The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-19
MsraIng Star and Catholic Messenger
Haw oRLEANs, sUNpAY, Nay 10. ls1s.
ST. JULIA, J.. N.

we nave received tho Ioilo"IbS Coin thu
sication:
80 "For a long time l have wished
very much to know something about the
life and sutferings of st. julie, whose
Feast day is upon the SD q inst, but have
never yet succeeded in learning anything
definite concerning either her history OF
the age at which she received the crown OF
martyrdom. Will you please give short
account of her in your interesting column
nt :he "Miniature Lives of the Saints" on
Ibe 23d. Will you also have the kindness
10 state il the Giulian chapel, in St. Peters
Church at Rome, is 30 called In her honor
By responding fayorably you will confer a
favor on several readers of the STAR.
as the life of St. Julia is not given in our
Miniature Lives of the Saints we republish
ale following from Rev. Alban Bntler's
s'EIives of the Saints" 1t is taken, he says,
!tOm her authentiAc cts given by Ruinart
10 ais edition of the history of Victor vi
sensis, de Persec. Vandal:
She was a noble virgin of Carthage, who,
whom that city was taken by 0enseric, in
A19, was sold for a slave to q Pagan mer-
chant of Syria. Under the most notifying
smployments of her station, by cheerfulness
and patience, che found, besides her sanc-
tifcatiop, present happiness and comfort
which the world could not have afforded.
AL the time che was not employed in her
masters business was devoted to prayer
and reading books of piety. She tasted
very vigorously every day but Sunday;
nor could all the entreaties of her master,
who was charmed with her fidelity and
klA- ,trt, . tI,ah har &c ro;k
uation, prevail with her to be more tender
of herself The merchant thought proper
20 carry her with him in one Of his voyages
10 Gaul, where he imported the most valu-
sble commodities of the Levaut.
Having reached the northern part of Cor
sica, or that point now called Capo Corso,
he cast anchor and went on shore to join
the pagans OF the place in an idolatrous
festival kept there at that time with the
sacrifice of bull. Julia was left at some
distance because she would not be defiled
~ tho superstitious ceremonies, which abe
openly reviled. Felix, the governor of the
ieland, who WAS o bigoted Pagan, asked the
merchant who this woman was who dared
20 insult tho gods. He informed him that
she was Christian, and that all his author
ity over her was too weak to prevail with
1ar to renounce her religion, bnt that he
found ner so diligent and faithful he could
not part with her.
lE0 governor ulln vi nlE DebL
smale slaves il exchange for her. But the
merchant, whose name was Eusebius, re-
Piled "No all you are worth will not
parehase her, for would freely lose the
2nost valuable thing have in the world
rather than be deprived of her." However,
:hs governor, whilst Eusebus Was drunk
and asleep, took upon him to compel her to
sacrifice to his gods. He protfered to pro
eare her liberty if she would comply. The
S9int made answer that she was as free as
Sae desired to be as long as she was allow
ea to serve Jesus Christ I; and whatever
Sb9nld happen, she would never purchAse
aer iIerty by 60 abomiuable crime.
Felix, thinking himself derided by her un-
3aanted and resolute air, in transport OF
7sge caused her to be struck on the face,
and the hair of her head to be torn of
and lastly, ord cred her to be hanged on a
scoas till che expired. Certain Monks of
Gae isle of Gorgon (Which is now called La
l1orgona, and lies between Corsica and
ieghorn) carried off her body but in 763,
Desiderius, King of Lombardy, removed
A9r relics to Bresca, where her memory is
celebrated with great devotion.
st. Julia, whether free or elaye, wheth-
81 in prosperity or in adversely, was
equally feTvept and devont She adored
AL the sweet designs of Providence and
far from complaining, she never ceased to
:S0ise and thank God under all his holy
appointments, making them always the
means of her virtue and sancti6cation. God,
ber by her fidelity to the honor of the
Saints, and to the dignity of virgin and
1zartyr.