Prefect, he also ordained Prefects and Governors throughout the entire East. In the city of Nicomedia he appointed as Prefect a certain illustrious man named Eleusius, giving him the command to search out with all diligence the worshippers of Christ throughout his entire jurisdiction and to compel those found to sacrifice to the gods; and if they refused, to torture them with punishments and cruelly slaughter them.

[3] Having obtained the dignity of the prefecture, and desiring to take a wife from a noble lineage, he found a certain beautiful maiden named Juliana, daughter of a man named Africanus, who according to worldly rank was very rich and powerful, and who, together with his wife, was deeply entangled in pagan errors. When he wished to betroth this noble maiden, he began before the marriage to investigate her heart, in order to learn whether her mind was upright. But the Virgin of the Lord, Juliana, since she desired to be the bride not of a man but of Christ the Lord, receiving instruction in the holy Trinity and fortifying herself with the sacrament of baptism, and commending her chastity to the Lord with fasting and prayers, sent the following reply to the Governor: "If, having abandoned the errors of images and the worship of demons, he will worship that God who made heaven and earth, whom I profess to worship and serve, then he may rightly seek our marriage. But otherwise, for what reason can it be that a handmaid of Christ should have as a husband a servant of demons, and that a friend of light should have a friend of darkness? Far be this from the heart of a handmaid of Christ, far from the Christian religion."

[4] Hearing this, the Prefect was greatly saddened. Thereupon he summoned her father and took care to communicate to him everything that his daughter had said. The father, calling the blessed Juliana to him, began to address her thus:

"What wicked one has stuffed your heart with such things, my dearest? Behold, dark madness has filled your mind, That you would spurn the happy joys of the exalted Prefect, And sadly proceed to the bitter regions of death."

Hearing this, the Virgin answered: "Do not deceive me, father, for the love of Jesus Christ, the Son of almighty God, has gone before me. It pleases me to have Him as my Spouse rather than a mortal man, wasting with every corruption and serving the worship of demons. I humbly beseech and pray you, beloved father, never to urge your daughter to do such things." The father, hearing these insults to the gods, kindled with the torches of anger, said: "By the omnipotence of Apollo and Diana, whom you shamelessly presume to revile, unless you obey our warnings, I will hasten to hand you over to your betrothed, so that you may perish in his fiery flames. For until now we have spoken of the bond of marriage, but now of the veneration of the sacred divinities. Otherwise, mindful neither of your father's love nor of union with the Prefect, you will please no one with your sacrilege. But if you purify yourself of this and pour libations to the gods, you can greatly please both our hearts and your betrothed." To him the holy Virgin said: "As I desire, I cannot obey my father's commands. For we are not joined by one religion or one grace: from you I was created in the flesh, but in the faith of Christ I have been spiritually reborn. What communion has light with darkness? What connection has Christ with Apollo and Diana?"

[5] Hearing these things, the father ordered her to be severely beaten, saying:

"Thus let savage hearts be punished by such offices, Hearts that contemptuously scorn the divine powers with proud lips."

And thus, torn and shaken by beatings, he handed her over to the wicked Prefect. He, however, rejoicing and thinking that she could be changed from her holy intention by blandishments, began to address her with honeyed words and persuasions, saying: "Whatever you have said until now, we attribute to your youthful age and to the dignity of the prefecture. Therefore lay aside all fear and be more cheerful, for I shall hold you dearer because you resisted with a steadfast mind and did not yield at the first request. And truly a dissolute and fragile mind is more prone to every fall, but a steadfast and strong one labors to complete what it has begun.

"Therefore flee what are the evil pleasures of life, And cheerfully take up the fellowship of our bed."

[6] The Virgin of Christ, skillfully probing the words of the Prefect, began to ensnare him thus: "According to the dignity of the prefecture, which is the royal standard and measure, O illustrious Prefect, you have taken care to set forth your words modestly. Indeed, if inconstancy is condemned in men, how much more in the fragile female sex? For we are striving to fulfill what we have begun, whereby I may be able to flee the evil pleasures and obtain those that are without the stain of evils." The Prefect, hearing this and thinking that she wished to obey his commands, cheerfully answered: "Since you have indeed declared what we never doubted you would declare, only one thing remains: that you joyfully perform sacrifices to the pure divinities, and then at last you will attain our fellowship." And the blessed Juliana said: "To which divinities do you command me to sacrifice?" And the Judge said: "To Apollo and Diana." And the Saint said: "What God commanded such things to be done? Is it this Iolus, to whom you order sacred offerings to be made?" The Prefect said: "There is indeed another, to whom all divinities are subject and all elements obey." The Saint answered and said: "What is his name?" And the Judge: "We call him Jove, who is also called Jupiter, because he helps all who live. But we show reverence to the lesser gods so that by their prayers we may be able to appease this great Jove." And the Saint said: "Do your writings confirm that God is to be worshipped thus? And are those writings called authoritative?" The Prefect said: "Does not all our sacred writing declare him to be God? And are they not known to be authoritative in all respects? For everyone affirms it, everyone reckons it fair, and judges it honorable. Through him indeed kings reign, and the kings themselves are governed by him, and all are subject to him."

