Julian of Antioch

Who was Julian of Antioch?

Saint Julian of Antioch is venerated as a Christian martyr of the fourth century. His date of death is given as 305 AD. He is sometimes confused with another saint of the same name.

Of senatorial rank, he was killed during the persecutions of Diocletian. His legend states that he was subjected to terrible tortures and paraded daily for a whole year through various cities of Cilicia. He was then sewn up in a sack half-filled with scorpions, sand, and vipers, and cast into the sea. The sea carried his body to Alexandria, and was buried there before being moved to Antioch.

Saint John Chrysostom preached a homily in Julian's honor at Antioch, whose basilica was said to be the final resting place for Julian's relics.

His feast day is June 21 in the Eastern Orthodox Church, March 16 in the Roman Catholic Church.