Brothers Julius the Priest and Julian the Deacon

CONCERNING THE HOLY BROTHERS JULIUS THE PRIEST AND JULIAN THE DEACON, IN THE DIOCESE OF NOVARA IN ITALY.

Beginning of the Fifth Century.

Julius the Priest, brother, at Novara in Italy (Saint) Julian the Deacon, brother, at Novara in Italy (Saint)

From various sources.

[1] Novara is a city of Cisalpine Gaul between the rivers Ticino and Sessites, long since adorned with an episcopal See, as we said on January 22 in the life of St. Gaudentius the Bishop. The diocese extends far toward the Alps, enclosed within nearly the same rivers and Lake Verbano, divided into several Vicariates; among which are the Island of St. Julius with the Riviera, In the diocese of Novara, in the town of Gaudiano, St. Julian is venerated; and Gaudiano: the latter venerates St. Julian, the former St. Julius as Patron. At Gaudiano there is a college of eleven Canons and a Provost, in the rather ample church of St. Julian, where his body is placed under the altar, as Charles, Bishop of Novara, writes in Book 1 of his work on the Church of Novara. Six parishes are subject to that Vicariate. The lake of St. Julius, not far from Gaudiano, has about a thousand paces or not much more in width and nine in length toward the north. In it there is an island resembling a rock, about five hundred paces in circumference, St. Julius on the island with a rock rising in its middle part; on whose summit St. Julius is said to have built the first church, now converted into a tower and prison, where also the dwellings of the Castellan are found, called by the name of a castle. Now there is a rather ample church for the site in the lower part, in which, besides the body of St. Julius, there are also other relics. Fifteen parishes along both banks of the lake are subject to that Church, whence the region is called the Riviera; although by a broader term the entire jurisdiction of the Bishop of Novara is sometimes called the Riviera; and the upper part of the lake is surrounded by villages not belonging to the parish of St. Julius.

[2] The island and the lake are also called by the name of St. Julius, and in it there was once a fortification and seat of a Duke ruling over the neighboring region. This is clear from Paul the Deacon, Book 4, Chapter 3: "In those days," having been so named long ago. he says, "King Agilulf killed Mimulf, Duke of the island of St. Julius, because he had surrendered himself to the Frankish Dukes in earlier times." When the Lombards had been conquered by Charlemagne, the island came, or perhaps returned, into the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Novara. It was again taken from him by King Berengar II, and Otto I restored it, as is clear from the diploma that Charles, Bishop of Novara, cites from the archives of the Church of St. Julius. The continuator of Regino mentions the island, occupied by Willa, the wife of Berengar, who however wrongly places it in the Lago Maggiore, although this smaller lake seems to have once been separated from it, as Bishop Charles argues. Concerning Willa, that author writes thus at the year 962: "Willa enclosed herself in the Lago Maggiore, on a certain island called St. Julius ... then Willa was first approached in hostile fashion, and with every exit from the lake cut off, she was harassed by daily attacks of slingers and archers and other instruments of war, and after not quite two months of siege she was captured."

[3] Here, therefore, and at Novara, and also at Milan, as is clear from the Breviary, St. Julius the Confessor is venerated on January 31. Bellinus of Padua writes of him on that day, Feast of St. Julius, as do Molanus in the additions to Usuard, the manuscripts of St. Mary at Utrecht and St. Martin at Trier, Maurolycus, and Felicius: "On the same day, of St. Julius the Confessor." The Roman Martyrology: "At Milan, of St. Julius the Priest and Confessor, in the time of the Emperor Theodosius." Galesinnius likewise assigns him to Milan, because, to be sure, on this day at Milan he is celebrated with an office of three Lessons. Baronius in the Notes to the Martyrology nevertheless acknowledges that the people of Novara also claim the same Julius for themselves; and they too on this day celebrate him and his companion Julian, and have for them a private ecclesiastical office which is publicly recited.

