Julian und Basilissa and Companions

ON THE HOLY MARTYRS JULIAN, BASILISSA, CELSUS, MARCIONILLA, ANTONY THE PRIEST, ANASTASIUS, SEVEN BOY-BROTHERS, TWENTY SOLDIERS, A CERTAIN FRIEND OF THE GOVERNOR, AND VERY MANY BISHOPS, PRIESTS, MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH, MONKS, AND VIRGINS.

Under Diocletian.

Julian, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Seven boys, kinsmen of the Emperor Carinus, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (SS.) Anastasius, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Antony the Priest, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Basilissa, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Celsus, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Marcionilla, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) N., friend of the Governor Marcian, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Very many other Bishops, Clerics, Monks, and Virgins, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt Twenty Soldiers, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (SS.)

From various sources.

Section I. On the Acts of St. Julian.

[1] When the Son of God saw the grave danger of scandal threatening the Apostles from the infamy of His death, He so confirmed their spirits at the Last Supper that He bade them remember His miracles and believe, if for no other reason, on account of the works themselves (John 14:12); and also to trust with certainty that all who adhered to Him with steadfast faith would perform the same, and indeed even greater works. These promises have been fulfilled in every age, and especially in those heroic times when the Church, combating the infernal serpent while still practically in its cradle, The Acts of the Martyrs are full of miracles above all in the cruel and bloody persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, so many and so great wonders were wrought by the holy Martyrs that not only heretics but also not ^a few Catholics, men otherwise of keen judgment, consider what is narrated of many to be almost beyond belief. Thus the demon, that boaster of empty prodigies, had to be confounded; thus the obstinacy of men had to be overcome or at least convicted; thus the glory of Christ had to be vindicated. Especially illustrious were the miracles and combats of St. Julian and his companions, so that Usuard rightly called their passion "wondrous."

[2] Most ancient Acts survive, written by those who were present, as the preface indicates at no. 1: "We have written the deeds of the Saints which we saw with our own eyes. Hence we believe some small portion of blessedness will come to us." These were written by ^a contemporary author The writer survived until, with the peace of the Church restored under Constantine the Great, various churches were erected for these Martyrs, as is said at the end in no. 63 -- unless those details were added later by someone. These Acts, in whatever language they were first composed, were widely circulated in Greek and Latin in the following centuries, and survive in most ancient manuscripts. They were formerly published by Mombritius, but divided, under Julian and Basilissa in vol. 2, and under the name of St. Celsus of Rome in vol. 1. We give them from ^a very ancient manuscript codex, which we have collated with another equally ancient one sent by M. Welser to our Rosweyde, but in many places mutilated; also with the manuscripts of St. Maximin, St. Omer, St. Bertin, St. Mary de Ripatorio, and Liessies, in some of which the phrasing is occasionally different, some things expressed more briefly, sometimes with ^a considerable gap. Metaphrastes inserted the same in Greek into his treatises on the lives of the Saints, of which Aloysius Lipomanus published only the part comprising the first three chapters in ^a Latin translation, vol. 7 of the Lives of the Saints, for the rest was missing in his Greek copy. From Lipomanus, Surius published that part and added the rest from manuscript codices, in which however he altered the style. Whence these are published We give them complete in the original style from the cited manuscripts, from which Metaphrastes scarcely differs in substance. Baronius notes that he had the same in an old manuscript in his Notes to the Roman Martyrology, and Galesini testifies that two very ancient manuscript codices are to be found in the Church of Milan in which the entire life of these Martyrs is carefully narrated.

[3] With these Acts all martyrologies, Also described by St. Aldhelm ancient breviaries, and the Greek Menaia universally agree, which we cite more fully in the following sections, so that the credibility of so wondrous ^a history may be more firmly established. We have added for the same purpose what St. Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne in England (whose life we shall give on May 25), wrote about them nearly ^a thousand years ago in prose, bk. 1, On Virginity, ch. 42, omitting what he narrates in heroic verse in the same bk. 1, On the Praise of Virgins, ch. 26. This book On Virginity survives in the Monuments of the Holy Fathers of the Orthodoxographa published at Basel in 1569, vol. 5 of the Latin Fathers, but very faulty. More accurate in vol. 4 of the Library of the Holy Fathers in the first Paris edition, and vol. 3 of the 2nd and 3rd Paris editions, and in the 8th volume of the Cologne edition, with corrections by Johannes Meursius noted in the margin. We have moreover used an English or Anglo-Saxon manuscript copy, as we conjecture from words that are occasionally employed by way of interpretation, which, rescued from the flames of the iconoclasts, formerly belonged to Abraham Ortelius and now to the Professed House of the Society of Jesus at Antwerp.

[4] The deeds of these Martyrs are also narrated by Vincent of Beauvais, bk. 12, chs. 106ff.; St. Antoninus, Part 1, Historia, tit. 8, ch. 1, sect. 20; And by various authors Petrus de Natalibus, bk. 2, ch. 52; Zacharias Lippeloo and Franciscus Haraeus; in French by Jacques Tigeou, Guillaume Gazet, and Jacques Doublet; in Flemish by Matthias Lamberti, Henricus Adriani, and Heribert Rosweyde; in Italian by Gabriel Flamma, Paolo Morigia, bk. 2 of the History of Religious Orders, ch. 15, Silvester Maurolycus in the Ocean of the History of Religious Orders, bk. 1; in Spanish by Alfonso Villegas and our Pedro Ribadeneira. Villegas writes that he used an ancient Toledan Breviary of St. Isidore, in which the life and martyrdom of St. Julian are recounted in ^a rather elegant style, more fully than the deeds of other saints. Baronius further indicates that in that same Breviary there exists ^a sacred hymn in which the Acts of these Martyrs are excellently described. Villegas adds that their memory was already celebrated in Spain from ancient times, and that various churches were dedicated to them, one of which was not far from the walls of the city of Toledo, in the Agalian monastery of the Order of St. Benedict, as is clear from the Eleventh Council of Toledo held in the year of Christ 675, where this is found: "Avila, Abbot of the Church of the monastery of St. Julian of Agali, consenting, subscribed to these synodal acts defined by us." We shall say below, on January 23, in his life written by Julian, also Archbishop of Toledo, that St. Ildephonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, had formerly been Abbot in that monastery; and we believe that he and many others received their name from this holy Martyr.

[5] The Martyr Eulogius, who flourished around the year of Christ 850, bk. 1 of the Memorial of the Saints, in the fourth objection against the Martyrs, Cited by St. Eulogius cites these Acts: "They also calumniate," he says, "the voluntary progress of those toward death whom the generosity of kings had everywhere ordered to practice their Christianity in peace. But this example, I believe, preceded in those seven brothers whom the Acts of Blessed Julian commemorate: who, because they excelled in Augustan birth, by decree of the Emperors freely exercised the worship of the Catholic religion; yet seeing Blessed Julian struggling in his contest, they immediately sprang forth to battle and, out of love for martyrdom, sought ^a voluntary death." Thus St. Eulogius. Ambrose of Morales notes that these Acts survive in the most ancient Sanctorals, and in the matins of all churches, but abridged from eagerness for brevity. And by Venantius Fortunatus Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, who flourished around the year of Christ 570, mentions St. Basilissa in bk. 8, On Virginity, poem 4, which the Venerable Bede also cited in his book On the Art of Meter:

"Here Paulina, Agnes, Basilissa, Eugenia reign, and all whom holy modesty has borne to the stars. Happy those whose names, through the love of Christ, are fixed forever in the perpetual book."

He treats of the joys and hope of eternal life; Baronius thus cites this poem in the Notes to the Martyrology, adding that Basilissa was numbered among the Martyrs even though she did not undergo martyrdom, because she suffered many grievous things and was ^a leader of Martyrs.

Section II. On the various Saints named Julian. The time and place of martyrdom of this Julian and his companions.

[6] Saints bearing the name Julian number thirty-six in the Roman Martyrology alone, to whom we shall add many more, In what place St. Julian suffered and indeed for the month of January alone we shall add as many or more to the seven Julians of the Roman Martyrology. In such ^a multitude of persons with the same name, some confusion easily arises, lest the place and time of each one's death be distinctly determined. This Julian, about whom we treat, is written by some to have died at Antioch -- whether that be placed in Syria, or in Egypt, or elsewhere; by others at Alexandria in Egypt; by still others at Antinous in Egypt, or the Thebaid. Therefore certain things are attributed to him which pertain to other Saints named Julian, or things proper to him are transferred to others.

[7] Most Latin martyrologies write that he suffered at Antioch, but do not specify where it is situated; therefore more recent writers commonly interpret it antonomastikos (antonomastically) as Antioch of Syria. Whether at Antioch of Syria Baronius adds in the Notes to the Roman Martyrology that there was at Antioch ^a most famous church named after Julian, of which Procopius writes in bk. 2 of the Persian War; and ^a monastery adjoined to it, of which the impious Nestorius was Priest. In which passage both Baronius and Procopius mean the great and famous Antioch of Syria, which Chosroes, King of the Persians, plundered and burned in the time of the Emperor Justinian. But outside the walls, Procopius adds, the barbarians also burned everything, except the church of St. Julian and the houses near it, where the ambassadors happened to lodge. The temple there was of another Julian In Greek the coenobium is more clearly indicated: "The barbarians burned also the things outside the wall, except the temple dedicated to the holy Julian, and the houses which happen to stand around this temple" (hoi barbaroi enepresante kai ta ektos tou peribolou, plen tou hierou hoper Iouliano aneitai hagio kai ton oikion hai de amphi to hieron touto tynchanousin ousai).

"for the ambassadors happened to lodge there" (tous gar presbeis entautha katalysai synepese). There Saints Andronicus and Athanasia (whose life from Metaphrastes Surius gave on February 27; we shall give it on October 9) are said to have brought out their dead children in the days of Theodosius the Great and deposited them in the martyrium of St. Julian, where St. Julian appeared in the guise of ^a monk or abbot of that monastery to St. Athanasia, spending the night there, consoling her for the eternal salvation granted to the children. But this place is proved to have been dedicated to another Julian by ^a homily of St. Chrysostom, which is extant as no. 47 in vol. 3 of the Greek-Latin edition prepared by our Fronton du Duc. It is inscribed in the Royal manuscript codex of Henri II and the Bavarian codex: "On the holy great-martyr Julian" (Eis ton hagion megalomartya Ioulianon); and in the Medicean manuscript codex the date June 21 is prefixed, when the Greeks chiefly celebrate St. Julian of Cilicia, who in the Roman Martyrology on March 16 is also said to have been enclosed in ^a sack with serpents and thrown into the sea in Cilicia after the longest tortures -- the same things that are related in that homily, as we shall show there. In it mention is also made of the temple dedicated to this saint outside the city of Antioch, enriched with his relics. Concerning which, in the Menaia and the Anthologion of the Greeks on the cited June 21, it is added: "The great Chrysostom also honored him with encomia" (touton kai ho megas Chrysostomos egkomiois etimesen). Whether and how different from this one are St. Julian of Flavias, drowned in the sea, whose body was carried by the waves to the island of Proconnesus in the Propontis and thence translated to Rimini; and St. Julian of Flaviobriga, cast into the Spanish Ocean according to Fl. Dexter -- we shall discuss there. For our present purpose it suffices to have shown that the homily of St. Chrysostom, the suburban temple and monastery at Antioch, do not pertain to our Julian. The occasion for thinking otherwise perhaps arose from the fact that the title of the homily would suit both Julian the Martyr, and that the same Governor Marcian is attributed to both this one and the Cilician in the Menaia and martyrologies, though St. Chrysostom does not mention him.

[8] Concerning which Julian St. Chrysostom's homily treats Furthermore, on the same June 21, on which the Cilician Julian is venerated in the Menaia and Anthologion, this spouse of St. Basilissa is celebrated in the Menologion, and it is incorrectly added that he was celebrated in that homily of St. Chrysostom. The words of the Menologion are: "The contest of Julian in Egypt. He lived under the Emperor Diocletian and the Governor Marcian in the Egyptian city of Antinopolis, who, having assembled that great monastery of ten thousand monks, was arrested by the Governor and confessed Christ, was beaten with rods; and his fold, with the monks, together with the Bishops and Priests who had fled, escaped. But the holy Julian could not be restrained by beatings, nor prison, nor any torments, nor by death itself from shedding his blood for the confession of Christ. The great Doctor Chrysostom also celebrated him with the honor of encomia." These last words of the Menologion, in which Julian who suffered in Egypt is said to have been praised by Chrysostom, were incorrectly transferred from the Menaia concerning that Cilician St. Julian to this one, as Fronton du Duc has also observed in his annotations to this homily of St. Chrysostom. Baronius holds ^a different opinion about the cited words of the Menologion, in the Notes to February 16, on which day St. Julian the Martyr in Egypt is recorded by Bede, Usuard, Ado, Bellinus, and other manuscript Martyrologies, and the Roman Martyrology, as killed with five thousand others. Maurolycus, Galesini, Ferrari, and the German Martyrology write that he was ^a Bishop, and that he had ^a Deacon John as his companion in martyrdom -- of which we shall say more there. The words of Baronius in the Notes are: "The Greeks in the Menologion treat of him on June 21, where in brief summary they describe his contest, and testify that he suffered in the persecution of Diocletian under the Governor Marcian, and that he was praised by St. John Chrysostom in ^a celebrated oration." But in the Menologion it is more truly this St. Julian, spouse of St. Basilissa, who is treated, whom the Church of Milan celebrates on that day with ^a solemn office, as will be said in section 5. Furthermore, it is established that he assembled ^a monastery of ten thousand monks; that under the Emperor Diocletian and the Governor Marcian he was beaten with rods, tortured by beatings, prison, and other torments, and shed his blood for Christ. The Greeks in the Menaia, as will appear below, relate that he lived in the Egyptian city of Antinous, built ^a monastery to which the Bishops and Clergy of that province fled, and when it was burned by order of Marcian, all obtained the palm of martyrdom through fire.

[9] Another Julian the Martyr is celebrated at Antioch on June 22 in various manuscript Martyrologies and by Notker, by whom he is written to be the companion of Agathalica, A third St. Julian the Martyr at Antioch of Syria Graphus, and 814 others. In the manuscript Martyrology of St. Jerome: "At Antioch of Syria, of Gangalus, Julian, and 879 others." Of these on June 22. It should only be noted that there in the Martyrology of St. Jerome, Antioch of Syria is expressly stated; on January 6, on which their memory is celebrated, it reads: "At Antio, the passion of Saints Julian and Basilissa," by which either Antinous or Antioch could be understood. We do not wish to heap up more about the other Julians, lest we cast darkness rather than light upon the reader. From what has been said, anyone easily understands that no solid argument is yet adduced by which these are shown to have suffered in Syria; only that an occasion for suspecting this is offered, because other Julians either died as Martyrs for Christ there, or, killed elsewhere and translated there, merited temples to be erected in their name. It would be remarkable, however, if they suffered at Antioch in Syria, that St. Chrysostom in his sermons would not have mentioned such illustrious Martyrs, or that in the cited homily he would not compare the Cilician St. Julian with this one. Eusebius Pamphili, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine not far away, is likewise silent about them.