[7] The blessed Juliana then, declaring the intention of her mind, spoke thus: "To this point I have questioned your prudence, so that I might hear from your own mouth that our writings are truthful and to be revered by all. Therefore, sagacious Prefect, if it is so, believe your own words, believe the authoritative words and writings; and learn that this one whom you worship as God is the son of Saturn of Crete, who is said to have devoured his own children lest he be expelled from his kingdom; and this Jupiter, in order to escape, was hidden away. But afterward, wickedly expelling his father from the kingdom and committing many iniquities, he was called Zeus in a sort of folly by the foolish. Here you have something to reflect upon concerning your great god Jove. But Apollo, who slew the serpent Python, should not on that account be called God; for afterward, condemned by judgment and stripped of his dignity, he is read to have tended a king's herds. And who does not know that Diana was a mere woman who practiced womanly indecencies? Afterward all of these, being fragile and mortal, overtaken by death, were plunged into the underworld. Is it not so, as I maintain, O Judge? Do not your own writings reveal such things? You urge me to worship such beings as gods. O what a great crime! How much vanity there is in the world! What wise and understanding person would bestow honors on such as these?

"May the grace of Christ drive this wickedness from us, And teach us to hold fast His heavenly gifts."

[8] The Judge, angered at these things, began to dishonor the blessed Juliana with insults and reproaches, saying: "You wicked, most beautiful seductress and sorceress, cruel, abominable woman — your iniquity has drawn you to this: that rushing from favor to malice, from the love of our marriage bond to the defamation of the Gods, you have even come, like a fool, to attack the most exalted Jove himself! Such things are indeed fitting for you. Such is utterly the impious nature of women, who, always impatient of peace, devise vain things, contemplate impieties, and practice unheard-of things. Hence not undeservedly they ought to be more frequently restrained by men, lest they ever fulfill their wicked will. Rightly indeed it is written of such women:

'No woman is good; and if any chance has made one so, I know not how a bad thing was made good.'

How vile you have become, you who were always so very dear. Now no longer sweet but bitter words shall be spoken to you. Do you not gasp to perceive in your punishments what you denied while at rest? Yet because it does not befit our mildness to make sport, nor to imitate feminine craftiness, and severity is not to be maintained where there is pardonable humility, we still admonish you from the blindness of ignorance and take care to lead you to the way of light. For if you are willing to come to your senses and submit your neck to our religion and venerate the gods whom you have wickedly mocked, we shall at once return to our former affection."

[9] But the handmaid of Christ answered: "She who speaks aptly and rationally ought to be rebuked with such insults, burned with such torches of anger? Do you not know that it is written, 'Justice is not known except through wisdom, and thus justice does not work the justice of God'? If you have reproached the female sex, and you have manly constancy and are bound by law not to become angry, why are you overcome by unjust fury? Look then, and do not reproach the female sex, for neither are all men good nor all women bad. For, to pass over in silence the other good qualities of women, this alone can suffice: that without them no human offspring is produced in the world. And what is more glorious and infallible: there was one sole Virgin and mother who bore such a Son who, before He was born, created heaven and earth from nothing; and after His birth, He restored from men and women the ruin of heaven caused by the evil angels, as the Christian religion teaches. Since this is so, when you accuse another, examine your own life.

'For it is shameful for a king when his own guilt reproves him.'

As for your proposition that I should return to your former affection if I worship your gods, I have shown from your own authorities that they were mortal and wicked little men. By what reason, then, do you order them to be worshipped as gods — they who can profit neither themselves nor others? But since you can now truthfully bring forth nothing else, I will show you the true almighty God, having neither beginning nor end, maker of heaven and earth, of Angels and men, of things visible and invisible. If you promise to believe in Him, I shall rejoice at your words and confidently promise eternal life."

Annotations

CHAPTER II

The second interrogation of St. Juliana: her constancy and wisdom under torments.

[10] Then the Judge, confounded by these things and unable to counter the true assertions of the Saint, postponed the sentence, intending to argue with her in a public assembly in the theater, so that, shaken by the terror of preserving her modesty, she might recall her mind from her holy intention. On the following day, therefore, with a glorious theater arranged, sitting at his tribunal, he had the blessed Juliana brought before him and began to address her: "The intention of our mind and the inviolable bond of affection which we have had for you until now, you have been able to recognize in the delay of punishments until now; for if it were not so, you would not have come even to a second hearing, but would have perished by diverse tortures, unheard-of punishment, and fire. We therefore proceed with this second hearing of the law's scrutiny with you, gently and calmly. At last, I urge you, born as you are of noble lineage, do not plunge yourself and your line into the abyss of death and perdition, so that both here you perish and there you experience the judgments of Acheron. Therefore lay aside your hardness, break the obstinacy of your mind, and receive our admonitions. For if you were not infected with the abominable error of the Christian faith, I would by no means have led you through these various proceedings, but would have united you with the dignity of our prefecture."

[11] The holy Virgin answered and said: "I have already replied above to all your propositions. What is it that you wish to hear again? Behold, you have made your words smoother than oil; you have wielded pestilent darts when you said I was infected with the error of the Christian faith. For if you fear the power of Caesar — you fear, after all, a mortal man who will soon be food for worms — why should I not fear that eternal King, to whom heaven and earth, seas and the underworld are obedient, who, after He has killed the body, can destroy the soul in Gehenna? But I pray that you will hear my counsel: that, having abandoned your errors and the foolish fables by which you worship your God, we may together worship Him, so that in the heavenly kingdom we may rejoice with Him forever."

[12] The Judge, moved by these things, said: "I see that you wish to lead me through various paths and bring me into the malice of your error; but it will not be as you suppose. May the sacred divinities crush your hard heart, with which you contemptuously refuse to bend your pestilent neck." Then he ordered her to be beaten with rods by four soldiers, taunting and saying: "Let the worst and impious blows break her iron heart, which rejects all joy. Such savage rewards befit you, who have refused to bend your neck to worthy admonitions. The gods are my witnesses — whose glory you have despised with every effort of your mind — that I have taken care to adorn you, not to dishonor you. But since you have refused and despised both us and our glory, and have moreover burst out into defamation of the gods, your own impudence has inflicted these punishments upon you. I have spared you more than your own father's heart. He indeed at a single word of persuasion handed you over to us; but we, on the contrary, with blandishments and persuasions, have delayed your destruction until now."