[4] The Carthusians of Cologne in the additions to Usuard commemorate Julius and Julian as brothers today; and more fully Canisius: "Likewise of the holy brothers Julius and Julian, who asked from the Emperor Theodosius and of Julian. the authority to destroy everywhere the shrines of idols and to build churches to Christ." Ghinius testifies that both are celebrated by the Church of Novara as Patrons. But Ferrarius in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy and in his general catalogue assigns the feast of St. Julian to January 7, though he acknowledges that the office is transferred on account of the octave of Epiphany. Maurolycus commemorates St. Julian on January 27: "There was also another Julian," he says, "brother of Blessed Julius, who, in the time of the Emperor Theodosius, devoted themselves to overthrowing idols and sacrificing to Christ."

[5] We give the life of these holy brothers as transcribed by our colleague John Gamansius from a codex of the Charterhouse of Cologne, whose title is: Selected Antiquities on the Lives of the Saints from the Manuscripts of the Charterhouse of Gamnitz in Thuringia, Life, whence published here. the work of Brother James Bilagius of Erfurt, Carthusian, 1627, who prefaces the following: "Certain manuscript codices are so filled with errors that unless one has a second or third copy, one can hardly ever draw a complete or perfect sense from them. For this reason I was unable to supply the gaps and defects in all of them. Therefore, where I had only a single copy, I faithfully transcribed it as I found it, with imperfect, mutilated, and obscure sense, lest I should seem to have rashly corrected or altered the writings of venerable antiquity according to my private judgment." Then at the beginning of February: "We here incidentally advise the benevolent reader that there exists in our library a certain notable manuscript codex, on parchment and in royal folio, containing selected histories of Saints according to the calendar order, from the very Kalends of January up to the sixteenth before the Kalends of March inclusive, from which I drew the preceding materials for the most part, and also some that follow."

[6] We have collated this Life with the one that exists in Mombritius, which seems to have been written by some Canon of the Church of St. Julius, another in Mombritius: since, as we noted at chapter 4, the sacred instruments which St. Julius is said to have donated to the church he built on the island are described with the words: "he left them to us for his blessing." We have nevertheless preferred the manuscript (nor did it seem worthwhile to give both, since they differ almost only in phrasing), since the other already exists, and what Charles, Bishop of Novara, narrates in his work about Novara concerning these Saints agrees entirely with our Life, and not equally with that of Mombritius; and he testifies that he received his account from the old manuscript books of those very Churches (of St. Julius and of Gaudiano) and of the Cathedral, as well as from elsewhere.

[7] A summary of this life exists in Peter de Natalibus, Book 3, Chapter 36, who however seems wrongly to place St. Julian before Julius, since the latter was a Priest and the former a Deacon. Ferrarius also has a brief life in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy; their relics. but he seems mistaken when he writes that St. Julius died near Novara and that his body, together with his brother's, was laid to rest on the island of Lake Orta. For he died and was buried on the island itself, while his brother was buried at Gaudiano. On January 7 he again asserts that the body of St. Julian at this time rests on the aforementioned island, which is called after St. Julius. But the testimony of Charles of Novara, whose words were cited above, is more reliable. In the Breviary of Milan there exists a Lesson briefly comprising the life of St. Julius, with which the eulogy composed by Galesinnius agrees, as does that of Constantinus Ghinius.