[10] Besides this most famous Antioch of Syria, there were several cities of the same name, of which Stephanus enumerates thirteen, Eustathius fourteen; Appian in his Syriaca is the authority that Seleucus, son of Antiochus, alone founded sixteen in his dominions. Many cities called Antioch Ortelius professes to find more from classical authors. Nor would it be surprising for Saints who had died for Christ in one Antioch to be attributed to another. We find mention of hardly more than two in the Martyrs' rolls of the Church: Antioch of Syria, the Patriarchal See, and Antioch of Pisidia, ^a Metropolitan city under the Patriarchate of Constantinople -- although several others were celebrated with an episcopal See, such as Antioch on the Maeander in Caria under the Metropolitan of Stauropolis, and Antioch the Small under the See of Seleucia. But leaving those aside, let us investigate our Antioch. The very ancient manuscript Martyrology of the monastery of St. Maximin near Trier, and Rabanus Maurus, who flourished over 800 years ago, in their Martyrology for January 13, concerning these saints, as will be said below in section 5, no. 19, name Antioch of Egypt. The Acts in most and principal manuscripts agree with them. Nor do I think Egypt lacked cities called by this name, since in Ptolemy, bk. 4, ch. 7, tab. 4 of Africa, there is found Antiochou Solen (Antiochi Solen), ^a place in Ethiopia under Egypt on the Arabian Gulf. But authors have gone in various directions, because no Antioch is attributed to Egypt by other authorities. In some manuscripts it is here called Antioch of Syria; by Metaphrastes in Lipomanus and Surius, the region of the East; Whether St. Julian suffered at Antinous in Egypt by St. Aldhelm, Alexandria of Egypt; by the Greeks in the Menologion and Menaia, Antinopolis (Antinoou polis) in Egypt, which is written Antinoia (Antinoeian) by Stephanus, from which differs by only one character Antiocheia (Antiocheian), so that for those ignorant of places it would be easy for the less familiar Antinoia to be rejected and Antiocheia substituted. This Antinoia, or Antinopolis, was ^a city of the first Thebaid, as is clear from the Chronicle of Victor of Tunnuna, after the Consulship of Basilius XIV, and was an episcopal city, as Miraeus noted, bk. 1, Notice of Bishoprics, ch. 2. Concerning the more celebrated cities of the Thebaid, Ammianus writes thus, bk. 22: "The Thebaid, among its many cities, has some more famous than others: Hermopolis, Copton, and Antinous, which Hadrian founded in honor of his favorite Antinous." On which one should read Spartianus in his Hadrian, and Dio, bk. 69; Eusebius in his Chronicle; and Baronius in the Notes to September 22, concerning St. Irais the Virgin and Martyr, and in vol. 2 of the Annals at the year of Christ 132, no. 8. The same was called Adrianopolis by Hadrian; situated on the right bank of the Nile, in the nome of Antinoites, about midway between Babylon (which is called Cairo) and Copton, cities celebrated also in our own time. This concerning the place.

[11] The time of martyrdom is more clearly expressed: under the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, The terrible persecution under Diocletian in Egypt in which 144,000 of the faithful of the Coptic land were crowned with martyrdom, and 700 were driven into exile, as Ignatius, Patriarch of Antioch, when consulted by Scaliger, responded in ^a certain Arabic letter, which Athanasius Kircher of our Society also relates in his Coptic, or Egyptian, Prodromus, ch. 2, where he shows at length that the Copts of Egypt and the Abyssinian Ethiopians reckoned their years from this persecution, calling them "years of grace and mercy" and "elapsed since the departure of the Martyrs." The same writes in ch. 8 that among the Arabic codices of the Maronite College of the Society of Jesus at Rome there survives ^a Coptic Martyrology, in which the lives of the Saints of the Eastern Church are described according to the days of the twelve Coptic months, which, unknown to the Latin Church until now, we hope will one day be made available to the public, from which perhaps light might shine on this our discussion. We shall say below on January 15, in the Acts of the Monk-Martyrs on Mount Sinai and at Raithu on the Red Sea, that at the same time monasteries of cenobites existed at the Red Sea in Egypt and Arabia. Antony was also already living the monastic life at that time.

Section III. Commemoration in the calendars, January 6, 7, and 8.

[12] On January 6, when St. Julian and his companions won the crown of martyrdom, The celebrated memorial of Julian and companions in the Martyrologies: January 6 their memory is celebrated by the Martyrology of St. Jerome: "At Antio, the passion of Saints Julian and Basilissa; in India, of Celsus and Julian" -- where there is no doubt of ^a scribal error. The very ancient Martyrology of the Professed House of the Society of Jesus at Antwerp, and the manuscript Martyrology of St. Donatian at Bruges: "In the city of Antioch, the birthday of Saints Julian the Martyr, Basilissa, and Celsus the boy, and Martianilla his mother, and Antony (the other manuscript reads 'Antoninus') the Priest, and Anastasius, under the Governor Marcian." The first adds: "in the time of Diocletian and Maximian." The manuscript Martyrology of St. Riquier: "At Antioch, the passion of Saints Julian and Basilissa, and Celsus the boy, and Marcianilla his mother, and Antony the Priest, and Anastasius, in the time of Diocletian." The manuscripts of St. Martin at Tournai and of Liessies: "At Antioch, the passion of St. Julian and St. Basilissa his spouse, whom God received while she was praying in peace, and of Celsus the boy, under the Governor Marcian, in the time of Diocletian and Maximian." Only in the manuscript of St. Martin is added: "This Julian, after scourges and bonds of chains and various tortures, converted the aforesaid boy, named Celsus, the son of the Governor; and afterward their guards, and the boy's mother, the wife of the Governor. Then sent into prison, the rest were slain -- namely twenty soldiers and seven brothers -- while Julian was reserved for ^a hearing, along with the mother and son, and Antony the Priest, and the one whom St. Julian had raised from the dead. Afterward the Governor ordered the skin of the head to be removed from St. Julian and the boy Celsus; but the eyes of the holy Antony the Priest and of Anastasius, who had been raised, to be torn out. But the Lord defended the holy Marcianilla, the boy's mother, so that she could not be touched. But after such torments, when they were found whole, they were condemned to the sword." The manuscript Florarium: "The passion of St. Celsus the boy, son of the Governor of Antioch. He converted his mother Marcionilla, and with her endured martyrdom." Ferrari, in his catalogue of the Saints of Italy, from the records of the Church of Parentium (Parentium is ^a city of Istria), reports that Basilissa the Virgin and Martyr is venerated there on this day with the rank of double. But whether she is the one who preserved virginity with her spouse St. Julian, we doubt along with Ferrari, since we have not seen ^a proper office. Moreover, because January 6 is impeded by the solemnity of the Epiphany, their memory is celebrated on various subsequent days.

[13] January 7 On January 7, St. Julian the Martyr is recorded by Bellinus and from him by Maurolycus, Galesini, Molanus, and the Roman Martyrology, to which Baronius adds in the Notes: "Just as in the old Roman Martyrology (which is Bellinus's), so also in the manuscripts the same is found. But when or where he suffered is unknown, as we also said on January 7." In that place he introduced two other Julians: one, the great Julian the Martyr of Toledo from the Chronicle of Fl. Dexter; the other, from Seraphino Esquirro, St. Julian of Cagliari in Sardinia, ^a Martyr. But we suspect the one cited by the earlier authors is rather our Julian, whom we also believe to be the same one celebrated on this day in the diocese of Coimbra in Portugal with an office of nine lessons, and who is inscribed in some German calendars and recorded with Saints Basilissa, Marcianilla, Celsus, Antony, and the twenty soldiers by Christoph Freissleben in the Memorial of the Saints. Silvano Razzi also reports the life of St. Basilissa on this same January 7, vol. 1 of his work on holy women.

[14] January 8 On January 8, we celebrated St. Julian the Deacon crowned with martyrdom at Beauvais in Gaul, together with St. Lucian the Bishop and St. Maximian the Priest. On this day the Greeks celebrate Saints Julian, Basilissa, Summary of the Acts from the Menaia and their companions, concerning whom the Menaia state: "This holy Julian lived in the times of Diocletian and the Governor Marcian, in the Egyptian city of Antinous. He persuaded his wife Basilissa, joined to him in lawful marriage, to preserve virginity in matrimony. Having placed her in ^a sacred convent of matrons and had her tonsured, he in turn betook himself to the company of religious men, and there as head of the community undertook the care of fully twelve thousand monks. When apprehended, he not only did not deny Christ but even blew upon and rejected the idols. Whereupon the Governor, driven nearly to madness, suddenly set fire to the monastery, to which all the Bishops and Clergy of that province had fled; with which all were consumed and received the laurel of martyrdom. But Julian was cast upon the ground and stretched out and savagely beaten, and bound with iron chains, and his bones were broken. At which time an eye was knocked out of one of the attendants, who, healed through St. Julian, professed Christ and was beheaded. Moreover Celsius, the Governor's son, and twenty soldiers received the faith of Christ when, through Julian's prayers, they saw ^a dead man recalled to life. Then by the Governor's command they were first placed in custody, and cast into boiling cauldrons together with seven sons of ^a Prince who had already come to believe in Christ, and with Antony the Priest, and Anastasius who had been recalled to life. When these came out unharmed from the cauldrons by the grace of Christ, many, and among them the mother of Celsius, acknowledged Christ. But while the Saints stood before the Judge, at once through their prayers the images of the idols in the temple fell and were crushed, and the temple itself was swallowed up by water. Then the Saints were led forth and had strips of papyrus soaked in oil tied to the tips of their hands and feet and set on fire. But with the flame sparing the holy Martyrs and not daring to harm them, the skin was torn from the heads of Julian and the Governor's son; the eyes of Antony were dug out with hooks; the mother of Celsius was suspended. Then they threw the Saints to the beasts, by which they were preserved untouched, and at last they were beheaded. Their feast day is celebrated in their most holy temple, which is near the forum (at Constantinople, namely)." Thus far the Menaia. Moreover, as here, so also in several Latin manuscripts, Celsius appears instead of Celsus.

Section IV. Commemoration in the calendars, January 9.

[15] January 9 Most celebrated is the memorial of these Saints in the martyrologies on this January 9. The old Roman: "And of St. Julian and his wife Basilissa, and Celsus, and Martionilla, and twenty soldiers." The Vulgate Bede: "On the same day, at Antioch, of St. Julian the Martyr, and Basilissa his wife. These, by ^a most holy vow, lived together as chaste spouses for some years, Their Acts from Bede keeping their flesh virgin for Christ, and established monasteries from their possessions, so that Blessed Julian became father of up to ten thousand monks, and Basilissa became mother of many virgins. When she had already sent ahead the victorious multitude to the Lord, she herself, most approved in the conduct of her life, departed to the Lord amid the words of prayer. But Julian was afterward, by the Governor Marcian, subjected to innumerable torments and sufferings, and at last was ordered to be struck, together with Antony the Priest, and Marcionella, and the boy Celsus, her son." The same is found in Molanus and the manuscript of St. Mary at Utrecht. More briefly, the manuscript of St. Lambert at Liege: "On the same day, at Antioch, of Julian the Martyr, and Basilissa his wife, and Celsus the boy, and Martianilla his mother, and Antoninus the Priest, and Anastasius." Usuard: "At Antioch, under Diocletian and Maximian, the birthday of Saints From Usuard Julian and Basilissa the Virgin, whose wondrous passions are read; from whose company also ^a venerable multitude of Priests and ministers of the Church of Christ was burned by fire, who had fled to them on account of the savagery of the persecution. After them Antony the Priest, Anastasius, and the boy Celsus, together with his mother, and many others suffered." The same is found in Bellinus and the manuscript Florarium.

[16] Notker honors them with this eulogy: "On the same day, at Antioch, of St. Julian the Martyr and Basilissa the Virgin: From Notker who, entrusted to the care of their very wealthy parents, being their only children, were reluctantly and unwillingly united in marriage in appearance only, but by ^a most holy vow remained together in virginity for some years and established monasteries from their possessions in the municipalities of Antioch, so numerous and well-populated that Julian became father of up to ten thousand monks, and Basilissa became mother of many virgins. Having sent them ahead of her to the kingdom of heaven, she herself followed. But Julian was afterward sought out by the Governor Marcian. At which time ^a most cruel rage for persecuting the Saints of God, blazing forth under Diocletian and Maximian, compelled ^a multitude of Priests and ministers of the Church of Christ to flee to him on account of the savagery of the persecution. Apprehended therefore with this vast multitude, he himself was reserved for the Governor's hearing; the rest of the servants of God, by the order of the most cruel commander, were consumed by fire set and applied in the place where they were staying. Where, to commend the precious death of the Saints, at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, and also at the evening hour, choirs of those singing psalms to God were heard. But Blessed Julian, first given ^a hearing, was beaten with the most rigid clubs. And as he was being beaten, one of the attendants close to the Governor lost an eye, which he immediately recovered through the prayer of Blessed Julian, and believing in Christ, was at once beheaded by the insane judge. Then, Blessed Julian having been led to the temple of demons, more than five hundred images were shattered and reduced to dust. And when for this he was shut up with the boy Celsus, the Governor's son, in the deepest and darkest prison, but was granted ^a most sweet fragrance and wondrous light, seven brothers and twenty soldiers, who had come to visit them, the former were given over to fire, the latter put to death by the sword. Moreover Julian, with the boy Celsus, and Antony the Priest, and Anastasius, afflicted with various punishments, were themselves also killed by soldiers together with the matron Marcionilla." Thus Notker. But we do not approve what he says, that they were united reluctantly and unwillingly in marriage merely in appearance. For Basilissa does not seem to have entered marriage unwillingly or with the prior intent of preserving virginity, but was persuaded to this by Julian afterward. They are also commemorated on this day by the German Martyrology, Galesini, and Maurolycus, who writes Basilla for Basilissa, and Marcianilla (with many others) for Marcionilla. The Roman Martyrology: Roman Martyrology "At Antioch, under Diocletian and Maximian, the birthday of Saints Julian the Martyr and Basilissa his wife, who, having preserved virginity with her husband, ended her life in peace. But Julian afterward (after the multitude of Priests and ministers of the Church of Christ, who had fled to them on account of the savagery of the persecution, was burned by fire) at the command of the Governor Marcian, tortured by very many torments, received the capital sentence; with whom also Antony the Priest, and Anastasius, whom Julian himself had raised from the dead and made ^a partaker of the grace of Christ, and the boy Celsus together with his mother Marcionilla, and seven brothers, and very many others suffered."