[13] And the holy Virgin said with joy: "In such things my soul exults in the Lord, since I have been seduced by neither blandishments nor beatings from the love of Christ the Lord. Therefore, since it is so, I wish you to be tormented no longer on this account. Attend and conclude your sentence briefly. For whatever tortures you have cruelly inflicted, consider that they have instilled constancy rather than punishment." The Prefect said: "If such things please you, let worthy torments not be lacking; if they do not please you, let us be appeased by your agreement." Then he ordered her to be hung by the hair of her head for six hours. She, however, humbly prayed to God, saying: "Help me, Lord, and have mercy on me; give me constancy, grant me strength, that I may meditate on Your ordinances and despise all the wicked, for their thought is unjust."

[14] When she had said this, the Prefect ordered her to be taken down, saying: "Do not think that we are wearied and will leave you unpunished because we have inflicted some punishment upon you. You have seen fire only in a picture and have not known its flames. When you come to that point, you will certainly change your speech." But the Martyr of Christ answered: "Most unhappy and foolish is he who, because of some terror, abandons the right course he has begun. As for the fire with which you threaten me, my Lord Christ is able to extinguish it. Therefore I will not be enticed by your commands to deny Him, lest I be consumed by eternal fires." "Let us test," said the Judge, "what these most wicked words amount to. Let me soften her iron soul with fiery fuel." Then, having melted bronze, he poured it over the head of the Saint. But she, as though drenched with nectarous dew, felt no burning and no heat.

[15] Greatly rejoicing at this, she stood fearless, filled with the grace of Christ, and spoke thus to the raging Prefect: "Come now, Prefect, can you not at least recognize the power of our Lord Jesus Christ? Cease now your hostility and believe in Him, so that you may be saved by Him. Do you not see that the burning of your fire cannot consume the body of the handmaid of God? When did your gods Jupiter and Apollo ever work such things?" The Prefect said: "I have no concern for your Christ. What good can you report of him? We know for certain that he was born of a woman, suffered, died, and was buried. And since he could not help himself in such matters, by what reason can he benefit anyone? But because you walk in darkness and are not illumined by the light of the gods, therefore you speak such things." The Saint answered and said: "If you knew, O Judge, the mystery of His birth, passion, death, and burial, you ought to have marveled at and venerated this rather than mocked it. For the Lord created man in His own image so that he might have him forever, and might restore from the offspring of men the place from which the angels fell through pride. But because, through the envy of the prince of the angels — who from an angel became Satan — man was cast out of paradise through disobedience, God did not wish to utterly destroy His creature. Rather, deceiving the devil, He was born of a Virgin, so that He might grant us a new virginity and a new birth of being reborn through sacred baptism. And thus, walking through each stage, He was tempted, so that He might rescue us from demonic temptation. He hungered and thirsted so that He might refresh us with His grace and minister heavenly draughts. He was crowned with thorns so that He might snatch us from the curses of thorns and thistles and bestow the flowers of paradise. He was crucified on wood so that He might condemn the wood of concupiscence and the sin that was wrought through it. He died and was buried so that by His death He might destroy our death, and by rising might bestow not only the earthly paradise but also the kingdom of heaven. These are the mysteries of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom you, Prefect, foolishly and impiously presume to defame." The Prefect, stung by these words, said: "Whatever you have uttered with your malicious mouth, punishments will be able to expiate." Having said this, he ordered her to be bound with iron fetters and confined in the squalor of prison.

Annotation

CHAPTER III

The victory of St. Juliana over the demon: after new torments, her death and that of others: the first and second Translations.

[16] Entering therefore into the prison, she spread out her hands to the Lord, saying: "O Lord God, maker of the whole world, help me and send the solace of salvation, whereby I may overcome the savage punishments of the tyrant and behold Your kingdom, which I have always desired." When her prayer was finished, an angel of Satan, transforming himself into an angel of light, stood by her, saying: "Hail, O handmaid of God, O Virgin, do not fear, nor be wearied with dread, since you are reproved by Christ: for whom He loves, He corrects, and He scourges everyone whom He receives. Behold, you have drawn near to the service of God, to testify to the glory of Christ. Be steadfast and strong and prepare your soul for the punishments that the tyrant plans to inflict upon you. Yet if you will obey his words, by a prudent stratagem you can outdo and overcome him. Do therefore what I advise: when you are summoned, sacrifice to the gods in outward appearance only, and give way to wrath, so that you may both enjoy the pleasures of the world and not be so cruelly tortured by vain flames. For I too am an Angel of the Lord, who sent me to strengthen you and to give you such counsel."

[17] When the blessed Virgin heard words of denial, she was greatly astonished, and fortifying herself with the saving standard, she turned to the Lord and prayed, saying: "Lord God, creator of heaven and earth, who were conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the holy Virgin, who deigned to call me to belief in Your faith so that, having abandoned the errors of idols, I might know You as the true God — for You are the true God who came into this world — I beseech and implore You to show me who this is who urges me to deny God out of fear of the tyrant." As she prayed, a voice came to her saying: "Be of steadfast mind, Juliana, and do not believe abominable words, for the messenger is deceitful and counsels deadly things. Seize him, and he will soon declare everything to you." Refreshed by the heavenly words, she seized the demon and said:

"Are you, bloody, impudent, perverse, abominable, malignant one, An angel of light, and do you speak true tidings? Your malignant words, demon, are false dreams,

