Order of Carmelites

Memorial of St. Juliana of Nicomedia

Today, February 15, is the memorial of Saint Juliana of Nicomedia.

The virgin and martyr Juliana was born in present-day Turkey. It is said that her pagan father Africanus hated her so much because she was a Christian.

Without her permission, Africanus committed her to be married to the Roman officer Eleusius, who also despised Christians. However, Juliana refused to marry him. This angered both Africanus and Eleusius so much they decided to make her suffer and renounce her Christian faith.

Africanus scourged and tortured her. Eleusius kept her in jail. It is said that Satan appeared to Juliana and tried to fight with her. Juliana proved stronger than Satan, ultimately defeating him.

Juliana’s martyrdom began with her being burned in a raging fire. Afterwards, she was placed in a cauldron filled with boiling oil and eventually beheaded.