Sunday, March 17 - Martyrs Paul and his sister Juliana (AD 275)

The Holy Martyrs Paul and his sister Juliana were executed under the emperor Aurelian around the year AD 275, in the Phoenician city of Ptolemais. The emperor happened to visit Ptolemais, and among those who met him was Paul, who made the sign of the Cross and was immediately arrested and thrown into prison.

On the following day, when they brought Paul to trial, he openly and boldly confessed his faith in Christ, for which he was subjected to relentless tortures. Juliana, seeing the suffering of her brother, began to denounce the emperor for his injustice and cruelty, for which she was also subjected to torture.

They beat the martyrs, tore their bodies with iron hooks, burned them over red-hot grates, but the great endurance of the Lord’s confessors was unbreakable. Three soldiers torturing the saints were struck by the courageous spirit of the martyrs, and they also believed in Christ. These newly converted Christians were named Quadratus, Acacius, and Stratonicus. Since Christianity was still illegal, and worshipping any other king but the emperor was considered a betrayal, these brave soldiers of Christ were executed right away.

The tormentor tried to seduce Saint Juliana with a promise to marry her, if she were to renounce Christ, but the saint refused the offer and remained steadfast. By order of the emperor they sent her to a brothel to be defiled. The Lord preserved her even there, and anyone who tried to touch the saint lost their sight. Then the enraged emperor commanded that they again burn the bodies of the saints. Those who saw the suffering of the saints began to murmur loudly, and Aurelian gave orders to behead the martyrs. With gladdened face the brother and sister went to execution singing, “You have saved, O Lord, us from our enemies, and have put to confusion those who hate us” (Psalm 44:7). 

Remain steadfast in your faith. The Lord never abandons His faithful.

Your is Christ,
Father Aleksey.