Julian

ON ST. JULIAN, PRIEST AND MARTYR,

AT ANCYRA IN GALATIA.

From the sacred calendars, Greek and Latin.

Under Licinius.

Julian, priest and M., at Ancyra in Galatia (St.)

BY J. S.

The calendars of the Greeks celebrate Julian the martyr, partly on this, partly on the preceding day. A eulogy of the saint, more probable than the rest, from the Basilian Menology; The Basilian Menology today adorns Julian with this eulogy: The contest of the most holy martyr Julian. In the reign of the emperor Licinius a great persecution was stirred up against the Christians. Now there was near Ancyra of Galatia a pious priest by name Julian, who for the sake of avoiding the persecution betook himself to a thickly wooded mountain, and hid himself in a cave together with forty-two other saints. But since near the mountain there was a shrine of a certain goddess of the Greeks whom they call Hecate, and the governor of Ancyra was wont to come thither for the sake of sacrificing, the saints were sought out, that they might be taken. But when daily one of them went out to draw water from a nearby spring, which he might offer to the rest to drink, it fell to St. Julian to fetch water; who, being seen by certain of the Greeks, and seized and bound, is led to the governor. But when the governor questioned him about the rest, and he betrayed no one, but freely professed Christ, a red-hot helmet is placed on his head; then, being scraped and most grievously tortured, he is beheaded. These things appear probable enough, and have been reported in summary by Tillemont, tom. 5, in the Persecution of Licinius, p. 510 of the second edition.

[2] Nevertheless the Menaea and the Sirletian Menology do not altogether agree with these. with which the manuscript Synaxarium nearly agrees: But the manuscript Synaxarium, which was formerly Sirmond's and is frequently praised among us, agrees in most things; but it adds a very few points, namely that the holy priest was of a place neighboring on Ancyra, which was called Crinteus, and that he was advanced in age, and very conspicuous for piety and the fear of God. But it omits the attempt of the heathen to take Julian, agreeing otherwise as to the occasion and the manner in which he was taken and led to the governor. It likewise has the red-hot helmet placed on Julian's head, and his head afterward cut off; the remaining torments it omits. These eulogies therefore seem to be preferred to those which are reported briefly in the Sirletian Menology, but at length and in an improbable manner in the Menaea.

[3] [the other, from the Sirletian, less probable, to which fabulous things are added in the Menaea:] Let us hear, however, the praised Menology, in which at the 12th of September these things are read: On the same day, the birthday of the blessed martyr Julian of Galatia. He was born and brought up under Diocletian in the city of the Galatians; who, when he had been informed against before the governor as lurking in a certain cave with forty others worshiping Christ, being detained and questioned, professed the Christian faith. And so, being cast by the governor Antonius upon an iron bed kindled with fire, refusing altogether to sacrifice to the idols, he was crowned with the martyrdom of Christ. Antonius the governor, whose name is omitted in the eulogies just given, is also read in the Menaea. There too he is said to have been placed on a red-hot iron bed, and is asserted to have remained divinely unharmed. What is added besides in the Menaea does not appear sufficiently probable. Julian is said, when questioned about his parents, to have answered that his father was dead, but his mother living. She is asserted to have been presently brought before the governor, but then sent back home. Some conversations between the judge and the saint are added, and a prayer of his before his death, plainly improbable, which a heavenly voice is said to have followed. At last the forty companions who were lurking in the mountain are said to have run up, roused by that heavenly voice, and to have presented themselves of their own accord to the tyrant; but their punishment was deferred to another time.

[4] Among the Latins, Galesinius rightly commemorates Julian. These things therefore being passed over, because they do not appear likely, I add only a few points concerning the Latin martyrologists who have mentioned Julian. Baronius in the Roman joined Julian with Macrobius, I know not for what cause, since Julian suffered alone, but Macrobius with other companions, of whom we shall presently treat. Ferrari in the General Catalogue announces Julian at the 12th, in Galatia and under Diocletian. But on this 13th day he mentions Julian, priest and martyr, under Licinius, and places him at Angyra (read Ancyra) in Galatia — as though he were distinct from yesterday's, whereas it cannot reasonably be doubted that he is the same. More correctly Galesinius writes thus at this day: At Ancyra in Galatia, of St. Julian, priest and martyr. This priest, of the highest piety, in the reign \ of Licinius, when there was general raging against the Christians, being seized by the prefect, professes the faith with the highest constancy of mind. Wherefore first a red-hot helmet is drawn over his head; then, most grievously torn with iron claws, and after tortured in various ways, at last condemned to death, by a memorable and divine strength of Christian piety he attained the heavenly reward of martyrdom.*

\ imperatore* (as emperor)