Martyr Julian of Tarsus (c. 305)

The holy Martyr Julian of Tarsus was born in one of the provinces of Cilicia (Asia Minor). His father was a pagan senator, while his mother professed Christianity. After her husband’s death Julian’s mother moved to the city of Tarsus, where she had her son baptised and brought him up in piety. When the saint turned eighteen, the Emperor Diocletian (284–305) began a persecution of the Christians. Julian was seized together with others and brought before the governor Marcian for trial. For a long time they urged the God-loving youth to renounce Christ, but neither promises of gifts and honour, nor threats, nor torture could bend the valiant confessor. For a whole year the blessed martyr was dragged from one city of the region of Cilicia to another, interrogated and tortured, and at last he was thrown into prison. Julian’s mother followed her son everywhere, encouraged him, and fervently besought the Lord to strengthen her son’s faith still more. At last she too boldly confessed Christ before the governor. The enraged Marcian ordered the woman’s feet to be cut off. The blessed martyr died of her wounds. Julian himself was put into a sack filled with sand and venomous reptiles and thrown into the sea (+305). The martyr’s body, which the waves cast ashore near Alexandria, was committed to the earth with honour by a pious Christian woman. Afterwards Julian’s incorrupt relics were translated to Antioch. Saint John Chrysostom glorified the Lord’s chosen one in a word of praise.