[17] Ado recounts their Acts at length: "On the same day, at Antioch, the birthday of St. Julian the Martyr and Basilissa his wife. From Ado These, by ^a most holy vow, lived together as chaste spouses for some years, keeping their flesh virgin for Christ, and established monasteries from their possessions -- for they were most distinguished in parentage and birth -- so that Blessed Julian became father of up to ten thousand monks, and Basilissa became mother of many virgins. When she had already sent ahead the victorious multitude to the Lord, she herself, most approved in the conduct of her life and zealous in the study of doctrine, yielding her spirit to the Lord amid the words of prayer filled with the sweetest sighs, joined the company of Angels in heaven. But Julian was afterward sought out by the Governor Marcian, at which time the rage of cruelty for persecuting the Saints of God under Diocletian and Maximian had blazed forth, and ^a multitude of Priests and ministers of the Church of Christ had fled to him on account of the savagery of the persecution. Apprehended therefore with this vast multitude, he himself was reserved for the Governor's hearing; the rest of the servants of God, by the order of the cruel Judge, with ^a great fire set and applied to them, were consumed in the place where they were staying. Where, to commend the precious death of the Saints, at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, choirs of those singing psalms were heard. And they also sang evening and morning hymns to God. But Blessed Julian, first given ^a hearing, was beaten with the most rigid clubs. And as he was being beaten, one of the attendants close to the Governor lost an eye, which he immediately recovered through the prayer of Blessed Julian, and believing in Christ, was at once beheaded by the insane Judge. Then Blessed Julian was led to the temple of demons: the images of crystal, amber, and various metals were so shattered and reduced to dust that what they had been was completely unrecognizable. Then the holy Martyr, bound with iron chains, was led through the city under the voice of ^a herald. And when he came to the place where the Governor's son was being educated in the schools, the same boy, named Celsus, saw ^a multitude of white-robed figures around the holy Martyr, and ^a crown gleaming with most precious stones above his head. When he told his classmates what he had seen, suddenly, divinely inspired, he cast away the books of his teachers and the garments he was wearing, and with swift course came to the feet of the bound Martyr. At this act, nearly the entire astonished city rushed together; among the rest, the Governor and the boy's mother arrived wailing. But since they could not separate the boy from the blessed company, he was consigned with Blessed Julian to the depths of the prison. Where, consoled by divine light and sprinkled with ^a wondrous fragrance, so that the soldiers who guarded them, about twenty in number, were moved and struck with amazement, they believed in Christ the Lord. Then seven brothers came with the Priest Antoninus to visit these men in prison; and by the ministry of the holy Priest Antoninus, both the boy and the twenty soldiers were baptized. When the Governor heard this, he ordered the seven brothers, weakened by long imprisonment, to be at last given over to fire; and the soldiers to be slain by the sword. And so they consummated their martyrdom as victors. But the holy Julian and the boy Celsus and the holy Priest Antoninus, presented before him, together with Anastasius, whom Blessed Julian had raised from the dead and made ^a partaker of Christ's grace, he cast into vats boiling with pitch and fat, under which he ordered ^a great supply of wood and brush to be heaped. But the Blessed ones, unhurt beneath the fire, persisted unconquered in their confession. Then they were led back into custody. And the boy's mother Martionilla was voluntarily enclosed with him, so that she might change his mind. But while she wished her son to become the prey of the devil, she herself was won for Christ and, made His faithful handmaid, received the grace of baptism. Upon hearing this, the impious husband had his pious servant of Christ thrust into the depths of the prison and joined her to the Martyrs. These he caused to be presented before him again and sent to the temple of demons, with the priests of the temple waiting inside to receive them as if they were about to sacrifice. But soon, with the Saints praying, the temple was leveled to the ground, and about ^a thousand priests along with ^a multitude of pagans were killed. But again the Saints were thrust back by the angry impious Governor. They were miraculously comforted by divine consolation at night. The next day they were brought out of custody; and oil poured on wicks was bound to their hands and feet, and fire was applied. But since they endured unconquered, he ordered the skin of the head to be removed from Julian and Celsus, the eyes dug out from Antoninus and Anastasius, and the rack prepared for Martionilla. When they had bravely overcome all these, beasts were let in upon them in the amphitheater to devour them. But the beasts licked the feet of the Saints. And when they had overcome all things, he ordered the soldiers to strike them. And by such ^a contest they obtained the palm and gained ^a kingdom that endures." Thus far Ado. On this same day it is celebrated in many manuscript and printed Belgian calendars, and in the calendars of the churches of Utrecht, Evora in Portugal, and others.

Section V. Commemoration in the calendars, January 11 and 13; February 13; June 20, 21, and 22.

[18] January 11 The manuscript Martyrologies of Liessies and St. Martin at Tournai had recorded these on January 6, as appears from section III, and repeat St. Julian on the 11th, on which day perhaps the Ecclesiastical office was recited for him. Their words are: "The passion of St. Julian the Martyr, who was slain in prison under the Governor Marcian." The manuscript of St. Martin adds: "in Achaia," for which we think "at Antioch" should be read.

[19] January 13 On January 13, Rabanus and the manuscript Martyrology of St. Maximin treat of them in these words: "At Antioch of Egypt, the passion of Saints Julian and Basilissa his wife; Their life from Rabanus this Julian, in the times of Diocletian and Maximian, was sprung from noble stock and steeped in the disciplines of the philosophers, and was ^a devout lover of the Catholic faith. When his parents had drawn him by strong persuasions to the rights of marriage, he is reported to have answered: 'It is neither my will nor my time of life to do what you urge.' And again, when they persisted obstinately in their entreaties: 'I have neither the faculty to promise nor the power to refuse what you urge. I commit and entrust myself to the power of my God.' He asked his parents for ^a delay of one week, however, in order to learn the will of the supreme Majesty by evident signs. When that interval had passed, overcome by sleep and sunk in slumber, he saw Christ say to him in ^a vision (horomate): 'Arise, do not fear, nor dread the persuasion of words or the will of your parents. For you will receive ^a wife who will not separate you from me by defiling you, but will persevere as ^a virgin through you.' And below: 'Many young men and virgins will be proved fit for the heavenly army through your teaching and life.'" Thus far the manuscript of St. Maximin. Rabanus continues: "And so it came to pass that, with Christ's help, in the municipality of Antioch they built many monasteries, so that under Julian's rule ten thousand monks lived, and under Basilissa ^a thousand virgins were devoted to the service of God. But afterward the same Julian, with his fellow-soldiers, was martyred for the name of Christ under the prince Marcian: first beaten with clubs, he restored the torn-out eye of his striker. Moreover, he demolished more than five hundred images of idols to the ground. After this, thrust into ^a dark prison with the Governor's son, the youth Hircicallus, recently converted to the faith -- where the bodies of the condemned had been rotting for ^a long time -- by the wondrous grace of Christ, the foul odor was turned to the sweetness of ambrosia, and with clear light the holy Martyrs were gladdened. Then, at the Governor's request, he raised from death the corpse of ^a dead man not yet buried. But the torturer's fury not ceasing, by decree of the Emperors the holy Martyrs were enclosed in the spectacle of the Circus in the bowels of thirty vats, which were stuffed inside with ^a mass of black pitch, fuel of bitumen, and the stench of sulfur, with brush and fire placed beneath, to such an extent that the flame stretched thirty cubits into the air. But emerging thence unharmed, again burning wicks soaked in liquid oil were fitted to the fingers of their hands and feet. But frustrated in this attempt, they were then proposed to the beasts for devouring. When the beasts did not dare to tear the sacred limbs, they were at last slain by the sword. At their tomb, ten lepers were immediately healed, proving what the glory of the Martyrs is."

[20] On the Ides of February, St. Julian the Martyr is venerated, whose place and time of contest, February 13 and manner and condition of life, are uncertain, as we shall show there. Wandelbert seems to have understood our Julian, the spouse of St. Basilissa the Virgin, for he writes thus:

"On the Ides, Julian ascends to ethereal glory, whose blessed spouse joined her joyful soul to his in heaven."

Paul Morigia writes that the feast of these saints is celebrated on June 20, but on that day no martyrologies or calendars record them. On June 21, the Greeks celebrate St. Julian in the Menologion: June 20, 21, and 22 "The contest of Julian in Egypt. He lived under the Emperor Diocletian and the Governor Marcian in the Egyptian city of Antinopolis," etc., as was related above in section 2, no. 8. Galesini in the Notes to January 9 relates that the memory of these Martyrs is celebrated in the Church of Milan in the month of June, for which he has not found any certain and established reason. On June 22, the following is found in the sacrifice of the Mass for St. Julian the Levite and Martyr in the Milanese Missal printed in the year of Christ 1560. Prayer over the people: Collects and Preface from the Milanese Missal "Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we who recall the praiseworthy triumph of Your blessed Levite and Martyr Julian may, by following worthily in his footsteps, merit to be made partakers of his joys. Through our Lord." The same prayer is found in the old Belgian Breviaries, such as that of St. Omer and others. Moreover, in the Milanese there are also these: Prayer over the sindon: "Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that as You worthily adorned Blessed Julian, joined in the marriage bed, with the cultivation of virginity, so also may You wash us Your servants by the help of his intercession from the stains of dangers, and deign to illuminate our hearts with the brightness of Your grace. Through our Lord," etc.

[21] I omit the prayers over the offerings and after Communion. These words are inserted into the Preface from the life: "Through Christ our Lord, who, having crushed tyrannical power, so exalted His soldiers that on earth they enjoyed the companionship of Angels and were everywhere fortified by divine aids. To whose arena the noble Julian joyfully hastened and became the most worthy standard-bearer of the faith. The Lord's warrior chose to keep his limbs virginal along with his wife, and hastened the more bravely to the struggles. He joined to himself the choirs of Saints whom, consumed by ^a globe of fire, he sent ahead crowned to Christ. Then, despising the sacrilegious commands of the executioners, not fearing the most bitter torments of punishments, with free voice he proclaims the Son of God. O happy and most worthy soldier of Christ, who not only despised the tyrant but also took away his son, and made him ^a Christian, and equally incited him to receive the palm of martyrdom! He is beaten and loaded with iron chains; drenched with horrible stench, he is given over to custody; plunged into fiery blazes to be burned; the skin is stripped from his head; he is given over to savage beasts in the theater. But in all these things, defended by angelic protection, he merited at last, by the shedding of his blood, the worthy palm of victory. Through the same," etc. In the Ambrosian Breviary published by order of St. Charles Borromeo, and last revised in the year of Christ 1625, nearly the same prayers as cited above are given, with this third lesson at Matins for June 21: "Julian, born of noble lineage at Antioch, having set before himself as model his parents, who were devoted to the Christian religion, Lesson from the new Milanese Breviary embraced the faith of Christ. In his eighteenth year, at his father's urging, he took Basilissa in marriage. But both by mutual consent kept themselves in virginal chastity forever. After his father's death, he distributed to the poor the inheritance he had, which was quite ample, and also built two monasteries, to the governance of one of which he himself was set; in the other Basilissa undertook the care of many virgins. But when an edict was issued by Marcian, Governor of Syria, by which it was decreed that all sacrifice to the gods, he was accused of the Christian faith and by his order subjected to many torments; most constant in the faith, he was at last crowned with martyrdom along with many others who, led by his example, confessed Christ the Lord and declared they would rather suffer death than sacrifice to idols. But You, O Lord," etc.

* One should read "horamate," that is, "in ^a vision."

ACTS

From several ancient manuscripts.

Julian, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Seven boys, kinsmen of the Emperor Carinus, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (SS.) Anastasius, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Antony the Priest, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Basilissa, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Celsus, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Marcionilla, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) N., friend of the Governor Marcian, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Very many other Bishops, Clerics, Monks, and Virgins, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt Twenty Soldiers, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (SS.) BHL Number: 4529

From manuscripts.

PREFACE.

[1] The blessed Martyrs, conquering the world and its torments, left us this gift: that since they cannot carry the deeds of their passions with them, The deeds of the Martyrs left as an example for those who struggle they left behind ^a firm example for those who struggle; and they became ^a way for those who wander, ^a light for the blind, ^a source of belief for those who waver. They enclose all the signs of their virtues in the bosom of holiness. From this ark of justice no one can go astray, unless he remains unbelieving. But you who hear and read these things, believe with us, for all things are possible to those who believe; and therefore without any hesitation the Martyrs left us ^a hereditary good for us to imitate. I beseech you therefore, all of you who are about to read and hear these things, to believe with attentive heart how great is the glory of leaving the world behind, so that by the narrow way we may be able to follow in the footsteps of these same Saints; so that, reading their deeds, you may call them your own. As the Lord declares in the Gospel when He says: "Blessed are those who have seen and believed; but more blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." We have written the deeds of the Saints which we saw with our own eyes, from which we believe some small portion of blessedness will come to us. These were written by those who saw But ^a better glory awaits you who, hearing, believe that the Lord can accomplish in His Saints the things that are written here. About to write therefore the passion of the blessed Martyr Julian, I have determined first to make known how he showed himself dear to God from his infancy, so that whoever desires to acquire the glory of the passion may first follow the innocence of life. Hearing these things now, believe our words, so that by believing you may learn what the reward of faith is.

CHAPTER I.

Birth, education, and marriage of Saints Julian and Basilissa.

[2] St. Julian is instructed in learning and piety This most blessed Julian, sprung from ^a noble family, was illustrious in the world. His parents had received him as the sole sweet offspring of their womb, their only child, and they imbued him with all learning and wisdom (so that neither dialectical nor rhetorical skill escaped his talent), and the wisdom of all the authors of the world. All this the good athlete of Christ kept captive in the treasury of his heart. For he had read the teacher of all Christians, Paul, saying: "For the form of this world is passing away" (1 Cor. 7:31). And lest he should pass away, unclean, with the world itself, he showed himself so dear to God that he considered the wisdom of the world to be foolishness. For he always desired, as the world passed away, to be without care with Christ. He was ^a lover of the Catholic faith; he clung daily to the thresholds of the holy Church; hearing the deeds of the Saints he rejoiced; and to the things that were read from the sacred lessons he was an attentive hearer and doer. Nor did he let pass ^a single day without hastening to visit the Saints. Like ^a good merchant he stored up treasures in his heart, imitating the acts of all the elect, striving to imitate the virtues and grace of holiness of each one. Perfect charity, which casts out fear, flourished, infused into his inner being. He had so castrated himself from all vices and lusts of the flesh for the world, that he rightly cried out to God: "As long as I am in this world, I am ^a stranger from the Lord." And because he wished to hide from men what he strove to please Christ, he concealed his purpose, he concealed also his holy desire.

[3] When his parents saw him clinging with such intensity of soul to the devotees of the Christian religion, He is compelled by his parents to marry they summoned the venerable young man and exhorted him with these words: "O most sweet and venerable child of ours, hear the wholesome counsel of your parents, which, in the venerable law of the Christian religion, we are taught by the blessed Apostle Paul, teacher of all Christians, in spiritual doctrines, who says: 'I desire that the young marry, bear children, be heads of households, giving no occasion to the evil one' (1 Tim. 5:14). For this reason we exhort you not only that you consent to us, but that you be known to be obedient to the Lord's law." To this Blessed Julian replied to his parents: "It is neither my will nor my time of life to do what you urge." To this his parents responded: "You are about eighteen years old; how can you excuse yourself from being joined in marriage? We do not want you to plead about time. For we desire you to be the husband of one woman, so that when offspring has been granted and you have become ^a father, by mutual consent you may devote yourselves to God, with the incentives of the flesh having ceased or subsided; and together with your will, when she has been joined to you, you may adhere to salutary counsels." The parents were acting in this way to have their seed perpetuated, which they believed would come to an end unless it was raised up through his offspring. And since he could not bear the importunities of his parents, and shrank from the persuasions of friends and all his relations, then Blessed Julian gave those who urged him this response: "I have neither the faculty to promise nor the power to refuse. What you urge, I commit to the power of my Lord. For this reason I ask for ^a delay of seven days, He asks for ^a delay of seven days and according to what He shall deign to inspire, you will receive ^a response from me." Hearing this, his parents, afflicted with great weariness, wasted away with anxieties until the appointed day should come when they would receive their son's response.

[4] The venerable youth therefore spent the space of those days keeping vigil day and night in prayer, beseeching the Lord not to violate the virginity he had promised on any pretext whatsoever. But on the seventh day, when night came, and he had given his body, emaciated by fasting, to sleep, the Lord was present and consoled His faithful servant, [By heavenly admonition he is commanded to take ^a wife with whom he will preserve virginity] strengthened his proven mind, and commanded him to do these things, and addressed him with this exhortation, saying: "Arise, Julian, do not fear; dread neither the persuasion of words nor the will of your parents. Receive ^a wife who will not separate you from me by defiling you, but, persevering as ^a virgin through you, I shall receive both you and her as virgins in heaven. For much chastity will be dedicated to me through you. Many young men and virgins will be proved fit for the heavenly army through your teaching and life. I will be present, dwelling in you, so that you may crush in yourself all the pleasures of the flesh; and her who is joined to you I will convert to my desire and love, and make her your follower. And there, in the bedchamber prepared for you, you will see me with angelic choirs and an innumerable multitude of virgins of both sexes; and those whom nature had made unequal, one faith in me has made equal, and you will be recognized as their imitator." When the Lord had said these things, He touched him, saying: "Act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened." Strengthened by these powers, the venerable youth arose and gave thanks to the Lord, saying: "I give You thanks, Lord, who are the searcher of hearts and minds; who have put far from me the beauties and pleasures of the world, so that with ^a believing heart, with chastity helping and reigning in me, I may attain to that which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which You have prepared for those who love You; who have deigned to make me ^a way and true path for those who love chastity and embrace integrity of mind and body. You know, Lord, that from the day on which I was reborn in You until the hour in which You deigned to summon me, I have put nothing before Your love. For this is my desire: that what proceeds from my mouth, You confirm; because I believe myself to begin when I am finishing."