[8] It is worth learning from the narrative of the Bishop of Novara himself what the devotion of the neighboring peoples toward these holy brothers, and especially Julius, is like, and what the concourse to them is. His account runs as follows: To the church of St. Julius every year many peoples come, either by their own vow or that of their ancestors, or simply out of pious goodwill toward St. Julius. In orderly procession they cross to the island, preceded by the cross and accompanied by the parish Priest. They are received lovingly and devoutly with the ringing of bells; they attend the sacrifice of the Mass; they offer money, wax, and grain, each according to his fixed obligation or voluntary disposition, as a common or individual gift. And because they sing Litanies and psalms as they approach, St. Julius is invoked against wolves. each people is customarily called by the name "Psalm" by ancient usage. Most of them made this vow in order to be freed from wolves through the intercession of St. Julius. They are also accustomed to go around the island in boats, singing devoutly; some also with lighted candles. The peoples of the lower diocese still maintain this pious practice, as far as we know: Calpurnianum on the last Saturday of September, Momum on the second feast of Pentecost, Pombia likewise. Rovasio and Rovasenda from the Piedmontese region of the diocese of Vercelli public processions of neighboring villages and others to him; on the first Saturday of September. Likewise from the same region, Colobianum on the second Saturday of September; and Quintum on the fourth Saturday of the same month. From the upper diocese, Grignascum, on an uncertain day. Eumenia on the feast of St. Roch, together with Bulca; Crusinallum likewise, Coquarna Superiore, and Luzonium, and Ciretium on the same day, each people separately. Mergotium on the second feast of Pentecost; and on the same day Arnauassium. Premosellum on August 16; Voconia on the second feast of Pentecost. The people of the parish church of St. Vincent of Vergonte on the sixth day of the octave of the Resurrection; Beura on the third Sunday of August; Traguntanum, on the first. From the Valley of the Vegetius, the people of St. Mary, on an uncertain day. From the Riviera itself, Orta on the solemn feast of the Ascension; on the feast day of each Saint whose body is said to be preserved here, and on the first Sunday of each month, preceded by the confraternity members dressed in their habit; and they would attend Mass at the altar of St. Demetrius, while it stood. Armenum on the Ascension of the Lord; Amenum on the same day; Milliacinum likewise, Vaciacum, and Corium with Suatia; Pitenascum with Crabia on the vigil of the Ascension; Nonium with Oria on the feast of St. Bernardino. Crassona on the feast of the Ascension. Areola with Planetia on the same day. Artoum with Centenaria on the feast of St. Philibert. Pella with Altium on the feast of the Holy Cross. Podonium with Barzonium and Petrarium on the same day, and Alania; likewise Sorisium, on an uncertain day. And other peoples also, I believe. We have also instituted that on the feast day of St. Julius all peoples of his jurisdiction who have a parish priest should come with their parish priest in a very joyful celebration, and offer to the church whatever they wish, so that from this act of piety toward the most blessed patron they may be aided toward salvation and prosperity; for we judged this entirely fitting. And how greatly this heavenly patronage is valued by all the inhabitants, we seem to have clearly experienced more than once, when, being concerned for them, we decreed supplications. Moreover, many come privately to the church and this sacred tomb, though not as frequently as in former times, which we lament. Among these are many people from beyond the Alps, especially from the diocese of Sion, whose remarkable piety toward the blessed man is evident; so much so that they approach the altar with the sepulcher on their knees, and indeed go around it several times, likewise crawling on their knees placed upon the ground. Indeed, there are those who climb the very steps leading to the church in the same manner. Energumens are also frequently brought, and most of them, with the pious office of exorcising Priests assisting, depart free.

[9] Some of the same peoples also visit the church of St. Julian in the same manner: Calpurnianum, Momum, Pombia, and to St. Julian. and the aforementioned peoples from the diocese of Vercelli. Furthermore, the neighboring parishes of Sorisium, Ozatum, Bugnatum, Bolesanum, and Briga, on the feast day of the Ascension.

LIFE BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,

from a manuscript codex of the Charterhouse of Cologne, transcribed by John Gamansius of the Society of Jesus.

Julius the Priest, brother, at Novara in Italy (Saint) Julian the Deacon, brother, at Novara in Italy (Saint)

BHL Number: 4558

By an anonymous author, from manuscripts.

PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR.