"Since you craftily and deceitfully urge me to deny Christ the Lord, life, light, and salvation. But because Christ the King will crush the deceivers, know that you are firmly bound by my hands." "Wherefore I adjure you by His beloved divine power: reveal all things to me and do not delay in speaking true words." Then the demon, seeing himself bound by the power of God, like a shameless slave began to make amends, saying: "I did not come to you by my own commission, O Saint. My king sent me and ordered me to say such things." To him the handmaid of Christ said: "What is his name, and what is his work, if you know?" The demon answered: "His names are a thousand, and his arts of harming a thousand; but to conclude many things briefly, from the time he ceased to be an angel of light and was cast down from his heavenly seat through pride, whatever malice has been perpetrated in the world has sprung from him — and this among those who by their iniquities withdraw from the Lord Jesus Christ. For those who adhere to Him and follow His words, we can by no means harm; indeed, we are even judged by them, just as I, wretch, seem to be held and judged by you, O Saint. But have mercy on me, by your King Christ, who possesses you as such a handmaid, for I will never again presume to tempt you." When he had said these and similar things, the Virgin made the sign of the holy Cross against him, and immediately he vanished like smoke. Let no one therefore marvel that the Virgin of the Lord was able to bind a demon, since he is a spirit while she was burdened with flesh. Remember that Jacob once wrestled with an Angel on earth, and the sinew of his thigh was weakened by him. Again, let us recall that the Prophet Habakkuk was carried by an Angel from Judea to Chaldea with a dinner, and that Daniel was refreshed, and was brought back by the same. For Angels (as the holy Fathers teach) take on a body from the air and, as though they were carnal, truly perform carnal actions.

[18] When these things had been accomplished, the attendants sent by the Judge brought Juliana before him. The Judge said to her: "Has the long-suffering of our clemency profited your obstinacy in any way?" And the Saint answered: "Indeed it has, entirely; for my God Jesus Christ, who has strengthened me until now, Himself taught me in prison to endure your savagery and to repel your punishments, saying: 'For I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to resist or contradict; but in your patience you will possess your soul.'" The Prefect said: "Since every person in the world desires to live, if possible, why do Christians, infected with a kind of madness, rejoice to end their lives in punishments and delight in losing life? Is that not great folly?" St. Juliana said: "They act rightly, nor is it folly, but holy and saving wisdom; since this life is transient and fragile and deceives its lovers with its blandishments, as if they could live forever; and so they pass their days unharmed in good things, and in a moment are plunged into the underworld, where there is no remission of punishment. But those who believe in the Lord and die here for His name exult with Him without end in the heavenly kingdom. For He Himself deigned to promise this, saying: 'Whoever loses his soul for My sake will find it in eternal life.'" The Prefect said: "May that God who commands such things not be my patron — he who does not deliver his own in the present but promises joys after death. Let him protect you; let him not bestow benefits on me. Yet if you desire tortures more than joys,

'Behold, we offer fitting rewards to your wishes.'

Saying this, he ordered a wheel to be brought, fitted with iron instruments, and her to be bound upon it, so that when it was turned by those pulling it, the Martyr of God would be torn to pieces. When this had been done and the Virgin of the Lord was praying to the divine power, her internal organs were shattered, yet she remained unharmed and glorified the Lord Christ.

[19] Those who stood by, seeing such a miracle, were stung in their hearts, crying to one another and saying: "What more can we oppose to these things, so that the majesty of so fearful a God should not be worshipped? Who is like Him, who ministers such things to His own?" Saying this, they turned to the Governor and spoke these words: "Until now, enticed by error, we have walked in darkness, and worshipping many false gods, we have been unable to arrive at Him who is the true God. From now on, therefore, no enticement, no persuasion will separate us from His worship."

[20] Terrified by these things, the Judge postponed their hearing and took care to inform the aforesaid Caesar by the following letter: "To the Most Clement Maximian Caesar, Ruler and Preserver of the whole world, Eleusius, Prefect of the city of Nicomedia. In carrying out the triumphant commands of Your Magnificence, with prudent diligence we have conducted an inquiry into the wicked Christians and have taken care to purge our entire province of their abominable religion. One single shameless and most beautiful girl has been found, named Juliana, who with an obstinate mind strives to remain defiant. When we endeavored to refute her with instruments of punishment, she, infected with sorcery, utterly shattered everything and counted the fiery tortures as nothing. Seeing this, certain persons of our illustrious nobility were moved, and with every effort professed that they would rather die than continue to minister libations to the sacred gods. Therefore we have taken care to communicate to your sacred commands whatever is more pleasing to your glory."

[21] Having read these letters, the Caesar sent back the following reply: "The Caesar Maximian to Eleusius, Prefect of the city of Nicomedia. Having reread the letter of your prudence, we more clearly perceive in it how carefully you keep watch over our service. But since you have wished to consult us concerning the impudence of the insolent, we command that you hasten to burn with fiery flames that sorceress Juliana, through whose wickedness some of our people have been moved, lest others follow her doctrine. As for those who, seduced by her sorcery, have dared to apostatize, unless they are quickly converted, see to it that they are slain by the sword." Upon this order, the wicked Prefect commanded those aforesaid men who refused to abandon the Christian faith to be killed by the sword; their number was one hundred and twenty. Thus, undoubtedly baptized in their own blood, they received heavenly kingdoms and reign with Christ forever, for whose love they gave up their lives.