[5] And having completed his prayer, he went forth from his bedchamber joyful, his face's joy dispelling his parents' sadness, and said to them: "Behold, as you desired, since I know by divine command that marriage is for me not ^a sin but ^a grace, I will do what you urge." The parents were overjoyed, hoping for the procreation of children to come. What more? The sweetest girl is sought who could be his equal, ample in wealth, preeminent in birth, and holy in character. And so, with the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ providing -- who by this His gift willed to ordain ^a sacred marriage -- such ^a girl was found: rich in possessions, equal in nobility and birth, named Basilissa, St. Basilissa is wed to him who was herself known to be her parents' only daughter. A discussion takes place, according to the nuptial custom. The girl's parents joyfully receive the proposal; and, as is the way with nobility, the time of the wedding is arranged; all things usually contained in the marriage contracts are settled; the day of the matrons is appointed, the day of the union is appointed. But Blessed Julian awaited the day of the wedding as ^a good athlete who, having conquered lust, strove to please the heavenly King. What more? The appointed day came, on which neighboring cities were invited. Each city brought with it the secular pomp and various worldly entertainments that can excite young hearts to the flow of lust. The streets resounded with the clamor of instruments; diverse voices of musicians echoed; ^a multitude of virgins, their hair curled with golden ornaments, sang songs and sweetest voices to which everything resounded, so that even if ^a man were made of iron, he would be dissolved by the delight of luxury. But amid such great and such fierce assaults, the athlete of Christ, Blessed Julian, warrior of Christ, labored hard, revealing the secrets of his heart to no one but the Lord alone, from whom he held the promise of victory.

CHAPTER II.

The vow of virginity. Divine approbation. The cenobitic life.

[6] Meanwhile the bride was led forth from the bridal chamber, laden with gold and gems; he received her joyfully, with whom he might rejoice in the Lord. And showing ^a joyful face, in his heart he sang psalms to the Lord, saying: "Lord, burn my loins and my heart, lest the most ancient serpent of lust kindle war in me." The hour approached when they would proceed to the marriage bed. And when the virgin had been delivered to him, the venerable Julian, trusting in the Lord, entered the bedchamber. In that chamber, after prayer, such ^a fragrance of lilies and roses appeared that the virgin seemed to be placed in ^a spot where lilies and roses in springtime are wont to offer their sweet odor of grace to those who hold them. She is inflamed to the love of chastity by ^a sweet fragrance, as of flowers Silence was given in the night, and the virgin said to the young man joined to her: "I sense ^a wondrous thing; and if you sense it too, I beg you not to deny it to me." To her the venerable Julian responded: "Tell me faithfully what you sense." The virgin said: "Although it is winter time, and the earth, bound fast with frost, does not yet bring forth the nature of any roses or lilies from its pregnant soil, yet in this bedchamber the sweetness of all fragrances serves me, so that, sated with these most sweet odors, I shrink from the world and utterly do not desire the union of the marriage bed." To her Blessed Julian said: "The most sweet fragrance which appeared to you has neither beginning nor end. He who gives seasons their seasons, who gives to each season the grace it administers -- He is the Lord Christ, He is the lover of chastity, who promises eternal life to those who guard the integrity of their body. For if you are willing to receive His teachings along with me -- that we love Him with total devotion and guard the virginity mutually granted us -- we shall become in this age His clean vessels They resolve together to preserve their virginity in which He may dwell, and in the future we shall reign with Him, and we shall not be separated from one another." To this Blessed Basilissa responded: "And what better salvation is there than to obtain eternal life by guarding virginity? Because I believe it is as you declare, I wish to consent to you; I desire to possess the eternal bridegroom, the Lord Jesus." As she said these things, Blessed Julian, falling to prayer, clung to the floor, crying out and saying: "Confirm, O God, what You have wrought in us." Seeing this, the virgin did likewise.

[7] And behold, suddenly the foundations of that bedchamber were shaken; and an indescribable light flashed forth, so that the lamps that had been in the chamber were veiled by the magnitude of that light. And as it is written, what had been said was fulfilled: "We have become ^a spectacle to the world, and to Angels, and to men" (1 Cor. 4:9). A great and spiritual spectacle took place in the chamber. Christ appears to them, with the Blessed Virgin and many virgins of both sexes On one side sat the eternal King, Christ the Lord, with an innumerable multitude of white-robed saints; and on the other side an innumerable multitude of virgins, among whom the most glorious Virgin Mary held the primacy. Then from the King's side the cry was raised: "You have conquered, Julian, you have conquered!" From the Queen's side the cry was raised: "Blessed are you, Basilissa, who have so consented to salutary counsels, and, rejecting the false blandishments of the world, have hastened to eternal glory!" Again from the King's side the cry was raised: "My soldiers, who have conquered the lust of the ancient serpent, let them be raised from the floor, and with attentive heart let the book of eternal life, placed upon the bed that is recognized as prepared for them, be read to them." And with the voice falling silent, from both sides they responded: "Amen." And two came, clad in white, having golden girdles about their breasts, and individual crowns in their hands, and they raised them up, saying: "Arise, for you have conquered, and you are numbered among us. Look at what you see upon the bed, which is prepared for you; read and know that the Lord is faithful in His words." And stretching out their hands, they placed them upon it. And behold, ^a book was laid upon it, seven times more splendid than silver, written in golden letters, and around the bed four elders, holding in their hands golden bowls full of spices, giving off diverse fragrances. And one of them answered and said: "Behold, in these four bowls your perfection is contained. From them, every day an odor of sweetness ascends to the presence of God. For this reason you are blessed, because you have conquered the false blandishments of the world, hastening to those things which eye has not seen, They see their names written among the holy virgins nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. Now, Julian, read what the divine Trinity commands." And approaching, he began to read thus: "Let Julian, who for love of me has despised the world, be assigned to the number of those who have not been defiled with women. Let Basilissa, who is recognized as joined to him with whole heart, be assigned to the number of virgins, among whom the true virgin, Mary the Mother of the Lord, holds the primacy." And saying this, he closed the book. And again thousands upon thousands said: "Amen," exulting with one voice. And again he said to them: "In this book which you see, here are written the chaste and sober, the truthful and merciful, the humble and meek, those having unfeigned charity, bearing adversity, patient in tribulation, and who have preferred nothing above the love of the Lord Jesus Christ -- not father, not mother, not wife, not children, not fields, not possessions, nor the rest which in this world are impediments to the soul. Who did not hesitate to hand over even their own souls to death for His name, in whose number you too have merited to be."

[8] Immediately the vision which they had seen was taken from their eyes. Then the blessed virgins, rejoicing in the Lord and building themselves up, spent the remaining time of the night in vigil with hymns and canticles. They pray all night What more? The day dawned, on which the crowd that had assembled was carried along in the revelry of joy. They expected to see those whom in the world they had joined together, neither knowing nor understanding that ^a holy marriage had been celebrated. What more? They began to be fruitful in spirit, not in flesh; and they concealed the mystery of divine grace bestowed upon them, so that what they were doing was known only to the Lord Christ and the holy Angels.

[9] The parents of both die And because the Lord does not deprive of good things those who walk in innocence, by the gift of divine grace it was so arranged that within ^a short time the parents of both departed this life, leaving behind capable survivors through whom they would not be defrauded of the kingdom of heaven -- for they too were most faithful Christians. Then the blessed virgins joyfully received the spans of time granted to them, about to possess for themselves the palm of freedom, by which they could pass through earthly patrimony into the heights of heaven. And since it is ^a great labor to recount their venerable life in order, let us not remain silent about ^a few matters from among so many works.

[10] A common agreement was made, by which they would be concerned not only for their own salvation but would undertake the care of many souls. The dwellings were divided, and two lamps were founded upon ^a lofty candlestick, to which the eternal King, supplying the oil of gladness, kindled holy teaching for the ignorant through them, burning away the thorns and briars of sins with the heat of the fire-bearing word. And from everywhere that sweet voice of the Lord invited through the mouths of Saints Julian and Basilissa, saying: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you" (Matt. 11:28). [They convert very many. Julian governs 10,000 monks. St. Basilissa governs virgins] They established holy monasteries, in which they snatched harvests of souls from the thorns and the choking briars of the world. Nor was anyone able to hear ^a word from the mouth of St. Julian without being converted to the Lord without any delay. Men left their wives, sons their parents, betrothed men their brides; they also counted their earthly patrimonies as dung for the sake of eternal life. They spurned overflowing delights, distributed their wealth to the poor, seized upon the narrow way, and not one of them, having put his hand to the plow, looked back. And St. Julian was the father of ^a holy congregation of about ten thousand monks. And as it is written: "A generation goes and ^a generation comes" (Eccl. 1:4); as many migrated to heaven, so many were converted to the Lord. Nor could anyone count the multitudes of souls who through St. Julian perfectly migrated to heaven. Likewise also Blessed Basilissa, sending ahead to heaven the most chaste souls of legions of virgins and women, freed from the squalors of the world. And with Blessed Julian were the holy transactions of men; and through St. Basilissa the yet loftier palm of victory of chastity shone among the virgins and women. And since their venerable life and manner of living, which with the Lord's help has been made known through us, then became known to all, now I will come to that time when they obtained martyrdom; let us recount and declare their most glorious palms.

b. Others: "holding." ^d. Others: "had bound."

CHAPTER III.

The persecution of Diocletian. The death of St. Basilissa and about ^a thousand virgins.

[11] In the times of Diocletian and Maximian, the fury of persecution pressed upon them. This report spread throughout the entire province of Egypt. When the holy virgins learned of it, they addressed one another and poured forth this prayer in the presence of the Lord, devoting themselves to fasting and weeping: They pray for their own "Lord God, who know hidden things and are ^a witness to minds, the searcher of hearts and reins, we beseech You to illuminate Your joyful countenance upon us and grant ^a merciful and favorable hearing. For You neither sleep nor slumber, who guard the contest of chastity of both sexes, in which You Yourself, O Christ, are known to rejoice. Do not suffer the integrity of Your flock to be violated; let the insatiable wolf, always hostile to the holy flock, have no power; let him have no license to destroy the wall of Your rigor; so that the sign of faith which You have granted us to follow in the footsteps of Your servants and handmaids may endure. Let it be Your care, O Christ, for us and for them, because Your right hand avails more to raise up than the strength of the persecutor to cast down. Consider and search the strengths of each man and each woman, and according to the gift of Your foreknowledge, lead all to that land of the living where there is no anxiety of dying, but where the true blessedness of living reigns. And on that day when You shall come, great and manifest, grant, O Lord, that all Your servants and handmaids, whom through us You have made to serve You, may be found whole and undefiled in Your sight; so that, rightly exulting, we may say: 'Behold, we and the children whom You have given us, and none of them has perished.'"

[12] And when they had completed their prayer, they returned to their own dwellings. That day the time of rest came, and the Lord thus spoke to Blessed Basilissa through ^a vision, saying: "Basilissa, worthy of your name, what you have prayed, it delights me to fulfill: Basilissa is divinely taught about her own death and that of her virgins so that all the vessels which I have cleansed through you, while you are still here in this life, you may send ahead to the heavenly kingdom. But you shall have half ^a time's space in which you can gather the wheat from every place where you have sown it, and when the harvest of your labor has been stored away, you yourself shall follow me, receiving the keys of the storehouse full of the richness of souls, from which every day an odor of sweetness ascends in the sight of the holy Angels. But Julian as ^a good athlete will fight and conquer; for he can never be conquered, in whom chastity reigns. For through him ^a multitude of souls is to be gained. He must suffer many things for my name; and many virtues and signs I will show in the sight of his enemies; and before he calls upon me, I will say: 'Behold, I am here.'"

[13] Hearing this, Blessed Basilissa, waking, rejoiced in the Lord, her face shining splendidly like the sun at its rising; and she recounted everything in order to Blessed Julian. And summoning the holy multitude of virgins, she addressed them with this voice: She warns her own to prepare themselves for death "O all of you, my joy and crown of my head, holy Virgins, let us render our vows to our Lord, and let us offer to Him ^a sacrifice of praise from ^a contrite and humbled heart, ^a sacrifice of jubilation; for He has deigned to reveal hidden mysteries to us. He has determined the way and the acceptable time in which we may consign our purified souls to Him, with ^a delay granted so that each of us, examining the storerooms of her heart, may determine whether there is an abundance of good works overflowing from this world to the next; that is, if as pilgrims in this world we rightly depart from this life to eternal life, so that in nothing may those powers which seize and examine souls journeying to heaven have or recognize their own works in us; so that, finding nothing of their own in us, they may stand in awe and fear, seeing the holy assistance going with us and the Spirit of chastity rejoicing with us. Examine and search the secrets of your breast, so that while we have time, we may restore to the Creator ^a soul purified from every vice of faults, proved by the action of ^a pure liquid. For we have obtained this petition from Christ: that before the persecution or devastation of the enemy, we may send you all ahead undefiled to the heavenly kingdom, where the bridegroom of chastity, the Lord Jesus Christ, awaits. For this reason I urge you, holy sisters, that no leaven of malice remain in your heart, but forgiving one another all, if one has anything against another, so that you may receive the perfect crown of integrity of soul and body; and render me, your mother, victorious with the full number of your salvation: knowing this, that virginity of the flesh avails nothing where anger of the heart dwells."

[14] As St. Basilissa continued speaking, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and ^a pillar of light appeared before them, They learn divinely that they are in ^a state of grace bearing above it ^a golden inscription; and ^a voice proceeded from the pillar, with splendor and an odor of sweetness; and the sign of the Cross flashed forth, saying: "Basilissa, the author of your name, read what you see written." And the inscription of the title contained this: "Thus says the First and the Last: All these virgins, over whom you hold leadership, are clean vessels acceptable to my eyes, nor have I found anything unworthy in them, whom you have presented, by the file of justice and the fire of testing, like the purest gold. Come to the rewards prepared for you." And as they read this, the vision was taken from their eyes. Then all gave thanks to the Lord, who by the testimony of His majesty had declared their holy souls. But Blessed Basilissa, exulting in the Lord, said: "I give You thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, who have thus conquered the battles of the flesh in us." And she added: "I taunt you, devil, because you have lost the fruit of your snares. I taunt you, serpent of lust, because you have not alienated by any arts the vessels dedicated to God. I taunt you, devil, master of lies, because from the flock entrusted to me none perishes with you. I taunt you, drunkenness, because you could not conquer the sober mind. I taunt you, love of the world, because you could not recall to your love minds intent on the plow. I taunt you, devil, because by no arts, no devices, no snares could you hold back those who seek perfection. You alone may use your confusion; you alone may grieve in your punishment. For you see your prey, snatched from your hands, ascending to the kingdom of heaven, whence you fell. Rejoice with me, holy sisters, for the signs of virtues reign in you. Contempt of the world has received the kingdom of heaven. Renunciation of parents has received the company of Angels. The tribulation of ^a brief time has merited eternal rest. Humility has been exalted like ^a cedar in Lebanon and like ^a cypress on the mountains of Hermon. With lust conquered, chastity is made fruitful. There is no audacity in our enemies to hold back souls journeying to their Creator. For all are ashamed, because they recognize nothing of their own in us."