[1] Since the clemency of the Divine Majesty flourishes ineffably, daily miracles testify to the power of His strength. To His servants also, who were found just by the fruit of faith and by their merits, it was granted by the same will to excel in miracles -- to those who pursued Him with every effort of virtue and with pious love, desiring His commandments, so that their seed might be powerful on the earth, and their righteousness might endure forever and ever. Concerning the life and labors of His servants, the most Blessed brothers Julius and Julian, to whom the zeal of faith gave the ability to ascend to the heavens, let us inquire with pen and narrative. Blessed Julius, leaving worldly things to the world, supported by divine and spiritual arms, despised with all the effort of his purpose all the falling, transitory, and frivolous things of the world, yearning in spirit toward the eternal dwelling prepared for him in the fatherland. In this same contest he left a rule of uprightness for those still struggling, and showed them a most firm example. How greatly the world rejoices that it has received virtues through him; The Saints set forth as an example for mortals. since through so many spans of time his deeds of blessedness are recalled to memory in praise of His name; since with so many of his salutary counsels and the word of holy preaching he gathered so many into the bosom of sanctity! For from the earliest time of his age, dwelling a in the islands, intent on pleasing God alone, he held fast in his most wholesome breast His chaste words, tested as by fire. For he showed himself such a man in all things that in his actions he demonstrated and said: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"; and "The world is crucified to me and I to the world." He became the way for the erring, sight for the blind, a firm faith for the wavering; and therefore what he sowed long ago in tears, he now reaps in joys. Philippians 1:21. For us who recognize such great signs of virtues, it seemed not unfitting to set forth in writing something about his life and miracles, and those of his brother, because it is honorable to reveal the works of God. Whence no one should doubt that so many miracles were performed through them, since Almighty God is powerful to work greater and mightier things through His Saints, because nothing is impossible with God. Galatians 6:14.

CHAPTER I.

The Preaching of Saints Julius and Julian. The Overthrow of Pagan Shrines.

[2] St. Julius, therefore, with his brother Julian, are said to have been born b from Myrmidonia. For from the cradle, bathed in the water of baptism, Julius and Julian are trained in letters, they were strengthened with the oil of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Then, gradually seeking higher things, educated in the liberal disciplines and imbued with sacred teachings, they prepared themselves with the greatest diligence for the priesthood of Christ the Lord. But by the dispensation of divine providence, and initiated in sacred orders, the honor of the presbyterate was bestowed upon Blessed Julius, and that of the diaconate upon Blessed Julian. These two candlesticks indeed bore the light and illuminated all who dwell in the house. They are also those mountains upon which a city set cannot be hidden, to which one must lift the eyes in meditation, so that our help may come from the Lord who made heaven and earth. They were sent, bound by the indissoluble bond of charity, to take away the various plagues and the deadly and pestiferous diseases of the peoples.

[3] At the same time the tares of the heretics had sprung up among the wheat harvest of the orthodox faith. But Blessed Julius, together with Julian, by divine dispensation determined to navigate the sea; and as they navigated with vigorous effort, driving through with favorable winds, c they sailed the Danube by heaven's guidance. Then, taking unknown roads, with the Lord as guide, they came all the way to the glorious Emperor Theodosius: they seek authority from the Emperor Theodosius whom the glorious Emperor, beholding them and judging them to be Christians, supposed had come as pilgrims fleeing persecution, and addressed them saying: "I know that you are servants of Almighty God, and I suppose you are fleeing persecution; but if you wish, tell me the cause of your need, for a willing spirit stands ready to provide assistance." He supposed they would ask for help in gold, silver, and the like. To him the holy men Julius and Julian said: "We are in need of the help of sacred letters from Your Clemency, and our petition to You concerns these, that by their authority it may be lawful for us to tear down all the profane d idols of your kingdom, to cut down the groves, to destroy everywhere the shrines of idols, and to commit their altars and temples to be burned by fire; so that with these exterminated and torn out, we may raise sacred houses to Christ the Lord and dedicate altars, in which we may bathe the peoples, watered with the dew of doctrine, in the wave of sacred baptism, that by the grace of the Holy Spirit we may prepare spiritual children, born to Christ the Lord, and a perfect people, to build churches: so that you, O Emperor, according to the purpose of your intention, may receive your reward. For each one shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. And therefore, since it is in your power, grant what we ask according to the measure of your greatness; and let us labor together in equal partnership according to the quantity of the talents which the Lord has committed to his faithful servants for multiplication. For in a contest of this kind the purity of faith is sought, and holy desires are required. Whence that widow who with pure devotion cast two mites into the treasury cast in more than all. Mark 12. For we ought to attend with pure intention of mind to that widow, if we desire to receive a worthy recompense."