[22] He then commanded the blessed Juliana to be burned in fiery flames. When the attendants, eager to carry out the abominable order, kindled a great fire and placed her in the midst of the flames, and she was surrounded on all sides by the fire, she extended her hands and raised her eyes to heaven, and began to pray to the Thunderer with these words: "Lord, King of heaven and Creator of earth, look upon the contest of Your handmaid. Be my helper and deliver me from this fire, as You deigned to deliver Your three holy youths from the furnace of burning fire." While she was praying, an Angel of the Lord, sent from heaven, immediately extinguished the fire and preserved the Virgin of Christ unharmed in every way. Seeing this miracle, the Prefect, who ought to have come to his senses, was instead inflamed and perpetrated another torment. For he ordered lead to be melted and cruelly poured over her. But she, as before, by praying to God, persevered unharmed. At this the tyrant, greatly angered because he saw himself overcome in everything, ordered her to be struck with the sword. When the Martyr of Christ heard that she would end her life by the sword, she gave thanks to God, saying: "Blessed be Your name, Lord God, who have not given us over to the capture and reproach of our enemies. And behold, what I began at Your command, with Your help I now complete, as I pour out my blood for the love of Your holy name. But do You, my Savior, I beseech You, receive my spirit in peace." When her prayer was finished, she was struck with the sword; and so the Martyr departed in peace and triumph to the Lord Jesus Christ, with whom she rejoices forever, world without end. Amen.

[23] After these things, a certain woman of senatorial rank named Sophronia, when peace had been restored to the holy Church and she was hastening to Rome, passing through the city of Nicomedia and learning of the glorious miracles of the blessed Juliana, took her body, and embalming it with spices, carried it with her joyfully. But as she was sailing, a great storm arose, which drove the ship to the borders of Campania near the city of Puteoli, which is about nine miles distant from the city of Naples. When she recognized with prudent mind that the Martyr of God wished to have her shrine there, she willingly built a basilica in her name under her patronage, and her body was nobly placed there with hymns and praises.

[24] Afterward, however, with the Pagan ferocity threatening, lest so great a treasure be dishonored, her body was translated to the city of Cumae, and there in the basilica of the same and of the blessed Maximus it is placed with glory, where it does not cease to bestow very many benefits to those who ask, to the praise of the Lord, even to the present day. The blessed Martyr Juliana suffered on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of March, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Annotations

THE THIRD TRANSLATION OF ST. JULIANA

Described by an eyewitness, from the Acts of the Church of Naples.

Juliana, Virgin of Nicomedia and Martyr, at Brussels in Belgium (St.)

BHL Number: 4527

By an eyewitness author, from manuscripts.

CHAPTER I

Cumae destroyed by the Neapolitans in the year 1207.

[1] In the year from the Incarnation of the Lord one thousand two hundred and seven, on the fifth day before the Kalends of March, in the tenth Indiction, when the city of Cumae — which on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants had lost the name of a city and had become a den of robbers and a cesspool of all evils — was most hostile both to the city of Naples and to Aversa and to all their territories, and was inflicting very many losses and dangers upon those traveling both by sea and by land, almighty God — who through the waters of the flood, on account of the evils that had been multiplied on earth, destroyed the entire human race, and judged the Sodomites and Gomorrheans by fire and brimstone on account of the enormity of their crimes — He Himself fulfilled the destruction of the aforesaid city, which He had marvelously threatened. For though He had waited so long for them to repent and restrain themselves from such great iniquities, He found no fruit in it. For they were always sliding toward worse and more wicked things with all their efforts. It therefore seemed unworthy to the divine Majesty that the place should long endure and that the power of impiety and injustice — which had renounced all piety and all justice — should rage any longer. I am compelled, in what I am about to say, to marvel most vehemently at the profundity and greatness of the mysteries of God, and to say with the Apostle: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments and how unsearchable His ways, and His judgments are a great abyss!" And: "Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?" For He Himself ordains and disposes all things as He wills and when He wills. He Himself deigned to bring about the destruction of the aforesaid place in a wonderful and inestimable manner, lest anyone should attribute to his own strength and merits what was to be attributed to divine goodness and mercy. Although we are ignorant of the secrets of the divine mystery, yet we cannot determine how this deed of His generous clemency was accomplished, and by how great a dispensation of God it was wonderfully wrought.

[2] When, therefore, both the soldiers and the entire people of the illustrious city of Naples were debating and conferring among themselves as to how they might act against the Germans, who were devastating the entire Terra di Lavoro and indeed the entire Kingdom of Sicily, and were daily striving for their confusion and destruction, they resolved that their soldiers should stand prepared outside the cities, so that they might resist the enemy and defend the villages and territories of the city from their raids. When the Counts and Barons heard of this, greatly commending them for so praiseworthy a deed, each one invited himself and his forces to the aid of the city.

[3] Therefore, by the grace of God, the vigorous Godfrey de Montefusculo came to Cumae and was honorably received by the venerable Bishop of Aversa, who was holding the place, and began to stay there for some time. But since he had entered that place by night and had come into the place without the knowledge of either the Neapolitans or the Aversans, they took it very gravely and were troubled, not knowing why he had come or what he intended to do. For they feared that they might suffer from him the harassments and dangers which they had already grievously endured from others who had held the place. The Aversans, moreover, began to consider the deed so much the worse inasmuch as their Bishop, without their knowledge, had received that nobleman into the fortress, and because, as we said, he had entered there by night. Hence, holding his arrival in suspicion, they unanimously proclaimed that the Bishop, as one privy to this deed, had acted against their city. But since they were not entirely certain and were moved by a scruple of doubt, they sent certain of their citizens to Cumae to guard the fortress diligently lest it be occupied by him. Upon their arrival, they were received by the Bishop, and immediately ascending the tower, they began to guard it with great diligence.