[15] Saying these things with joy, she began to store away the Lord's vineyard, ripened by the dew of justice. And thus divine providence fulfilled its work, so that within the promised time all migrated to the Lord. All the virgins die But Blessed Basilissa, secure about the stored-up fruit, at the sixth hour of the day, placed in prayer, fell asleep and saw the entire choir of holy virgins, about ^a thousand in number, They appear to Basilissa clad in snowy robes, girded with royal girdles, bearing the Cross of the Lord in their hands, saying to Blessed Basilissa with one voice: "We have received this answer, that we may adore the Lord the King together with you. Behold, we await you, that you may offer us to Christ, for whom you have gained us." And waking, Blessed Basilissa rejoiced in the glory of her offspring and joyfully reported this to St. Julian. Whence they rejoiced together in the Lord. And by the Lord's mercy working, it was so completed She herself also dies that while they stood in prayer, St. Basilissa departed to the Lord. Blessed Julian gave her most worthy burial, and day and night fulfilled spiritual vigils at her memorial.

[16] He himself with his choir of Saints flourished by the grace of God granted to him, so that none was inferior who did not surpass another in virtues. For the Lord worked many signs of healings through him and through his disciples. No sun found anyone there angry, nor set upon him. If anyone, as happens, had inflicted an insult upon another in word, he would not take food, but devoting himself to humility and tears, until he had restored charity. And in this zeal they labored, Julian and his followers shine in holiness and miracles so that through the fruits of prayers they might offer ^a sacrifice of praise to God. The Father rejoices in this zeal of his sons. Then each one of them said he was beginning when he was finishing. In this holy congregation the devil was never able to ensnare anyone; none departed from charity; each one preferred adversity to prosperity, all awaiting that reward which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

m. Others: "justice."

CHAPTER IV.

The captivity of St. Julian. The martyrdom of the companions burned alive.

[17] These things were taking place in the city of Antioch, which is the metropolis of Egypt. What more? At that time the force of the persecution grew strong. When the Governor Marcian arrived in that same city, the sacrilegious fury blazed so fiercely that no village, no hamlet remained where an idol was not set up, so that whoever wished to buy or sell must first sacrifice to the idols. The city was pressed by the Governor's command, that everyone should set up an image of Jupiter in his house. And Marcian himself with his wife and only son was ^a leader of perdition. The Governor hears of Blessed Julian's faith, and that he had many companions in this religion who were preparing themselves for death rather than sacrifice to idols. Governor Marcian orders St. Julian and his companions to be seized Then, enraged, he summons his Assessor and commands him to confront Blessed Julian, so that he and all his people should sacrifice to the gods in accordance with the decrees of the most unconquered Emperors, lest they suffer various punishments. The Assessor with the cornicularius and the chief magistrate and the leading citizens of the city went to the place where St. Julian was devoted to God, where ^a multitude of Priests and Levites and all ministers of the Church had taken refuge, fleeing the fury of the persecution. Then it was announced to St. Julian that the Assessor and the chief magistrate with the leading citizens were at the doors. He himself said to those who were assembled: "Now, brothers, let us strengthen ourselves in the Lord, for those who persecute us have drawn near, who seek to swallow us like water. Arm your brow with the banner of the holy cross, and fortify your breasts with the shield of faith." Then he bids them enter; and because he was the son of ^a leading citizen, the civic order honored him appropriately.

[18] The Assessor said to him: "I think it does not escape you, Julian, of the decrees of the most sacred Emperors, by which they provide for the world, that there be one worship of the gods among all men. For our lord the Governor Marcian, hearing that you are of noble birth, has decreed in his wisdom that you be addressed with grace, in accordance with the moderation of the laws. I have before me the law of the Lords and Emperors to read to you, from whose salutary words, once the truth is known, you may return to your family, Julian boldly professes his faith before the Assessor so that you may enjoy your own goods and obtain the wealth and friendships of the Emperors." Julian answered: "I believe your wisdom is not unaware that ^a serpent does not move from its own place unless it has heard from the mouth of the enchanter the words of the charm. For just as one who does not know the charm cannot move the serpent, so neither the decrees of the Emperors nor the philosophy of the Judge -- who is recognized as temporal among temporal things -- will be able to bend Christian minds to the worship of demons." The Assessor said: "Then you scorn to hear the commands of the Emperors?" Julian answered: "Let those hear the commands of the Emperors who serve them; but we, who have ^a King in heaven, do not heed an earthly Prince." The Assessor said: "And can you declare this on the record?" Julian answered: "Let those pursue something on the record who have their hope in this life; but for us, for whom the world is crucified, what have we to do with the courts?" The Assessor said: "As I see, you have despaired of yourself, that you might not live; have mercy at least on this multitude which you have gathered to yourself." Julian answered: "The vows of this multitude hang together with mine in God's judgment: such as you hear me speaking, so are all these in their silence. One is the Lord whom we confess, who is Christ, the Son of the living God." The Assessor said: "What you set forth, I will report to my lord the Governor." Julian answered: "What you have more truly learned, you ought not to conceal. But we are prepared to endure temporal death rather than to be consigned to eternal death for the sake of temporal life." The Assessor said: "I hear also that Bishops and the entire clergy are gathered with you; have they too become your disciples?" Julian answered: "These are not disciples but Fathers; for through them we have received true birth. For this reason it is fitting that sons go with Fathers, and Fathers with sons, to the kingdom of heaven."

[19] Returning to the Governor Marcian, the Assessor reported everything that had taken place. Then Marcian the Governor, armed with the counsel of the devil, gave this order: that Julian alone should be reserved for his own eyes and hearing; The companions are burned for their faith; they are glorified by miracles but the multitude of Saints in the very place where they were living and devoting themselves to the praises of God, he ordered to be consumed by fire. The Governor's order was carried out, and all the Saints were consumed there by fire. In that place such divine grace was bestowed that to this very day all who pass by at the times of singing -- the third, sixth, ninth hours, vespers, nocturns, and matins -- hear the multitude singing psalms just as those still in the body. And if anyone sick approaches at these times, however severely oppressed by illness, he departs healed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

h. Others: "true." ⁱ. Others: "in time."

CHAPTER V.

The constancy of St. Julian against the Governor's blandishments.

[20] After the holy Martyrs had migrated to the kingdom of heaven, tested like gold through fire, it was reported to the Governor Marcian that everything he had commanded had been carried out, Julian is brought before the Governor and that Julian was being held in custody. Then the enemy was inflamed, and the next day he ordered ^a tribunal to be prepared for him in the forum. Immediately the Governor's commands were fulfilled; every age rushed together from all sides, and every sex came to see Blessed Julian -- in whose love of the name of Jesus Christ he depended -- contending against the devil. Then the Governor ordered him to be brought in under the voice of the herald. When the Governor had seen him, he said: "Are you Julian, the rebel against the commands of the Emperors and the scorner of the divine powers? Are you the one who gathers multitudes of innocent people by magic arts and changes the minds of all?" To this Blessed Julian devoted himself to silence. The Governor said again: "As I see, you are oppressed by your guilt and answer nothing to my questions." The holy Julian said: "I have never been ^a rebel or sacrilegious person; but I have always obeyed the divine law, in which the rule of life is contained. But that you wonder at my silence: I am ashamed to speak with you, whom I see so wrapped in lying deceit. For how can the law of your Emperors be sacred when it works sacrilege?" Marcian said: "I grieve over you, because I see you so occupied with magic arts that you do not understand how great ^a force the commands of the Emperors have, by which the obedient obtains praise and merits the friendships of the Emperors, while the disobedient, as you are recognized to be, is subject to punishment and torments and becomes an heir of death. For I hear that you are of such noble family that I should still spare your birth; for which reason I urge you, as my own son, to hasten joyfully to offer incense to the gods, to the praise of your family."

[21] Hearing this, Blessed Julian answered: "You are blinded by your malice; therefore you do not rightly discern the order of things, to understand what is the praise of my family. He mocks the gods and the decrees of the Caesars You falsely flatter me, urging me to offer incense to the gods you worship, so that I may merit to obtain the glory and friendship of the Emperors. You are known to be worshippers of many gods and goddesses; but we are worshippers of the one true Trinity. Your gods are either of bronze or of stone; if of bronze, cooking pots, which are made for the use of men from the same metal, are better than they; if of stone, they should be rejected, because from such stones streets are paved for the removal of mud. And when the humans whom you worship have been either cast or sculpted from any metal, you say they are placated by heavenly sacrifices, so that through these they may be propitious to their worshippers. But us, who worship one God who is in heaven, you say are occupied with magic arts, and for this reason you order us, the true worshippers of God, to be tortured. Therefore you should know what you do not know: that just as there is no fellowship between light and darkness, nor ^a firm habitation of the lamb with the wolf, so our faith cannot be subjugated to your rule or your demons." The Governor said: "I am not ordered to deal with you in words alone; but hear what the most unconquered Emperors command, so that from their law you may know what you ought to do."

[22] The holy Julian said: "What they command I have heard; but what I ought to do I have determined by salutary counsel. For it is disgraceful that once the flock has been sent ahead, the shepherd should not follow." The Governor said: "Those you mention received ^a death worthy of their error; but you, so that you may escape the torments that are owed to those who scorn the gods and be restored to your family and your birth, work for this." Julian answered: He rejects the Governor's blandishments "Labor for yourself and for your own, whom the devil has thus made his heirs; but my Lord Jesus Christ, who formed me from the clay of the earth, is concerned for me." The Governor said: "I ought to deal with you as ^a physician with ^a sick man of the heart, until you recover your health. And if I make you well and make you ^a worshipper of the divine powers, I will gain for myself great favor with the Emperors. For even the Lords of the world grieve much over your madness." St. Julian answered: "Never has it been heard that the blind illumine the seeing, that the sick cure the healthy, and that the wanderer corrects the one walking rightly." The Governor said: "So, as you say, I am blind, and sick, and wandering -- I who desire to provide for your welfare; and you alone possess full health?" The holy Julian said: "All these things have dominion over you. But if you were willing to know yourself with your whole heart and seek your salvation, our physician, through whom all Christians obtain the truest health, would not terrify you. But those whom you worship are manifestly demons, who can destroy those who trust in them but cannot set them free."

b. Others: "terrible."

CHAPTER VI.

The tortures of St. Julian. Miracles of the destroyed idols, the eye knocked out and restored. The martyrdom of the Governor's healed friend.

[23] Then the enraged Governor cried out to the torturers: "Let him be stretched out for beatings, so that his foolishness may be manifest to all." Julian answered: "It is not foolishness to know God, but glory. But you, weighed down by worldly enticements, do not recognize what is fitting." The Governor said: "Stretch him out, He is beaten with clubs; an eye is knocked out of his striker and bring rigid, knotted clubs, and shatter all his limbs." And while they did so, one of the beaters was struck by ^a rebounding blow and lost an eye; and this man was one of the Governor's close associates and well known to the Emperors. Seeing this, the Governor roared: "Are your magic powers so great that you feel none of the punishments and tear out the eyes of others?" Julian answered: "Marcian, you see that what I said above is true: you are blind, sick, and wandering. At last, setting aside your savagery with which you rage against me, hear what I say." The Governor said: "If it is for your welfare, I will listen most willingly." Julian answered: "Summon all the most approved priests of your gods and goddesses, and let them invoke the names of their gods and goddesses over the torn-out eye, to restore sight to their worshipper. And when they have failed, I will invoke the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, and will illuminate not only the torn-out eye but also the eyes of the heart."

[24] Then Marcian, confounded by such true reasoning, ordered all the priests to be present and said to them: "Go and honor the immortal gods with rich sacrifices, so that they may show their power to this rebel Julian, and by restoring the eye of ^a man close to me, may also incline him to their worship." They entered then -- stones to stones, fulfilling the commands of ^a stone. He shatters the power of the demons When with that most wicked rite they invoked the demons, they received this kind of response in the temples: "Depart from us, for we have been consigned to eternal fire. So great is the power of Julian's prayer to God that from the day he was seized by you, our punishment has been multiplied ^a hundredfold; and since we are held shut up in darkness, how shall we restore sight, which we do not possess?" Then the priests came out, making false promises. But the holy Julian, from whom nothing was hidden, having prayed, said to the Governor: "Marcian, hasten quickly to enter the temple; your gods are calling you." Then Marcian, albeit unwillingly, came to the temple He overthrows the idols and saw that all the images -- of crystal, amber, gold, silver, and every metal, which numbered more than fifty -- were so shattered and reduced to dust that what they had been was utterly unrecognizable. Seeing this, the Governor, blinded by the devil, cried out: "O sorceries! Do the proofs of incantations so prevail that they overcome the powers of the gods and reduce the precious deities to dust? But this patience of the gods is praiseworthy: they still endure the injuries done to them, in order to subject their rebels to themselves by patience. But let us see whether this man fulfills the effect of his promise, that by the mere invocation of the name of his God he can restore the extinguished eye."

[25] And he said to Julian: "You boast that you have overcome the most patient gods, whose kindness toward you you utterly fail to recognize. Now, with your much-talking silenced, fulfill your promise: restore the extinguished eye in the name of the Christ whom you worship. He is drenched with urine, which spreads the fragrance of balsam But lest you accomplish this by magic arts, I order you to be drenched with urine, by which all sorceries are known to be dispelled." Julian answered: "What you are about to do will serve not for my disgrace but for the praise of my Lord, so that He may both restore the eye to its former health and convert the foul urine into ^a fragrance of nectar." And when they drenched him, it was fulfilled just as he had said: they thought he had been drenched not with urine but with balsam. At this miracle, Marcian, though unbelieving, was consumed with envy.

[26] Then St. Julian, making the sign of the cross of our Savior over the extinguished eye He restores the eye and invoking the name of the Lord, immediately the eye was so restored as if it had suffered nothing at all. But the most impious Marcian believed all these things were done not by the power of God but by magic arts. But the man, having received his eye, cried out: The man whose sight was restored confesses Christ and is killed "Truly Christ is God; He alone is to be worshipped, He alone adored. The gods are truly revealed to be demons." As he continued saying such things, Marcian ordered him to be killed by the sword. Let no one doubt that, drenched by the wave of his own blood, the Lord Jesus Christ consecrated him as His own Martyr, to the praise and glory of His name. Amen.

CHAPTER VII.

The conversion of Celsus, the Governor's son.

[27] The most impious Marcian ordered holy Julian, afflicted with various punishments and loaded with iron chains on every limb, to be led around the city under the voice of ^a herald, saying: "This is what rebels against the gods and scorners of the Emperors deserve." And when they came to the place where the Governor's son was studying his letters, the boy said to his schoolmates: "I see ^a wondrous thing." They said: Celsus sees St. Julian being crowned by Angels "What do you see?" And he said: "Behold, I see that Christian prisoner, whom the soldiers are leading with ^a bridle on his mouth, with ^a multitude of white-robed figures speaking with him and placing ^a crown of precious stones and gold upon his head, whose splendor outshines the light of the air; and besides them, three men with shining white hair and golden faces, in the likeness of eagles, keeping watch over him. And this seems to me: it is worthy to believe in such ^a God who so protects His worshippers and surrounds them with such beauty. For believe me, brothers, I delight in confessing Him, and I desire to suffer such things, if this God would be willing to be my God."

[28] Hearing this, his schoolmates and teacher were greatly troubled; correcting him with gentle speech, they wished to call him back from his intention. He is converted to Christ For they feared, because he was his father's only son. And the boy said: "Truly great is the God of the Christians, in whom I have resolved by salutary counsel to believe. He is the true God who does not abandon those who believe in Him. For what is the glory of this life? Like ^a bladder distended with wind, appearing full but empty inside -- so too is the glory of this world, in which we have temporal joy and do not recognize the eternal power of God. We wish to exercise dominion, and the true Lord who is in heaven we do not willingly recognize with an unbelieving heart. How much better than us are cattle, beasts of burden, and dogs, who hear the voices and commands of their masters and avenge their injuries with bites and kicks? But we, made rational, do not recognize our Creator while worshipping stones and wood. Let it suffice me to have erred until now; I will err no more. What I lacked has been shown to me; I have found the acceptable time. Why should I not labor to acquire ^a time without time, enjoy ^a light without end, and by despising fleeting riches acquire eternal ones? For the encumbrances of this world separate from God. Temporal power, and whatever rank, ends by succession, and life itself is ended by death. I ought to believe in that true and holy God; if I serve in His kingdom, no successor will come to me; if I am joined to His eternity, I will not be subject to eternal calamities, nor do I fear death. This is the glory and nobility of birth: to suffer for such ^a God; for whom while I am tortured, I never fail; whom when I confess, I never abandon."