[4] When the Saints had preached these and similar things, the Emperor, filled with joy, said to them: "I give sacred letters according to your suggestion, so that all Patricians, Masters of the Soldiers, Tribunes, Centurions, this being obtained and all those established in authority shall obey your words at my command, and with fitting attendance, according to what your disposition judges proper, the common people shall contribute the labors of their hands, and the Magistrates shall be your supporters, so that by your efforts the holy Catholic Church may be multiplied and increased. And whoever, despising our authority, shall turn aside from what we justly command, shall be subject to capital punishment." The Emperor e ordered such a letter to be written and presented it to the most blessed men. Having received this letter, they came to the parts f of Rome, to the place called Aquae Salviae, g five miles from the City, they come to Rome, and there they remained for some time performing miracles and wonders, expelling demons and driving away various languors and infirmities, in the vicinity restoring their former health to each as was needed. Setting forth from there, they came h into Latium, building basilicas, raising and dedicating altars, and in Latium they preach and work miracles. baptizing the peoples in the wave of sacred baptism, and they did not cease to water with the dew of their teaching the hearts of the parents, rude and newly born to Christ the Lord, so that they might acknowledge God and our Lord Jesus Christ reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and await Him as the one who will judge the living and the dead, and not doubt that He is the witness of the living and the dead. When the Saints preached these and similar things, no small cohorts of peoples, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, were reborn by the wave of baptism. For throughout the whole circle of the world, far and wide, hither and thither, with the pious zeal of their favor, they dedicated a hundred basilicas, all of which they espoused for the sake of the holy Church, bound by the indissoluble bond to the one husband, Christ the Lord; and wherever a house of the Lord was founded through them, the Lord worked remarkable miracles. If I were to wish to run through them one by one, the narrative would prove to be a lengthy one for the writer. And if the mind cannot recall all that was done, it will nevertheless seem not unfitting to set forth some things, which may inflame the hearts of the hearers to love, according to that which is said: "I will declare all your wondrous works." Psalm 9:2.

CHAPTER II.

Various Miracles. Churches Built.

[5] Meanwhile, when Blessed Julius and Julian had arrived at the place called a Gaudiano, to found a church there, it happened that a large company persisted in helping them in their work; but meanwhile, as they were passing by, it happened that some men approached with a cart Lest they help them in building the church and were traveling by the same road; but when they saw the labors of such great men in building a church, one said to another: "Do you think we will be detained, compelled by the requests of such great men, so that we must stop to help them? one feigns death, But so that we may easily pass by excused, let us lay one of us on his back in the cart in the manner of a funeral, and let us say that we are conveying final remains; for by this excuse we will quickly pass through, so that we are not held to such labor. Indeed, we do not think we can be excused otherwise." Then one of them, following this plan, lay in the cart pretending to be dead and, covered with a linen cloth as funeral custom dictates, so that they might not be detained but proceed more quickly; the rest, driving and goading the oxen, tried to complete the journey they had begun. But when they came to the place where the Lord's work was being earnestly done, the men of God, Julius and Julian, said to them: "Little children, why do you not pause a moment and stop a little while, to help us in our labor?" They answered, saying: "We cannot delay long, because we are carrying in the cart a dead companion whose funeral rites we must perform." To them the most blessed Julius said: b "Take care that what you falsely feign with your mouths he is truly found dead. does not come true in reality." They again said: "By no means, Lord, by no means are we lying"; and they tried to continue their journey. When they had hurried some distance from that place, they began to call for the one whom they had forced to pretend he was dead, calling him by name, adding: "Why do you go on pretending so long, or what are you playing at? Get up," they said, "get up, and hasten to hurry along with us." But those who thought they had deceived the men of God -- what they had pretended in simulation came to pass in reality, which they had not expected. And the one they believed alive, they found truly dead. When all who heard this learned of it, they so wished to venerate the holy men that they would not wish to deceive them in a single word.

