Juliana (b. 285) lived during the Christian persecution under the Roman emperor Diocletian. She was betrothed to Eulogius, the prefect of Nicomedia, but refused to become his wife unless he accepted the faith of Christ. Her father therefore commanded that she be stripped and soundly beaten, then handed her over to the prefect. When Eulogius asked why she continued rejecting him, Juliana responded, “If you will adore my God, I will consent, otherwise I will never be yours!” Eulogius answered that he could not do so because the emperor would have him beheaded, to which Juliana replied, “If you are so afraid of a mortal emperor, how can you expect me not to fear an immortal one? Do whatever you please, because you will not be able to win me over!” According to tradition, Juliana was thereafter tortured in many ways, including being beaten and hung up by the hair of her head for half a day. Afterward, she was bound in chains and put in prison, where it is said that a demon appeared to her disguised as an angel of the Lord and tried to convince her to give up the faith and so spare herself further torture. Juliana refused. In the end, Saint Juliana was beheaded for refusing to deny Christ. The year was 304. (Adapted from The Golden Legend)
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