[29] Saying this, the Governor's son threw aside the books of his teachers and cast from him the very garments in which he was dressed, He casts away his books and clothes and joins himself to St. Julian saying: "One who hastens to the man of God must cast away polluted garments. My mother's womb brought me naked into this world; what belongs to the world, I leave to the world." And through the streets of the city he began to run until he came to the place where St. Julian was being tortured. For the most wicked Marcian had ordered him to be afflicted with various punishments through all the streets and lanes of the city. Then the boy, prostrated at the feet of St. Julian, cried out: "I recognize you as the father of my second birth, whom the Lord Jesus Christ has shown to me so glorified. But Marcian my natural father, the enemy of truth, the persecutor of God's servants, I renounce and despise. Clinging to you, I desire to suffer similar things for Christ and my Savior, whom until this day I did not know." Seeing this, the ministers of punishment and the soldiers trembled in astonishment and their speech failed them. The teachers of his studies sought to flee. The entire city of both sexes rushed together for the spectacle of such ^a thing; and all who heard and saw these things were seized with trembling, recognizing the Governor's son so clinging to St. Julian, so kissing his wounds, making such proclamations, they were stunned. Then the venerable boy said: "O all peoples, recognize me, for I am the Governor's son, who with my impious father, carried away by the license of paternal power, destroyed the venerable bodies of the Saints. But these things which you admire are the praiseworthy change wrought by the right hand of the Most High. I did these things not knowing God; but now that I know God -- or rather am known by Him -- I renounce the gods, I disown my father and mother, I reject superfluous riches, I confess Christ, and declare myself ^a follower of Blessed Julian. Why do you delay, ministers and soldiers? Go, announce to my parents that I have come to know the true God and cling to this man, whom I recognize as ^a true worshipper of God."

[30] The deed became known to the whole city and spread throughout the entire province; these things were announced to his father and mother. He cannot be forcibly torn from him But they, hearing this, melted like wax in fire. And because an innumerable multitude of people had flocked together, the Governor ordered his son, separated from St. Julian, to be restored to him. But the Lord's mercy so attended the prayers of St. Julian that if anyone wished to extend his hand to seize the boy and separate him from St. Julian's embrace, immediately his arms and hands would contract.

[31] The father discovered the deed and ordered them to be brought together to him. When they were presented before him, The Governor attributes it to magic arts he said to Blessed Julian: "Are you the one who strives to steal the fruit of my hope by magic arts? Who has alienated ^a tender heart by illicit incantations and compels him to deny the affection of his parents?" While the boy's father was saying this, the mother arrived with her entire household of both sexes, about five thousand, with hair unbound, breasts bared, breast torn, and raised their voices to heaven. Then the Governor, seeing this, with his garments rent and his face lacerated, cried out to Blessed Julian: "Cruel Julian, look upon the grief of father and mother. Look upon the lamentation of such ^a great household, and by your magic arts release this innocence, so that you may restore to us our only son and give back to this great household its lord, and I will petition the Emperors on your behalf, that you may depart free of guilt." Julian answered: "I have no need of your support, nor do I desire to be dismissed by your Emperors. But this I pray to the Lord Jesus Christ: that together with this lamb, born from the bowels of wolves, and all who shall believe, with martyrdom completed, I may be received into the number of those whom you consumed by cruel fire while they lived in innocence. For behold, he who was born of you, and who has now been reborn with me through faith, is here; he is of age, let him give you his answer; let him look upon his mother's tears; let him grieve for the breasts on which he was nursed, now consumed with biting and blows."

[32] Celsus responds nobly to his parents To this the venerable boy said: "It happens that roses are born from thorns; nor does the rose born from thorns lose its most sweet fragrance, nor does the bush that produced the rose lose the prickles of its thorns. As is your custom, parents, go on pricking; but permit me to offer the fragrance of sweetness to believers. Let those obey you who are ready to perish; let those imitate me who strive to pass from darkness to light. You should know this: that I, for the sake of Christ my Lord, deny you as parents; and you, on account of the worship of your gods, afflict your son with torments. For I believe that through these torments and through temporal death I shall acquire eternal life. Nor can I be dutiful to you and cruel to myself, nor prefer your love to the love of God. Why do you delay? Come, Marcian, like an unbelieving and cruel father -- not like ^a true Abraham -- take up the sword and offer your son as ^a victim to Christ. But if the affection of your bowels moves you, send me to your most savage Emperor, so that I may more fully adorn myself with the ornaments of martyrdom for the sake of my Lord Jesus Christ. For your sighs and false tears are vain and empty. Moreover, from this confession of piety no one will be able to sever me. In this matter every definition of the Philosophers ceases. Depart from me. I do not prefer the name of father and mother to the name of Christ."

a. Others: "flight." ^b. Others: "license." ^c. Surius: "of things." ^e. Others: "senses." ^f. Others: "follower."

CHAPTER VIII.

The conversion of the twenty soldiers. The arrival of the seven Christian brothers and Antony the Priest in the prison.

[33] Hearing this, the Governor cried out: "Let them be shut up in ^a private prison, and let the necessary provisions be supplied to them." Hearing this, the blessed boy and Blessed Julian said to the Governor: "Command the provisions you order prepared to be given to those who consent to you; for us, Christ is our life." Hearing this, the Governor roared like ^a lion; and thinking to terrify with punishment those whom he could not win over with blandishments, he ordered them to be shut in the depths of the prison, where from the limbs of the condemned, consumed over ^a long time, swarms of horrible worms seethed, and the stench was worse than any foulness. The blessed Martyrs were led in; The prison is illuminated and filled with sweet fragrance the preceding grace of the Lord made the dreadful place delightful, turned the darkness into light, providing the services of candles and restoring ^a fragrance of nectar; and the seething torment vanished.

[34] Seeing this, the twenty soldiers who had brought them to be committed to custody, Twenty soldiers are converted turning to one another, said: "It is ^a matter of shame that we should possess hearts of iron. Is it right that we should return from this light to darkness, from life to death, from the fragrance of nectar to the horrible shedding of blood, from such ^a father who admonishes us to an angry Judge; from truth to falsehood, from sobriety to drunkenness, from chastity to lust? It is disgraceful to return and be what we were, and to neglect the salvation we have found." Saying this, they threw themselves at the feet of St. Julian, praising and confessing the name of Christ. Then Blessed Julian with the venerable boy gave thanks to God. When Marcian heard this, he set the cruelest guards over the prison until, with punishments prepared, he might inflict punishment on all. But the holy Julian, concerned for the salvation of those he had gained for Christ, prayed to the Lord to provide ^a way for them to be confirmed by the grace of baptism. Nor shall I keep silent about this.

[35] Another great gift was bestowed in that same city. Before the time of the persecution, the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian uniquely loved ^a certain leading citizen because he was descended from the family of the Emperor Carinus. Seven Christian boys with ^a Priest are divinely led into the prison This man, ^a deceased Christian, left behind, along with his wife, seven Christian sons as survivors. The Emperors, retaining them out of love for their father, ordered them to serve the Christian religion without any persecution. They had with them ^a Priest who celebrated the holy mysteries for them. They were visited by the Lord and commanded, together with the Priest, to go to the prison so that the venerable boy Celsus and the soldiers might receive the grace of baptism. Immediately they obeyed the holy command; and as they came to the prison by night, they saw the Angel of the Lord going before them. As soon as he touched the doors, all the locks were opened. Having entered and praying together with Blessed Julian, they fulfilled their vows to God. Then those seven brothers with the Priest Antony, seeing such splendor of grace, cried out, saying: "Behold, we are here. The Lord has directed us here with His Priest, so that all may receive the grace of baptism, and we, new recruits, through you, Father Julian, may truly serve Christ in the contest of martyrdom." Hearing this, Blessed Julian said: "I give You thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, who have deigned so to fulfill my desire that those whom You have gained through me may be confirmed as true members of the faith through the grace of baptism; and that these, whom the impious pity of the Emperors had left as lambs among such great bands of wolves, may merit to arrive at the confession of Your holy name."

[36] This deed was reported to the impious Marcian: that the seven brothers, released without any persecution, had joined themselves to St. Julian, desiring to die for Christ. Hearing this, the Governor trembled and ordered them to be brought from custody, and addressed them thus: "What has happened to you, little children, whom the Emperors so protect and cherish that you might be of your own will and worshippers of your own religion? What ails you to desire to die without any persecution, when you have been granted permission to live? If I have lost my son to sorcery and the minds of the soldiers have been changed by I know not what incantations, why do you, who are placed at your own disposal, hasten voluntarily to death? Listen to me and be at peace, as you were." They explain to the Governor the reason for their coming to the prison To this the eldest of the venerable brothers replied: "Governor, hear what I say." The Governor said: "Speak then, that I may hear." The boy said: "A mass of gold retains its natural brightness, but unless by the hand of ^a craftsman it is divided into parts by fire, files, and the hammer, ^a royal diadem is not fashioned for the head of ^a King. From that same metal of gold, by the industry of the craftsman, and through fire and the hammer, with the adornments of diverse pearls and precious stones, ^a diadem is fashioned, so that all who see it may marvel. As the nature of diverse pearls and gems adheres to gold that is naturally splendid, so we too are born of Christians; but unless that birth has been made manifest to all in public, it is not crowned in secret; and unless we have followed Julian's footsteps on an unblemished path, we cannot be in the diadem of the eternal King, the Lord Christ. Dreadful enough is ^a tree that flourishes with leaves and does not show fruit to its cultivator." Hearing this, the Governor ordered them to be led back into custody, in which St. Julian and all the Saints prayed to God for them, that the false blandishments of the serpent might not incline innocent hearts to evil words. Thus they received joyfully those about whom they had been anxious.

c. Others: "heart."

CHAPTER IX.

The raising of ^a dead man and his conversion to Christ.

[37] Then the wicked Marcian sent ^a petition to the Emperors, saying: "Most pious Emperors, come to the aid of your laws and provide defense for the divine powers that remain; and present the sorcerer Julian before your eyes, who by magic arts has shattered more than fifty images of the gods by whom the world flourished, has separated my only son from me, and has changed the minds of the soldiers by I know not what art. By rescript of the Emperors they are ordered to be burned And the seven brothers, whom your clemency ordered to be worshippers of their own law, he has subverted by magic art and made them ungrateful for your benefits. For this reason, determine by your command what you wish." Then the Emperors gave Marcian this authority: that if Julian with his companions persisted in this confession, he should order, with the entire province assembled for the example of others, that individual vats be prepared for each one, with pitch, sulfur, and bitumen placed inside, and each one shut in them, and fire applied to burn them. And if any incantation of magic art prevailed against this, he should have license to afflict them with whatever punishments he wished.

[38] Having received this authority, the Governor ordered ^a seat to be prepared for him in the forum. They stand before the Governor undaunted On the next day, when he had taken his seat, he ordered St. Julian with his companions to be presented before him. Marcian said to them: "Have you thought of nothing for your salvation in all this time?" Julian answered: "Our thought, which is from the beginning and in which it began, will also end in this. If you have devised any punishments, carry them out." The Governor said: "What I have devised, I will carry out." And he added: "Have you heard what the most unconquered Emperors have determined about you?" To him the venerable boy Celsus said: "And have you heard, O you who are not to be named, nor spoken of, nor listened to as ^a father, the punishment which God has prepared for your father the devil and for you who have become his ministers?" And St. Julian followed, saying: "Carry out what the Emperors have commanded; for we take no pleasure in hearing it."

[39] While these things were being said and heard, ^a lifeless body was being carried through the street to be committed to burial. Then the Governor, blinded in heart, ordered the body to be recalled and placed in the middle of the forum. And all who saw this were held in great amazement. Then Marcian said to St. Julian: "Your master Christ is said to have raised the dead before He was crucified. This will be the proof: if you are truly God's servants, raise this dead man as your master did." St. Julian said: "What good is it to ^a blind man when the sun rises?" The Governor said: "Spare your fables now; and if you or your God has any power, raise this dead man." Blessed Julian answered: "Although your unbelief does not deserve this from the Lord, yet because now is the time for the Lord's power to be manifested, and lest you think this impossible, I have the faithful promise of my Lord, believing that whatever I ask of Him, He will not disappoint me." Immediately Julian, fixing his eyes on heaven for the space of nearly an hour, his face was changed and became like snow, and with these words he poured out ^a prayer to the Lord before all: "Lord Jesus Christ, who are the true Son of the living God, who in the beginning were born of the Father without time, and in the last age of the world assumed flesh from ^a Virgin without seed: look down from the heights of Your heavens, and for the confounding of Your enemies and for the strengthening of the faith of those who believe in You, what You performed while on earth, now hear from heaven, and raise this dead man, so that the living may not die but the dead may live again." And having completed his prayer, he said to the corpse: St. Julian raises ^a dead man "I say to you, dry earth, in the name of Him who raised Lazarus on the fourth day: He Himself commands you, arise." And when he had said this, the man who was dead arose and cried out with ^a loud voice: "O acceptable prayer! O what things immaculate virginity merits! Where was I being taken, and whence have I been brought back?"

[40] But the blinded Marcian, mocking, said to him: "Where were you being taken and whence have you returned?" Then the man who had been dead said to the Governor: "Permit me to recount what happened in order." The Governor, again mocking, said: "Recount it." And he said: "I was being led by I know not what Ethiopians, The raised man relates the state of the afterlife whose stature was like that of giants, and their appearance horrible; their eyes like furnaces of fire, their teeth like those of lions, their arms like beams, their talons like those of eagles, in whom there was no mercy. These were joyfully leading me to hell. And when I was already near the mouth of the pit of the abyss, it was still being waited for my flesh to be returned to the earth from which it was taken. But when you, Governor, had my body recalled, and when Blessed Julian poured out his prayer to the Lord of heaven, all of hell was shaken, and ^a voice was heard from the throne of God, saying: 'For the sake of my beloved Julian, let this man's soul be returned, for I wish to sadden him in nothing, in whom I and my Father and the Holy Spirit so rejoice.' And two came, clad in white, and took me from their dominion and restored me to this light. Now therefore I beseech you, by Him who raised me, He becomes ^a Christian that I may acknowledge the true God after death, whom I denied while alive." Hearing and seeing this, the Governor was troubled; and lest ^a riot should arise among such great multitudes, he ordered him to be shut up in custody with the Saints and the locks to be sealed with his ring. Julian caused him to receive the grace of baptism; and with them he began to contend in martyrdom.

a. Others: "mother."

CHAPTER X.

Thirty-one Martyrs unharmed by fire.

[41] But the impious Marcian ordered the punishment which the Emperors had commanded to be prepared. When it was ready, the day dawned, and people of both sexes rushed as if to ^a spectacle of the Circus; The vats are filled with pitch and sulfur and those who did not wish to come were compelled by the ministers. Thirty-one vats were arranged in ^a row. An intolerable terror grew; the vats were filled with pitch, bitumen, and sulfur; and ^a supply of wood and brush was added.

[42] The impious Governor ordered the Saints to be brought from custody. Holy Julian and the boy were held by one chain; the rest, loaded with chains, were dragged to the spectacle, singing ^a hymn to God with one voice: "It is good for me that You have humbled me, The Martyrs are brought forth so that I may learn Your statutes" (Ps. 118:71). At their sight every age marveled at their new beauty, and their piety inclined their minds to weeping. Cries rose from every age in confusion. The men cried: "O injustice! We too have sons." The women, with hair unbound, cried: "O groan more bitter than gall! Why is such youth to be burned by fire? O blind power, which spares neither the living nor hears the dead!" Then St. Julian, asking for silence, said to the people: "Do not prevent what God has permitted. Allow us to become more splendid than gold through fire; knowing this: that you, both believers and unbelievers, will see us after the fire is consumed just as you see us now before the fire, unharmed."