[6] Another miracle also happened at the place called c Beblas. While they were intent on their work, d one of the men, carelessly bringing his hand near the tool St. Julius restores an amputated finger by the sign of the Cross: that the common people call a "dextrale" hatchet, cut off his thumb, e whence so much blood flowed forth f that the man fell into delirium. His companions from the same community hastened to inform St. Julius. Saint Julius, coming immediately to him, asked for the same thumb, saying: "Bring the finger here to me." When it had been brought, taking it, he placed it in its position, and making the sign of the Cross, the hand was restored whole as it had been before. And the man of God, taking the tool, gave it into his hands, saying: "Work and take courage in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

[7] Setting forth from there, they came to a small island in a lake g that lies below the city called Stationa. he does not wish to remain at Lake Verbano: And the holy man Julian said to the most blessed Julius: "Behold, here is a small island on which, if you wish, let us build structures and erect a basilica, in which we may build tombs for ourselves, in which we may lie at the time of our rest." To whom St. Julius said: "Let it be, let it be for now; h behold, the days are coming when the wolf and the fox will seize for themselves the pig and the rooster as prey. Let us arise and pass on from here" (for the man of God, by the spirit of prophecy, had already perceived in the present what was to happen in the future on that island, and gazing with spiritual eyes he contemplated it); and they immediately left that island. i Then indeed they came to the place Julian builds the church at Gaudiano. called Gaudiano, and there they began to build a house of God with their customary labor and to prepare a perfect people for the Lord. And the holy man Julius said to St. Julian the Deacon, his brother: "Remain, brother, and labor in building this house, for this is the ninety-ninth to be built; I, however, shall go to search out where the hundredth shall be built."

CHAPTER III.

The Island Purged of Serpents. The Death of St. Julian.

[8] Then, setting forth from there, he came to a place called a Mucorus, two miles distant from the place we mentioned a little above, Julius goes to another lake, and looking out he saw from afar an island, not very large, on which no human being was dwelling; and tarrying for some time, he turned over in his mind how access to enter it might be given. But the man of God, turning to his accustomed counsel, fixing his knees upon the ground, poured forth a prayer to the Lord, saying: and sails to its island upon his cloak: "Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ, by the power of Your greatness, grant me to use this garment of mine today as a little boat, so that, protected by Your right hand, I may deserve to be saved upon the waters, and permit me to enter the island; so that in praise of Your twelve Apostles I may found a basilica on it, since on this shore I find no ship anywhere." Then the man of God Julius took off the garment which we call a b cloak, and spread it upon the water, and making the sign of the Cross upon the water, he mounted it; and taking up his c staff, by which he was accustomed to support himself, in a wondrous manner, as though fixed firm in the solidity of a ship, He who had provided a walkable sea to the feet of Peter led this man safe and sound over the waters all the way to the island.

[9] Now that island was so full of serpents that no one could even approach d the access to its shore on account of the excessive multitude of serpents. He also found a rock on the island, surrounded by turf and briars, which offered hospitality to serpents rather than to men. the serpents being driven away by the word and the sign of the Cross, But the man of God, St. Julius, armed with the sign of the holy Cross, entered the island unafraid and sought the summit of the rock. When he had in turn ascended to the top of the rock, taking a small branch, and making from it the sign of the Cross, he fixed it in a fissure of the rock; and summoning the serpents to himself, he addressed them thus, saying: "Already for so long a time have you possessed this heap of stones; but now in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I command you to depart from this place and give way to me, a servant of Christ, to dwell here, and to build a church in the name of the Lord in honor of the twelve Apostles." e Hearing these words, without any delay or hesitation, they abandoned that place according to the holy man's command and proceeded to the mountain called f Camuncinus. he builds a church: Then the most blessed man Julius began to dedicate a basilica on that same island in honor of the twelve Apostles. g

[10] Julian, meanwhile, continued his labor on the church which they had previously begun to build at Gaudiano, to his brother, who prepares a common tomb both laboring alike in the zeal of the holy contest. But the man of God, Julian the Deacon, having completed the work of his building, took care to prepare a tomb for his most holy brother Julius. Meanwhile it happened that St. h Julius, returning from the island, came to inspect his brother's work. And so St. Julian showed him the entire fabric of the church and all the completed structure, saying: "Lord brother, you see that all things are completed. Only the tomb is being built, he foretold his death: in which you may rest at the time of your rest." To whom the man of God Julius said: "Do quickly what you have begun, for you are to be laid in it yourself." This indeed the man of God perceived through the contemplation of the prophetic spirit, what he disclosed to his brother -- what was later to happen he had already known beforehand. After everything that had been begun in that structure was completed, St. Julian departed to the Lord. The man of God Julius, rendering him fitting obsequies, placed him in that same monument. Returning then to the work he had begun, the most blessed Julius brought it to perfection with worthy labor and adorned it with noble honor.

