Saint Julius the Veteran
Encyclopedia
Saint Julius the Veteran (255–302), also known as Julius of Durostorum
, is a Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox saint
and martyr
. His feast day is May 27.
Julius was a Roman
soldier for 27 years and a veteran
of several military campaigns. He converted to Christianity and was denounced by his fellow soldiers. He was tried for his faith. The examining prefect
, Maximus, tried to bribe the veteran into denouncing his faith.
Julius declined, and he and seven others were beheaded
in Durostorum (today the town of Silistra
in Bulgaria
) and died as martyr
s.
Silistra
Silistra is a port city of northeastern Bulgaria, lying on the southern bank of the lower Danube at the country's border with Romania. Silistra is the administrative centre of Silistra Province and one of the important cities of the historical region of Southern Dobrudzha...
, is a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Eastern Orthodox saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. His feast day is May 27.
Julius was a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
soldier for 27 years and a veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
of several military campaigns. He converted to Christianity and was denounced by his fellow soldiers. He was tried for his faith. The examining prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
, Maximus, tried to bribe the veteran into denouncing his faith.
Julius declined, and he and seven others were beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
in Durostorum (today the town of Silistra
Silistra
Silistra is a port city of northeastern Bulgaria, lying on the southern bank of the lower Danube at the country's border with Romania. Silistra is the administrative centre of Silistra Province and one of the important cities of the historical region of Southern Dobrudzha...
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
) and died as martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s.
External links
- Julius the Veteran at Patron Saints Index
- Saints of May 27 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Washington D.C.