[43] They are rebuked by the Governor The impious Governor ordered them to be placed before him, and said to them: "O desperate will, by which the flower of youth hastens to destruction! I know not by what incantation your minds have been alienated. Turn back, and at last, for your own salvation, bow your necks to the immortal gods who labor on your behalf. And if you are willing, I will obtain from the Emperors that you be worshippers of your own religion without any persecution; only do not let me see my only sweet son, in the very flower of his youth, along with such and so many, burned by fire. O unbearable grief to my heart! Whom shall I mourn first, when all have beautiful bodies? I long for the more beautiful face of my dearest son. O Julian, teacher of all evils, what great goods you drag down with you, so that my son, by denying his father, no longer acknowledges even his mother through you!" And turning to his son, he said: "At least before you perish, dearest son, let me hear your words. Behold, your mother comes too, who has found these sorrows of her childbearing that she never expected; behold, your numerous household, which was rejoicing that you would be its future lord, has come to bid farewell to your funeral."

[44] The venerable boy Celsus said: "Let them mourn for themselves and for you; The outstanding response of Celsus but for us, whom they see hastening to the kingdom of heaven, they should not mourn. For we shall all pass through the fire and appear to you unharmed, and to this great multitude who await our contest. But the demons whom you worship, and those plagues whom you call Emperors, we despise as refuse." The Governor said: "It is this very obstinate audacity of yours that does not permit you to live." Blessed Celsus said: "By the very vanity which you worship, I adjure you to grant the fulfillment of my petition with steadfast heart." The Governor said: "Ask whatever you wish." Celsus said: "When you have seen me unharmed after the fire, permit my mother to come to me, so that I may have counsel with her for three days with ^a delay granted. If she grants me the one thing I shall wish, you will lose neither me nor her." Hearing this, the mother pressed that it be done. Then the impious Marcian, blinded by the devil, said: "If you come out of the fire unharmed -- which I do not believe will happen -- I will do what you ask."

[45] Then the Governor, unable to bear seeing his son burned, left behind the Assessor to carry out the commands of the Emperors; and he himself, with his garments rent, returned home with his wife. Then an immense lamentation arose, with all mourning. Parents mourned ^a son, servants ^a master, and there was none to console them. What more? The Assessor fulfilled the duty imposed on him. He ordered each Saint to be placed in an individual vat. But the holy Celsus, who had never left the side of St. Julian, gave him the kiss of peace and hastened undaunted to the prepared punishment. And when each one was seized by the ministers They are placed in the vats and placed in the vats, as was said above, half-filled with pitch, sulfur, and bitumen, with ^a supply of wood, brush, and tow heaped up, the Assessor ordered the fire to be applied. When this was done, the flame erupted higher from that place, and was elevated more than thirty cubits. But from the midst of the fire, the multitude of those singing psalms resounded like the sound of many waters. But when everything placed under the fire was consumed, They are not harmed by the fire the Saints appeared like gleaming gold and silver, and sang this hymn to God in modulation: "We passed through fire and water, and You brought us to ^a place of refreshment" (Ps. 66:12). The fire, burning and flashing, forgot the force of its power at the Lord's command, lest it harm the Saints of God.

[46] These things were reported to the Governor: that the Saints of God all appeared to everyone unharmed. Immediately the Governor with his wife and household hastened to the spectacle to learn the outcome. Then he burst forth with these words: "Julian, I adjure you by your God, St. Julian explains how one may obtain the power of miracles tell me where you learned such great power of sorcery." Julian answered: "Since you have adjured me by my God, who is the author of these wonders, I will relate how one may merit, who desires to learn such sorcery, to become like me, ^a consecrator and author of this charm. If anyone labors to make himself ^a stranger from all the activities of the world, so that he hears only the voice of the Lord, commanding and saying: 'If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me' (Luke 9:23); let him put nothing before the love of God; let him desire nothing other than what the Lord Himself promises; let him consider neither father nor mother nor children, and the rest which those who understand know to be impediments to the soul; above all, let those who have taken diligent care of the poor, who are content to go hungry that they may feed others -- for it is an offering most acceptable to God by which the needy person is fed, by which the naked person is clothed, by which anger is not indulged, by which evil is not returned for evil, by which no time is reserved for wrath, by which impatience is overcome through patience. He who does not wish to be called holy before he is so -- this man pleases God; for many are called what they are not, and secure in that very hope by which they are called what they are not, they become negligent. Let them labor to truly be what they are falsely called. And there are many who are holy, and it is not said of them what they are, but full of humility and grace, they do not wish to be known by all, so that they may receive their reward from Him who knows what they are. Such people can learn this art which I know. For not only do they, while established in the body, merit this grace, but they will establish eternal friendships with God -- those who, first taught by Christ, then supply to others the gift bestowed upon them through the grace of God, first gaining themselves, then their neighbors; doing what they say; who count injury inflicted upon them as praise; who do not reserve for themselves any time of resentment; who, reconciling themselves to their neighbor and their neighbor to themselves, thus offer their gifts to God; who possess humility, which is the summit of all good things." Marcian said: "And who is so foolish as to flee the joy of this life and subject himself to such indignity?" St. Julian answered: "Almighty God is prepared to give this to all, but few show themselves worthy to receive His gifts." The Governor said: "Now, Julian, my discourse with you will come to an end." Julian answered: "This I have always desired."

CHAPTER XI.

The conversion of Marcionilla. The slaying of twenty-seven Martyrs.

[47] Celsus is granted his mother for three days Then the Governor said to his son: "Behold your mother, as you requested; for three days you will have ^a respite with her. She is prepared to consent to you in all things, lest she lose you, her only and dearest son, the cause of so many of her sorrows." St. Celsus said: "During these three days with my mother granted to me, none of your people will be allowed to be present." The Governor said: "As you wish, so I grant." And he added: "Let them be shut up in private custody." Immediately the Governor's order was fulfilled. Then the holy Martyrs were shut up in civilian custody together with the boy's mother. Entering, the Saints poured forth this prayer to the Lord: "God, who know the future, who behold the past as if present, who test minds, not age: deign, O Lord, to open the eyes of this woman's heart, and make her soil acceptable to You, from which You have received fruit in which You are known to rejoice."

[48] She is invited to the faith by heavenly splendor, fragrance, and music And immediately the place in which the Saints were praying was shaken, and ^a brightness seven times more splendid than silver flashed forth; nor was the fragrance customary to the Saints absent; and the voice of those singing psalms sounded in the air: "Truly God is merciful, who justifies the souls of sinners without works." Hearing and seeing this, the woman cried out: "Never in the days of my life have I sensed so sweet ^a fragrance; for as in the most pleasant gardens, the nectar of lilies and roses and balsam, and the scent of nard, abounds. I am so refreshed by these gifts that I suffer forgetfulness of all my sorrows; nor do I recognize anything else remaining in my heart except that He is the true God for whom my son contends."

[49] She is catechized by St. Julian and her son Celsus Hearing this, Blessed Julian with all the Saints is reported to have offered the woman such teaching: "Blessed are you, recognized as ^a tree for believers, who by the merit of your fruit so quickly obtain the medicine of both soul and body. For such is the physician who receives your infirmity: He heals your wounds not by cutting but by testing your faith once. The venerable boy followed, saying: "Now truly I acknowledge you as ^a true mother, truly I recognize you as my parent. Neither will you lose your son nor I my mother, but strive with me for that gift for which the Saints endure such great things." The venerable woman, whose innermost heart divine grace had already illuminated, answered her son: "Know, my son, that I put nothing before the love of Him whom you so love. For this reason, whatever you know to be necessary for my salvation, do it." The boy answered: "With the heart one believes unto justice, and because confession is made with the mouth unto salvation, this is lacking: that you receive the baptism of purification, through which you may become ^a dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit." The woman answered: "Behold, the locks hold us, and the guards of the soldiers surround us, and neither entrance nor exit is permitted; how shall we find such ^a person as you promise me?" St. Julian answered: "Here we have ^a holy and true Priest of Christ who will purify you; only renounce your gods with your whole heart and believe in the one Lord who reigns in heaven, who is one in Trinity and three in Unity, under whose rule Kings govern the earth, by whose grace leaders are confirmed, at whose trembling the nations quake, by whose wisdom the wise are sanctified, by whose command the heavens are covered with clouds, by whose will rain is given to the earth, by whose gift the earth is made fruitful, by whose will it produces what is necessary, by whose gift springs overflow. He is Christ the eternal God; the Father is in the Son, and the Holy Spirit, by whose splendor the heavens are illuminated and the darkness of unbelief is put to flight; by His command all things are governed, because by His will all things were created." The woman answered: "Whoever does not believe these things to be so possesses ^a heart of iron and bears not the sense of men but of beasts." Then all the Saints gave thanks to God, who had deigned to free the lost sheep from the jaws of wolves. To her Blessed Julian again said: "Do you thus believe, as you have heard, that there is one true God in heaven, who is triple majesty and one Deity?" The woman answered: "I believe Him to be the true God whom I have come to know through your preaching, the Creator of all things, who has fixed the sea within certain boundaries, who set for it ^a limit which it shall not cross, who suspended heaven and adorned it with the splendors of diverse stars, who established it with the perpetual heat of the sun and instituted the beginning and end of the moon. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom, having left vanity behind, I believe, desiring to be freed from this temporal life so that I may merit to attain eternal life with you."

[50] And when the woman had said this, the place in which they were trembled, and ^a voice was heard in the air, saying: "I believed, and therefore I spoke." All the Saints responded: "Amen." She is baptized with her son as her sponsor Then Blessed Antony the Priest baptized her, and the venerable Celsus, her son, became her father in baptism. And when she had been baptized and all rejoiced over her salvation, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying: "Let your heart be strengthened in the Lord, and act manfully." Hearing this, Blessed Julian said: She is confirmed from heaven "The voice that has sounded in our ears announces to us future sufferings and diverse kinds of torments which the enemy devises against us. For this reason let us commend the course of our faith to the Lord, who is powerful to preserve our faith and to complete our course, so that we may merit to receive the stored-up crown of justice."

[51] What more? The impious Marcian learned that his wife had become the companion of the Martyrs and been confirmed by the love of Christ. The Governor Marcian ordered the Martyrs to be presented privately within his own house. All are placed before the Governor When they were presented before him, he said to the venerable boy: "You requested your mother under this condition: that she would agree with you. Now I wish to know what has been done." The venerable boy answered: "I give thanks to my God, who has so perfected the fruit of my will that I possess my mother forever, and she possesses me as her son; so that from this day you may know that for the love of Christ we have absolutely no hope in this life. For this reason neither do I know you as father nor she as husband." Then the Governor, filled with anger, ordered the woman to be seized and held at home. When the ministers approached her, Those trying to seize Marcionilla are blinded wishing to touch her, they were made blind. Hearing this, Marcian, blinded by the devil, ordered all to be shut in the depths of the prison.

[52] The next day, sitting in judgment, he ordered the twenty soldiers who were contending in the contest to be beheaded for the name of Christ; and the seven brothers he ordered to be given over to fire. When this was done, Twenty soldiers are killed by the sword, seven brothers by fire they consummated their martyrdom with joy and exultation in peace, departing to the Lord, to whom is honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. But the holy Julian with the Priest Antony, the mother and son, and the man whom hell had returned, he ordered to be reserved for his own judgment.

b. Others: "health."

CHAPTER XII.

The overthrow of the temple of Jupiter.

[53] When he had taken his seat in judgment in the forum, he ordered Blessed Julian and the remaining Saints to be presented. The officer said: "They are here." Then Marcian burst forth: "I have nothing worthy to say to you, Julian." And he added: Antony the Priest responds to the Governor about the faith "Are you Antony, whom these men testify is their Pope? It is established then that you are the author of this magic art." Blessed Antony the Priest answered: "I give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has made me, unworthy, ^a minister of this His grace." The Governor said: "At least you tell me, Antony: what is this magic power of yours, that you so separate sons from parents, break apart marriages, persuade people to refuse and abhor the very goods of life and wealth that fate grants, and the immortal gods are blasphemed through you? What then is this audacity of yours? Tell me: from your own mouth I will hear and learn how I may put an end to you and your magic arts. For you have prevailed so greatly in deceiving the people that you even boast of having raised the dead, by which you have ensnared innocent hearts." Antony the Priest said: "I had wished that you would provoke the leader of our contest, Julian, and receive your answer from him. But since there is one God, Jesus Christ, who touches the organs of our hearts, you have asked what you wished; now hear from me what you seek. The Master and Author of this magic art, as you call it, gave us this precept: that precious pearls should not be cast by us before swine; He said: 'I have not come to bring peace upon the earth, but ^a sword; for I have come to separate ^a son from his father, ^a daughter from her mother' (Matt. 7:6; 10:34-35). And in another place He consequently says: 'Whoever loves father or mother or children more than me is not worthy of me' (Matt. 10:37). Hearing this voice, your son did not love you, his carnal father, more than Christ his Creator. In like manner also the one you call your wife: when this voice of the Lord was understood, she despised the temporal marriage bed, so that following Christ the immortal King she might obtain eternal rest." And he added: "Nothing truer, nothing more clear can you learn." Hearing this, the Governor ordered them to be shut in custody, saying: "I will devise punishments by which they shall perish."

[54] The next day, summoning the priests to him, he said: "Adorn the venerable temple of Jupiter, which it is the custom to open once ^a year, where the venerable images of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva are recognized, The temple of Jupiter is magnificently prepared constructed of pure amber, to which the most delightful Cupid ministers pleasures. Prepare libations and incense." The priests accordingly prepared the customary offerings. What more? The day dawned; with the temple opened, the entire multitude gathered, marveling at the opened temple, which was scarcely opened once ^a year, on the birthday of the Emperors. For such was the workmanship of the building that the walls and floor gleamed not with marble but with silver panels, with the vaulted ceilings sparkling with the purest gold and pearls and precious stones.

[55] When everything had been prepared, Marcian entered the temple and ordered the Saints of God to be brought in. The Governor urges them to sacrifice to the gods When they were presented, he said: "Now, Julian, and you, Antony, the time has come for you and your companions to obtain salvation. For I have arranged this for your welfare: that in this terrible temple you may burn incense to the immortal gods. But if you still persist in that same obstinacy of yours, renouncing these for whom I have spared you until now, I will rage against you with diverse torments. For this reason, Julian, since you are established as the author of this crime, approach and propitiate the immortal gods, through whose divinity you may be restored to your family." St. Julian answered: "You had already said that you would have no more discourse with me. But since I know the true time has come for us also to obtain salvation and for your deities to be honored, have all the priests of the gods be present inside, so that they may know what sacrifice we shall offer to them." And Blessed Julian added: "Farewell, excellent Governor, who persuade us to receive praise and glory at such an acceptable time, and who command that we sacrifice to all your gods dwelling together in one place -- which we do not refuse. For we have delayed precisely so that in this wondrous temple which you have, we might offer ^a great sacrifice to all."