[4] The aforesaid nobleman, seeing this, believed he had been forestalled by the Bishop, and that the Bishop had therefore brought the Aversans to capture him. Wherefore, carefully uniting himself with his companions so that he might suffer no harm from them, he armed himself and his men in the place and took to his dwelling. The Aversans likewise fortified themselves with towers, arms, and all necessary supplies. And so both parties, dwelling in the scruple of suspicion, feared dangers from each other. The said Godfrey, seeing himself placed in such great peril and anticipating that the Aversans would come to their people's aid, immediately sent to Naples and summoned the Neapolitans to his assistance, requesting that they liberate him from the hands of his adversaries and do with the fortress whatever they wished. Hearing this, Count Peter de Lin..., since he was his kinsman, immediately rode out and went to the place where the soldiers appointed by the city were stationed, and diligently exhorting them on this matter, came with them together to Cumae. The aforesaid nobleman, greatly rejoicing at their arrival, first received from them a pledge of security. It was also confirmed to him that if the tower were captured, both the men and the movable goods would be handed over to him. When this had been done, they crossed over the wall and entered the city together. After this, a copious multitude of both soldiers and people from the city of Naples also came there.

[5] In this manner, therefore, with the aforesaid nobleman freed from such great danger, a Neapolitan council was held and they decreed that before departing, they should cause the place itself to be utterly demolished and destroyed. And since they had previously assembled with the Aversans many times and had even confirmed it by oath, and this had not yet been accomplished, they went to the tower where the Bishop had taken refuge with the Aversans and addressed them more earnestly on this matter, requesting that they descend from the tower and that the place itself, as had been confirmed among them by oath, should be destroyed in common and leveled to the ground. But they replied that they would neither descend from the tower nor allow the place to be destroyed in any way. When the Neapolitans admonished them on this again and again, and they refused to acquiesce to their salutary words, the Neapolitans, fearing that delay would draw danger upon themselves — since it is harmful to delay when one is prepared — emboldened with the aforesaid nobleman, approached the wall of the tower and began to besiege it vigorously. Not long afterward, with Balearic slings, arrows, and fire set below, they captured all who were in the towers, and barely rescued the Bishop and those who were with him from the fire. Then, having stationed some soldiers and some of the common people there to demolish the city, they returned happily to their homes with joy and praiseworthy pomp. And so that place, which had for so long been a source of scandal and a cause of wickedness, was demolished and utterly overthrown by the grace of God, receiving the fitting vengeance for its iniquity.

Annotations

CHAPTER II

Relics of St. Juliana and others translated from Cumae to Naples.

[6] Afterward, lest the relics of the aforesaid holy Martyrs be taken by outsiders upon the destruction of the place, a council was held. The Archbishop, together with devout men, was sent to the place itself, which was rich in those same sacred relics, and also at the counsel of the Lady Abbess of St. Mary de Donna Aromata, who had the greatest devotion toward obtaining the relics of the holy Virgin and Martyr Juliana. By the will and command of the Archbishop, these devout men were sent: Leo, Bishop of Cumae, the Lord John, Abbot of St. Mary in Piedigrotta, and the Lord Peter Fictarolus, Subdeacon of the Church of Naples. Accompanying them also were the venerable Abbots of St. Peter ad Aram and of St. Mary ad Cappellam, together with certain soldiers and upright men. They entered the church of the blessed Martyr Maximus and went into the mausoleum made of marble, in which were the bones of the blessed Martyr Maximus, so arranged and composed as if they had been placed there on that very day. They also found beneath them no small amount of dust from those holy relics. And behold, suddenly so great a fragrance breathed forth that it refreshed the nostrils and hearts of all who stood around, as if balsam and all perfumes were giving off their scent there. Having lifted up the sacred pledges, they dug further below and found another mausoleum, in which were the relics of the holy child whom the blessed Maximus had caused to speak, though he was only three months old, before Fabianus the Prefect. When these had been accomplished, digging beneath, they found a coffin composed of marble in which were the relics of the same Virgin; from these also so great a fragrance arose that it sweetly filled the nostrils and hearts of all. Having lifted these from there, they took care to bring them with the greatest honor and jubilation to the church of the blessed Mother of God and Virgin Mary de Piedigrotta.

[7] When the Abbess of St. Mary Donna Aromata heard that the holy relics had arrived there, she hastened to the place with her companion Virgins. Many noble married women and widows followed them, and there they poured out prayers with tears, praising the great works of God, saying: "Blessed be Your name forever, You who gave Your saints victory in fighting against spiritual wickedness, to free the many souls that the demons had taken captive." "Behold," she said, "the demons themselves are plunged into the underworld, and the saints ascend to the heavens. Mourn, mourn, O enemy of wickedness; mourn for your pride, which expelled you from the heavenly kingdom. And you who said, 'I shall be like the Most High,' you are now nothing, conquered by the fragile female sex. Cease to fight against the worshippers of Christ, whom the Lord redeemed with His holy blood. To You, O Christ, be glory now and always, forever and ever." Then, rising from prayer, they proceeded to the place where the relics of the holy Virgin were. And the Abbess, seeing the coffin, ran to it, embracing it, clasping it, and praying with tears, said: "I beseech you, most holy Virgin; I beg you by Him for whom you shed your blood: do not despise your handmaid. I have come in anxiety for you, seeking your holy relics. We desire to transfer them to our little dwelling, that through you it may become most ample. Deign therefore to grant yourself to us." Then, keeping vigil all night, they sang praises to God with psalms and hymns.

