ON SAINT JULIAN,
IN THE MONASTERY OF ARENA OR HAREA.
The cult is certain from the Martyrologies, the place and order uncertain.
Julian, in the monastery of Arena or Harea (S.) G. H.
The memory of this Saint is recalled in various Martyrologies, and first in the manuscript Florarium of the Saints and in the Martyrology printed at Cologne and Lübeck around the year 1490 these things are read: Memory in the Calendars. In the monastery which is called Arena, of St. Julian Confessor. Grevenus, or the Cologne Carthusians, in the Additions to Usuard, published in the years 1515 and 1521, have only these two words, "Julian Confessor." Franciscus Maurolycus, Abbot of Messina, reports him thus: In the monastery Area, of Julian Confessor. Afterwards Molanus, in his Additions reprinted a third time, expresses it thus: In the monastery which is called Harea, of St. Julian Confessor. Molanus was followed by Canisius in the German Martyrology, Wion, Dorganius, Menardus in the Benedictine Calendars. Wion adds that it is unknown when he lived. Would that he had at least inquired into and found the place where the monastery Harea, or Area, or Arena was situated, that he might more certainly claim him for his Order. For Constantine Ghinius inserted the same in the Festivals of the Holy Canons, with words taken from Molanus. Bucelinus, inquiry into the place. who everywhere follows Wion and
Menardus, omitted Julian; rightly doubtful of which Order he was. Ferrarius inscribed the same in his Catalogue; and in the Notes, unless it be Horreum, a monastery of Trier, or Aria, a town of Artois, he confesses that he is ignorant where in the world it is. The same we can affirm concerning Arena. Bernardus Saccus, in book 6 of the History of Ticinum (Pavia), chapter 8, says: There is a town, Arena, beside the Po below the town of Ticinum, where there is the greatest opportunity for crossing the Po.
[2] There is also the very widely extended Arena of St. Peter near Genoa, where we visited various monasteries in the year 1652: but in the lack of Acts we can pronounce nothing. Saussay places Harea in Belgium, and makes St. Julian a companion of St. Landoaldus, of whom we treated at length on the 19th of March: from whom, with Molanus, we judge this one to be another.