[56] Then the Governor, not understanding in what direction he was proceeding, said: "I rejoice that, even if you have come to your senses late, He falsely thinks St. Julian has been perverted you are not losing this honey-sweet light, overflowing with all good things, by sacrificing to the gods." Then the Judge ordered all chains to be removed, saying: "It is disgraceful for those to be held in chains to whom the gods have begun to be propitious." And when they were unloaded of the chains by which they were bound, he said to the venerable boy and his mother: "Approach and propitiate the gods whom you have served until now." To him the venerable woman gave only this response: "May the true God whom I have come to know not let me have discourse with you any further. In ignorance I did the things you mention. Now I know the truth, from which I never depart." Then the Governor, turning to Blessed Julian, said: "Behold, everything is ready; fulfill what you have promised." St. Julian answered: "Now is the hour in which we shall be glorified, so that we may appear glorious in the sight of all." Marcian said: "So it is, if you wish to obtain salvation." St. Julian said to his companions: "Let us approach to obtain salvation, and let the sacrifice which we are about to make today be known to the world to come." Then the Governor ordered the other Saints also to come from the private prison, thinking what he wished to be true. The Saints entered the temple and armed their brows with the banner of the holy cross. Then Blessed Julian said to the Governor: "What do you command, Governor? Shall we offer sacrifice to all the gods?" The Governor said: "All whom you see are immortal, equal in power, equal in glory; they do not envy each other in their worshippers, especially in you, who have recognized them late."

[57] As the Governor was saying this, St. Antony the Priest and Blessed Julian with their companions, having fixed their knees, said: "God who are without beginning, without end, without time, for You possess an eternal name, who take no delight in things made by hands, whom the world cannot contain, but who rest in ^a pure heart; who said through the Prophet: 'All the gods of the nations are demons' (Ps. 96:5). But You alone are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; who in Your wisdom made the heavens, founded the earth, gathered the seas, setting ^a limit which they do not cross; whose waves praise You with murmuring voice; whom the chattering voices of diverse birds sweetly praising acknowledge as their Creator; who in the will of Christ have created all things -- look now upon the overthrow of this temple, and upon such great shrines of demons and such great numbers of their worshippers; break their audacity and let all these things in which they glory be reduced to nothing; The temple with its idols and pagans is overthrown by the prayers of the Saints so that they may acknowledge You alone as God and glory in You who believe in Your name and in Jesus Christ Your Son, whom we know to be coequal and coeternal with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever." And when all the Christians had said "Amen," all the carved images were reduced to nothing, and the temple was so engulfed that what it had been was unrecognizable. For also ^a confused multitude of about ^a thousand priests perished with the temple, and another great part of the pagans perished at the same time. Fire erupted in that place and remains to this very day. Then Blessed Julian said to the Governor: "Where are the handmade images of the demons in which you gloried? Where is the amber? Where the gold? Where is the beauty of the temple? Where the walls and silver floor? Where the precious metals? With the name of Christ invoked, all these things have been overturned into the earth, from which they were taken, from which they also came. For just as the womb of the earth received all those things, so also ^a perpetual hell will receive you and your Emperors and all worshippers of demons, where the consuming fire is not extinguished and the devouring worm does not die, where the body is constantly renewed for punishment, where mercy is sought and not found. Such ^a place, prepared for your author the devil, awaits you." Hearing this, the Governor said: "O magic power! O unheard-of incantation! Do you so prevail that even the earth opens its bosom and takes away all good things from the eyes of those who piously enjoyed them? I will no longer have mercy; I will no longer spare them. Before I order them to be struck with the sword, I will sate myself with their punishment." Then he ordered the Saints of God to be shut in the depths of the prison.

b. Surius: "golden."

CHAPTER XIII.

The martyrdom of St. Julian and his companions.

[58] [St. Basilissa with the Virgins and Martyrs appears to St. Julian and his companions] That night, while the holy Julian and his companions feasted in the praises of God, in the very silence of midnight there appeared ^a multitude of Saints with Priests who had already obtained the palm of martyrdom, all clothed in white robes; among them also the twenty soldiers and seven brothers came, glorified. And Blessed Basilissa was present with the whole choir of virgins; amid which multitude the sole voice of "Alleluia" resounded. Then Blessed Basilissa addressed St. Julian, saying: "The kingdoms of heaven have been opened for you. Come, and we have received this command from Christ the eternal King: that on the day of His Appearance He may receive you with your companions; and the whole glorious company of Patriarchs and Apostles may meet you, and the Lord Christ will join you to the number of Saints with perpetual joy." And again "Alleluia" was heard ^a third time, and the vision was taken from their eyes.

[59] The next day Marcian ordered ^a tribunal to be prepared for him in the middle of the forum and commanded the Saints to be brought. The most wicked serpent devised new and unheard-of kinds of torments. He ordered the ministers to bind the fingers of the Saints' hands and feet with wicks soaked in oil, They are tortured in various ways, unharmed and commanded fire to be applied. When this was done, the wicks were consumed but the flesh of the Saints remained uncontaminated. Then the impious Marcian ordered the skin of the head to be removed from St. Julian and the venerable boy; and when the holy Antony the Priest and Anastasius who had been raised cried out, saying: "Glory to You, Christ," he ordered their eyes to be dug out with hooks. But holy Marcionilla, the boy's mother, whom God had foreknown to be unable to endure punishments -- when he ordered her to be placed on the rack, if any of the ministers wished to touch her, they were made blind. But the Lord so healed and illuminated His Saints that in all things they appeared as if they had suffered nothing.

[60] Then Marcian cried out: "Woe is me! We are defeated. What else shall I do? One thing remains." Exposed to beasts, they are not harmed He ordered the amphitheater to be prepared; entering it and ascending the tribunal, he ordered the Saints of God to be presented and multitudes of every kind of beast to be released. And when the beasts had been released, each one came to the Saints and licked their feet.

[61] Seeing this, Marcian summoned the magistrates of the city and ordered all prisons to be searched, and persons already condemned to death to be sent into the amphitheater, and the Saints of God to be mixed among them and beheaded among the criminals. Then St. Julian with his holy fellow-martyrs said: "Glory to You, Christ, who have brought us to this hour of salvation." Then the venerable boy with his holy mother said to the Governor: "Take note of our faces, which in this world you see so changed by the grace of Christ. For your treachery tried to impose disfigurement upon us, but the grace and mercy of Christ will clothe us They are beheaded by the sword with great glory and beauty, so that on that day you may recognize us in glory while you are in hell." Then Marcian ordered them to be mixed among the criminals, and having sent in the executioner, ordered the Martyrs of God to be put to death by the sword.

[62] And when it was done, immediately an earthquake occurred, so that nearly ^a third of the city was overturned from its foundations. Nor was anything in which an idol was recognized permitted to stand. Lightning and thunder and intolerable hail occurred, The Governor and his followers are punished which consumed the greatest part of the unbelieving populace. The Governor himself barely escaped half-dead. Not many days later he expired, swarming with worms.

[63] The bodies, shown by the Saints, are buried That night the Christian people and Priests came, and since amid the multitude of corpses they could not recognize the relics of the Saints, they knelt in prayer; and when the prayer was completed, the souls of the Saints appeared to them in the form of virgins, each one seated upon its own bodily vessel. Thus the holy relics were collected. The Lord's grace so arranged that the blood of the Saints congealed around each one of them like milky bread, so that the earth did not dare to open its mouth to receive the holy blood, having been sated with the blood of the wicked. The glorious Martyrs Julian and all his companions suffered on the eighth day before the Ides of January, and the Priests, taking their holy bodies, buried them in the holy mother church beneath the sacred covering of the altar.

[64] Whence the Lord's mercy caused an unfailing spring to issue forth, by whose waters the most sacred baptistery is consecrated. They are famous for miracles. A spring arises. Lepers are cleansed, etc. In that place such divine benefits are abundantly bestowed upon believers that if anyone arrives full of faith and belief, he immediately obtains healing, whatever infirmity may possess him. Nor shall I keep silent about this miracle which the Lord deigned to work there to confirm the faith of the faithful, so that to this very day no one may doubt. Ten lepers, of already decayed and putrid flesh, were brought so that on the day of their passion -- that is, of the Epiphany -- they might receive the grace of baptism. And when the sacrament had been completed in them, and they were carried on linen sheets because they could not be touched by hands, as each one of them was immersed, he obtained such health that never was such beauty seen in the human race. And ^a voice was heard, saying: "The faith of my beloved Julian has merited all these things, and will merit greater." In that same holy place the blind are illuminated, demons are driven out -- and not only there, but wherever, through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and of His Saint Julian, basilicas are built. Glory to Christ, who is faithful in His words and bestows such great glory on His Saints, whose honor and dominion is forever and ever. Amen.

LIFE OF THE SAME HOLY MARTYRS

BY ST. ALDHELM, BISHOP.

Book 1, chapter 42.

Julian, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Seven boys, kinsmen of the Emperor Carinus, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (SS.) Anastasius, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Antony the Priest, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Basilissa, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Celsus, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Marcionilla, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) N., friend of the Governor Marcian, Martyr at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (St.) Very many other Bishops, Clerics, Monks, and Virgins, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt Twenty Soldiers, Martyrs at Antioch or Antinous in Egypt (SS.)

By St. Aldhelm.

[1] Moreover, I shall not suffer the virginal glory of Julian the Martyr to lie hidden under the secret retreat of silence: who, in the times of Diocletian and Maximian, was sprung from ^a noble family. When his parents had made him, flourishing in the first rudiments of his boyhood, both skilled in the art of dialectic and proficient in the art of rhetoric, and had delivered him to tutors and teachers St. Julian is urged by his parents to marry and imbued him with the manifold disciplines of the philosophers; and now perceived that he was mature in the tender beginnings of his youth, and had discovered him to be ^a lover of the Catholic faith, clinging to the sacred thresholds of the Church and frequently visiting the cells of the Confessors, they greatly feared that if their only child were lost to their family line on account of the prerogative of religion and the habit of holy life, they themselves, like the Patriarch, would utter ^a tearful lament, bringing down their gray hairs with sorrow to the grave (Gen. 42:38); and moreover would be utterly deprived of the hoped-for heirs of their descendants and the grandchildren of their grandchildren. Therefore they strove to bend the boy with earnest prayers and unheard-of exhortations of blandishments, that he might incline his iron affections -- nay, harder than adamant -- to the marriage torches and the partnership of the bond. They even used Apostolic oracles as an argument for their urging, in which the Apostle says: "I desire that the young marry, bear children, giving no occasion to the evil one" (1 Tim. 5:14). To whom he is written to have responded thus: "It is neither my will nor my time of life to do what you urge." Again, when they persisted obstinately in their entreaties, he said: "I have neither the faculty to permit nor the power to refuse what you urge. I commit myself to the power of my God."

[2] He asked his parents for ^a delay of one week, however, in order to learn the will of the supreme Majesty by evident signs. When that interval had passed, At Christ's exhortation, he marries Basilissa overcome by sleep, he saw Christ say to him in ^a vision (oramate): "Arise, do not fear, nor dread the persuasions of words or the will of your parents. For you will receive ^a wife who will not separate you from me, but will persevere as ^a virgin through you." And below: "Many young men and virgins will be proved fit for the heavenly army through your teaching and life." Therefore the blessed virgin was received in the bridal chamber, by the omen of her name Basilissa, that is, "queen"; beautiful in the appearance of her face, but more beautiful in the chastity of her heart; lovely, I say, in bodily features, but more lovely, adorned gracefully with spiritual garments.

[3] O what ^a throng of believers of both sexes, trampling upon the foul sewers of crimes and abhorring the putrid wallows of vices, They build monasteries was converted to the Catholic faith under their instruction and triumphed, contending with the trophy of martyrdom! Indeed, with Christ's help, they built many cloisters of monks in the most famous municipality of Alexandria, which is the metropolis of Egypt. In these, about ten thousand soldiers of Christ, living under Julian's strict rule and by no means deviating from the path of holy religion through oblique byways to the right or left, lived according to the rule. But Basilissa, consecrated to God, reaping twice five hundred sheaves of the holy harvest with the sickle of Evangelical preaching, brought them in to be threshed on the threshing-floor of the Torturer and stored in the heavenly granaries.

[4] At last, when the savage fury of the persecutors, fiercely attacking the most sacred recruits of the Church with cruel edicts and ferocious torments of torture, endeavored to utterly overthrow the bulwark of the Catholic faith, battered by the ballista of secular argument and undermined by the battering-rams of ^a terrible engine -- who can express in the texture of literary style how much Julian endured in martyrdom with his fellow-soldiers and companions of the same purpose? While the Governor Marcian harangued from the lofty height of the tribunal or the platform of the theater, Julian is tortured; he restores ^a torn-out eye; he destroys the idols beaten with knotted clubs and bloody whips without any regard for mercy, he could not be turned from the worship of Christ; nay more, he restored unharmed the torn-out pupil of his striker, who was cruelly inflicting the welts of scourges upon him (although the Governor insisted that he be drenched with the more shameful urine). Moreover, he demolished, shattered, and overthrew more than five hundred abominable images of idols to the ground, to which the priests of the shrines, offering libations in the manner of Bacchantes, were burning incense.

[5] Likewise Julian, together with the young son of the Governor, Effembus Hircitallus, who was ^a neophyte and recently converted to the faith, was thrust into the deepest dungeon, where the foul corpses of the condemned, over ^a long interval of time, seethed with horrible swarms of worms, and he endured the nausea of filth. But conversely, the divine mercy, which always remembers its soldiers, graciously bestowed upon those enduring the squalor of the prison, in place of the foul dunghill, the fragrance of ambrosia and nectar, together with clear light. Seeing such great prodigies, the soldiers assigned to guard the Confessors, spurning the worship of fanatical superstition, were joined to the ranks of the orthodox. Meanwhile, at the Governor's demand, he raised ^a dead man's corpse, bound with long windings of bandages and not yet buried in ^a sarcophagus, by pouring forth prayers to heaven. Rising from the depths of hell, the man revealed to the astonished spectators the entire tragedy of his journey thither and the clemency of his return thence.

[6] Therefore, urged by decree of the officials, the holy Martyrs were enclosed in the spectacle of the Circus in the bowels of thirty vats, The Martyrs emerge unharmed from boiling pitch and burning oil which were stuffed and filled on the inside with ^a mass of black pitch and fuel of bitumen and the stench of sulfur, and on the outside were set on fire with crackling logs of the pyre placed beneath and bundles of brush set ablaze, to such an extent that the peaks of the flaming pyre surpassed the height of an obelisk and the round apex of ^a sphere by thirty cubits rising to ^a cone. But with such great power from above suppressing the torrent of fire, the triumphant men, like gleaming refined gold, went forth in public before the watching crowd of the Circus. Then the reciprocal ferocity of the wicked torturer, which always feeds on the punishments of the innocent and fattens on shed blood, heaped up great rewards of martyrdom for the athletes and champions of Christ -- while they wrapped the joints of their fingers and the thumbs of their palms with threads soaked in liquid oil, and likewise cruelly bound the big toes of their feet. But when the threads of the wicks were consumed by flame, the divine protection shielded the athletes of God, contending in the wrestling-arena of the world in the manner of wrestlers, unharmed from the smoking globes of flame.

[7] But confounded by this victory of Christ's Confessors, the bloody executioner ordered the Saints, bound with iron collars, to be led into the amphitheater, so that, with the cages of the dens opened and the obstacles of the gratings removed, They are thrown to lions and not harmed they might be torn by the twin jaws of bears and gnawed by the maws of lions. Thus ^a vain hope fed the foolish and God-hated heart of the Governor, while the frenzied rabies of the wild beasts and the gluttonous voracity of the animals, restrained by heavenly command, did not dare to struggle against the offered prey; the harmless gullets of their throats were stopped, as the Poet says of the Prophet:

"And the fierce lions learned to preserve their prey."

[8] At last Blessed Julian, together with his fellow-soldiers, cruelly struck by ^a drawn sword, They are beheaded and drenched with ^a ruddy stream of blood, happily fell. At their venerable sarcophagi, when ten lepers -- whom ^a dire callousness of skin, disfiguring them with elephantine corruption, had stained not piecemeal but limb by limb -- were immediately regenerated for the grace of ^a second birth in the baptistery; these, who had been carried in linen sheets and cloths while sick, by the merits of the Saints departed healthy and with their prayers fulfilled.

a. Better: "a youth." ^l. Others: "crates."