[8] In the morning, the aforesaid Leo, Bishop of Cumae, rising together with the others whom you sent, most holy Father, conducted the relics with honor. And the Priests and Soldiers of the district of Nido came out to meet them, together with a great crowd of people, carrying olive branches in their hands, singing and saying: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." Then, adoring the holy relics, they went before them singing and saying: "Blessed is he who comes," etc. And so, singing, they came to the church of the blessed Nicholas, Confessor of Christ, of the Lucullan fortress, situated near the walls of the city. When you heard this, most blessed Father, you came with a great procession of all the clergy and people of the city, and no small throng of women and children as well, to the place where the holy relics were, approaching devoutly and most humbly. Having received them with the greatest reverence and devotion and placed them upon your shoulders and those of the Bishop of Cumae — and another casket in which were the relics of the holy Virgin and Martyr Juliana, carried by two Cardinal Priests, preceded by a most beautiful icon of the same holy Virgin — with hymns and praises, lighted candles, the greatest jubilation and exultation, singing "Te Deum laudamus" with melodious voice, you entered the city and hastened with honor and the greatest joy to the church of the blessed Mother and Virgin Mary de Donna Romata, where you took care to deposit most honorably the relics of the holy Virgin and Martyr Juliana, which you carried with your own hands, with a prayer celebrated there in the praises of God. Then, bringing the other holy relics of the Martyr and Levite Maximus, and of the disciple of the same Martyr of Christ, which had been placed together with him, with honor and the greatest joy, you came to the major church and placed them there most devoutly and honorably. Having likewise given prayer and blessing, you dismissed the clergy, the entire people, and all that multitude gathered in the praise of God, to their homes with joy.

[9] I confess that I have never perceived so great a fragrance and sweetness as I, a sinner and unworthy, perceived from the scent of those holy relics. And truly, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints; and the Lord guards all their bones, not one of them shall be broken. Rejoice therefore and exult, most holy Father, enriched with so great a treasure, adorned with so great a privilege. Rejoice and be glad, Naples, glorious city, supported by such great Patrons, through whom, with God's favor, you will put your enemies to flight and will remain in the most secure peace forever. And let the choir of holy Virgins likewise rejoice, enriched with heavenly gifts. From all sides let praises resound, and let instruments ring out with voices; for there is cause for exultation on this day, for joy on this feast, because we have merited to possess so great a treasure and to obtain the holy Martyrs, friends of God, as our patrons. These are Your gifts, O Lord; these are Your presents, You who know how to glorify Your saints thus and to crown them with wondrous proclamations of praise. Guide, O Lord, our Abbess; save and increase this congregation, for in You, O Lord, we hope; in You we trust. To You be honor and glory forever and ever. You also, most blessed Virgin Juliana, we humbly implore: that you may always be our constant intercessor at our invocations, that you may protect the city, that you may present our petitions to God, that by your most holy merits He may both forgive us our sins and in the world to come make us remain forever. Lastly, I myself ask and beseech you, most glorious Martyr, that you would deign to have mercy on me, who for love of you have attempted to undertake so great a work for the praise and glory of Christ, so that, supported by your aid, I may be able to overcome my vices and attain the heights of virtue, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Annotations

LESSONS ON THE SAME TRANSLATION.

Juliana, Virgin of Nicomedia and Martyr, at Brussels in Belgium (St.)

Lesson 1

In the year from the Incarnation 1207, on the fifth day before the Kalends of March, when the city of Cumae was being destroyed on account of the wickedness of its inhabitants, the venerable Father Anselmus, Archbishop of Naples, assiduously requested by the devout Lady Bienna, Abbess of the Church of St. Mary Donnaromata, who earnestly desired to have the relics of this Virgin, sent Leo, Bishop of Cumae, together with many Abbots and soldiers from Naples, to Cumae for the purpose of bringing them back. Digging up the glorious body from the Cathedral Church of the blessed Maximus (whence a most great fragrance breathed forth), they carried them with hymns and canticles to the Church of the Mother of God, the blessed Mary de Piedigrotta.

Lesson 2

When this was heard, the venerable Abbess with her companion Virgins and a multitude of noble Ladies hastened quickly to the place. And when all had prostrated themselves upon the ground and blessed the Lord, the devout Abbess, rising from prayer, embracing and clasping the coffin of the holy relics, said with tears: "I beseech you, most holy Virgin, by Him for whom you shed your blood: do not despise your little handmaid. I have come in anxiety for you; long have I desired you. I beg you, do not despise our little dwelling. We believe, most holy one, that through you, by divine power granting you to us, it will become most ample." Then, keeping vigil all night, they served God with psalms and hymns.

Lesson 3

In the morning, the aforesaid Leo, Bishop of Cumae, rising together with those whom you sent, most holy Father, conducted the relics honorably. The Priests and soldiers of the district of Nido came out to meet them, together with a great crowd of people, carrying olive branches in their hands and singing: "Hosanna to God in the highest." Then, adoring all the relics, they went before, singing and saying: "Blessed is she who comes in the name of the Lord." And so, singing, they came to the Church of the blessed Nicholas, Confessor of Christ, of the Lucullan fortress, situated near the walls of the city.

Lesson 4

Coming there, you, most blessed Father, with a great procession of all the clergy and people of the city, as well as a throng of women and children, approached the place where the holy relics were most devoutly and humbly. Having received them with the greatest reverence and devotion, you placed them on your shoulders and those of the Bishop of Cumae, while another casket in which were the relics of the holy Virgin and Martyr Juliana was carried by two Cardinal Priests, preceded by a most beautiful icon of the same holy Virgin. With hymns and praises, lighted candles, the greatest jubilation and exultation, singing "Te Deum laudamus" with melodious voice, you entered the city and hastened with honor and the greatest joy to the Church of the blessed Mother of God and Virgin Mary de Donnaromata.

Lesson 5

There you took care to deposit most honorably the relics of the holy Virgin and Martyr Juliana, which you carried with your own hands, with a prayer celebrated there in the praises of God.

Lesson 6

[6] Then, bringing the other holy relics, namely of the Martyr and Levite, that is Maximus, which had been placed together with him, with honor and the greatest joy, you came to the major church of the blessed Martyr Januarius and placed them there most honorably.

Annotations

ON ST. JULIANA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AT VERONA IN ITALY.