CHAPTER IV.

The Death of St. Julius and of Blessed Audentius.

[11] At that same time there was a certain man, a Senator, a named Audentius, wealthy, noble, and magnificent, and he was established by the Emperor b as one having great power among the people; he is visited by Blessed Audentius, who, hearing the fame of the most blessed Julius, said to his household: "Let us board a ship and enter the island, to inquire and investigate what the man of God Julius has done there." Setting forth, he boarded a ship and came to the island where the man of God was dwelling, and he carefully examined everything that the holy man had done on it. For the entire construction of the house had already been perfectly completed, and he also had a tomb prepared for himself in the same church. The aforesaid Audentius, seeing all the work that had been accomplished by the man of God, was greatly pleased, and entering the church, he prayed. He then addressed the man of God Julius with sweet-spoken words, saying: "Lord Father, if there is anything that you wish, for the sake of opportunity, to receive from our help, do not hesitate to command; for I desire to fulfill what you order, according to my ability." The most blessed man, hearing from him these and similar words of kindness, embraced him with thanksgiving, saying: "Son, let us make a tomb for you here beside me, in which you may rest after death." he predicts that he will be buried beside him: To whom Audentius said: "You, Father, may have your tomb here; I already have one prepared at Milan." To whom the man of God Julius said: "Believe me, for it so pleases me that your body be placed in a tomb beside mine." Audentius then asked leave and c came to Milan. The holy man Julius, desiring now to be dissolved and to be with Christ, d after no long space of time had passed, happily departed to the Lord, and was laid in the tomb which he had prepared for himself in the church of the holy Apostles, he himself dies; and was laid to rest with all veneration and honor, on the day before the Kalends of February.

[12] After his venerable departure, e Elias became his successor, since he too held the honor of the presbyterate. then Blessed Audentius, Therefore Audentius, whom we mentioned a little earlier, after no long interval, died at Milan. For, as the will of the man of God had been, the Lord deigned to fulfill it after his death. When no burial place would receive his body, the household servants, remembering the word that the Saint had spoken while living in the body -- "I wish your body to be placed near mine in the tomb" -- who is also buried beside him, by Blessed Elias. they recognized that he ought to be buried beside the body of the blessed man. Taking him therefore from there, they brought him to the church in which the most blessed man was buried. Elias, receiving him with crosses and f candelabra and the psalmodies of the Clergy, rendering fitting obsequies, committed him to burial beside the man of God Julius. And this not undeservedly seems to pertain to the merit of St. Julius. Blessed Audentius lived in the body -- he who perpetually lives in Christ -- for thirty-two years, and was laid to rest on the g seventh before the Ides of December.

[13] But so that the pen may now return to the commemoration of the brothers, let me not pass over in silence what the most holy Julius contributed as sacred altar furnishings, with which he was accustomed to offer mystical gifts to the Lord, and angelic and other gifts of this kind, through which he also displayed notable miracles, h in that same most holy basilica of the Apostles. And so the body of the holy Priest, which is in that same church of the Apostles, is distant about two and a half miles, where he frequently works notable miracles. Saints Julius and Julian are illustrious for miracles. Nor only in those places alone, but wherever their relics are held, or oratories have been founded by them, through them the Lord works notable wonders, who leads forth His Saints in magnificence, granting sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and restored health to those possessed by demons. And among the other wonders which the Lord is accustomed to work through His Saints, Almighty God has indeed granted them this ... whose sacred bodies, dedicating, they consecrated. And because they loved on earth the one mother, the holy Church, they merited to attain the one Father, God in heaven, of whom the Lord indeed says: "He who shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32. For although they did not shed their crimson blood for Christ, they nevertheless bore the cross of the Passion in themselves, crucifying themselves according to the Apostle who says: "The world is crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14. And in compassion for their neighbors. 2 Corinthians 11:29. Whence the same Apostle says: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?" Assuredly that happy and desirable voice will resound there: "Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom," etc. Matthew 25:34. By their help may we also be found worthy to hear that voice from Him who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.