Commentary

Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, at Verona in Italy (St.)

I. B.

[1] Verona, a city of the Venetian territory in Italy, glories both in other relics of Saints and in the body of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr. That body is said to have been brought there from parts beyond the sea in the year 1174. Whence it follows that she is different from the Juliana of Nicomedia, although Augustine Valerius, Bishop of Verona and afterward Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, writes on folio 53 of his book entitled Ancient Monuments of the Holy Bishops of Verona and of Other Saints Whose Bodies Are at Verona that she is the same. But the Juliana of Nicomedia was then at Cumae, where she had been for at least six hundred years, and was translated to Naples in the year 1207, as narrated above. She could not therefore have been brought to Verona at that time from parts beyond the sea. But other Julianas are found in the Martyrologies who obtained the crown of martyrdom in parts beyond the sea: one at Amisus in Paphlagonia with six other women, on the twentieth of March; another with her brother Paul at Ptolemais in Palestine on the seventeenth of August; another on the eighteenth of August at Myra in Lycia with Leo; furthermore, another on the first of November at Tarsus in Cilicia, or more truly at Rhossus, with Cyrenia or Cyriana, as in the Menaea; and finally another also at Nicomedia with St. Barbara on the fourth of December. One of these could have been brought to Verona in that year, or some other. Whoever she may be, we have discovered nothing about her except what the same Valerius transmits in these words:

[2] "The bodies of St. Blasius the Bishop and of his two disciple Martyrs and of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, rest in the church of St. Nazarius, translated from parts beyond the sea to Verona in the year of the Lord 1174. Concerning which translation there is a full account on an old parchment tablet which hangs on the wall in the church of St. Nazarius in the chapel of St. Blasius toward the East." Franciscus Corna asserts the same in the book mentioned above; and in the said church there is an epitaph carved in stone in verses, which was near the chest in the main chapel before the chapel of St. Blasius was built.

"Here rests the Martyr Blasius, a nourishing Bishop, And the bodies of his two nourishing disciples, And here truly lies the body of Saint Juliana. Alexander then presided over the Roman See, And then the Augustus King Frederick was reigning, And Omnibonus was then Bishop of all good at Verona, And then the clergy rejoiced in their patron Omnibonus. Let me record that Adam was then Abbot of the monastery. While these are placed, the years of the Lord are counted: One thousand, once a hundred, seven tens, and four."

On a marble tablet on the wall on the left side of the main altar of the said church toward the hill are these verses:

"One thousand four hundred, six and sixty Decembers Had wandered, and the fifteenth day drew March along, When the holy Blasius, Martyr and venerable Bishop, And Juliana, together with two boys, enclosed in marble, Had this new temple by divine gift. Then powerful Rome, Queen and glory of the eternal world, Applauded Pope Paul the Second; Frederick the Third held the scepter of empire; And Hermolaus Barbarus, ornament and shining star of Venice, As Bishop adorned the city of Verona; William was the illustrious Pastor and builder of the church, Whose honor, name, and praises shall long endure."

Dedicated to the Holy Martyrs.

[3] In the same church of St. Nazarius, on a certain tablet at the confraternity of St. Blasius, there is transcribed an Apostolic bull, or Brief, of Pope Innocent VIII, dated the twenty-third of December 1489, in which among other things the following is contained: "Recently you have had it explained to us that you have begun to build a certain chapel in honor of St. Blasius in the church of Sts. Nazarius and Celsus at Verona, in which you intend to place and deposit fittingly and with honor the bodies of the same Saint and of his two disciples and of St. Juliana the Martyr, which are preserved in a certain stone chest in the said church," etc. So far Valerius.

[4] A twofold translation of St. Juliana is here recorded: the first from the East to Verona, to the church of Sts. Nazarius and Celsus, which belongs to the Cassinian monks. This was made by Bishop Omnibonus of Verona in the year of Christ 1174, the fifteenth of Pope Alexander III, and the twenty-second of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who are named in the first inscription, and is also related by Ughelli in volume 5 of his Italia Sacra. He expressly acknowledges that in the abbey of St. Nazarius lie the bodies of St. Blasius, Bishop and Martyr, and of his two disciples, of St. Juliana, Virgin and Martyr, and other venerable relics without a name. The second translation occurred under Hermolaus Barbaro, Bishop of Verona, in the second year of Pope Paul II and the twenty-seventh of the Emperor Frederick III.

[5] The same Augustine Valerius attests that certain relics of St. Juliana are preserved in other churches of the same city as well (evidently taken from the body which is in the church of St. Nazarius): "In the consecration," he says, "of the altar of St. James and St. Helena in the church of the Holy Apostles, relics of St. Juliana were deposited. In the main altar of the church of St. Mary in Organis, relics of St. Juliana are preserved." Ughelli writes that certain relics are also preserved in the abbey of St. Zeno the Greater, and the head in the abbey of Sts. Firmus and Rusticus the Lesser in Brayda.

ON ST. JULIANA, ROMAN VIRGIN AND MARTYR, AT BOLOGNA IN ITALY.

Commentary

Juliana, Roman Virgin and Martyr, at Bologna in Italy (St.)

G. H.

[1] There is at Bologna a certain parish church dedicated to Sts. Nabor and Felix, commonly called the Abbey, which Benedictine monks possessed from the year 1300 to 1510. It was then given to nuns of St. Clare, as Masinus relates in his survey of Bologna for the twelfth of July. In this church, on the sixteenth of February, the office of St. Juliana, Roman Virgin and Martyr, is celebrated with solemn worship, and her sacred body is preserved there, donated to that church by Gregory XV, a native of Bologna. The same Masinus treats of that donation and veneration on this same day, on which the other Juliana of Nicomedia is also venerated.