الشهيدة جوليا البتول

[walaa farouk]

الشهيدة جوليا البتول



كانت جوليا من مدينة قرطاجنة. أُسِرَت. فابتاعها رجل من سوريا إسمه أوسابيوس.
فكانت جارية عنده تخدمه بكلّ نشاط وأمانة. وتحثُّ الخَدَم على ذلك.
وتُعلّمهم قواعد الإيمان المسيحيّ. مذكّرة إيّاهم بوصيّة القدّيس بولس الرَّسول للعبيد
نحو أسيادهم وكانت مثابرة على الصَّلوات والتأمّلات وقهر أميال الجسد بالأصوام والإماتات.
فجاءت يومًا مع مولاها إلى جزيرة كورسيكا، حيث اشترك في حفلة تكريم إله الشّجرة.
فأبدت جوليا مقتها الخرافات الوثنيّة مزدرية بها، فبلغ ذلك مسامع الوالي
فاستحضرها وكلّفها أن تشترك في ذبيحة الآلهة فيعتقها ويحرّرها.
فأجابته بجرأة وصراحة: "أنا حرّة بإيمان المسيح. ومعاذ الله أن أشتري الحريّة بجحود معتقدي وإيماني".
فصفعوها على فمها ووجهها حتّى امتلأ فمها دمًّا وهي صابرة صامتة.
ثمّ سحبوها بشعرها وجلدوها جلدًا قاسيًّا، حتّى تمزّق لحمها، فتحمّلت ذلك بصبر عجيب
. أخيرًا صلبوها على خشبة. فابتهجت بأن تُشابه فاديها الإلهيّ بموتها على الصَّليب،
حيث طارت روحها الطاهرة إلى التمتع بالمجد السّماويّ مع العذارى الشَّهيدات
. وكان ذلك في أواسط القرن الخامس. صلاتها معنا. آمين.

Saint Julia
St. Julia of Corsica, also known as St. Julia of Carthage or St. Julia of Nonza, was born to noble, aristocratic parents in Carthage. Overtime, Carthage was subject to many barbaric attacks, weakening the city's defenses.
During an attack by Gaiseric, King of the Vandals, Julia was taken from her family and sold into slavery. She was purchased by a pagan merchant of Syria, named Eusebius.
Even during the most daunting chores, Julia never complained or felt sorry for herself. By being patient and cheerful, Julia was able to find comfort in her place in the world. Julia passionately loved God. When she was not working under her master's commands, Julia devoted her time toward praying and reading books of piety.
Eusebius, charmed by Julia's commitment and devotion, felt it was right to bring her along with him during his journey to Gual, where France now stands. Upon reaching the northern part of an island then called Corisca, he anchored his ship to join a pagan idolatrous festival.
Julia was left on her own some distance away from the festival, because she refused to be defiled by the "superstitious ceremonies" she openly hated.
The governor of the island, Felix, was a narrow-minded pagan who needed to have things his way. He noticed Julia outside of the festival and felt she was "insulting the gods." Eusebius informed Felix that Julia was a Christian and that despite his authority over her, she would not renounce her religion. Eusebius explained he could not bare parting with Julia because she was so diligent and faithful in her work for him.
Felix would not accept this. He offered Eusebius four of his best female slaves in exchange for Julia. Eusebius replied, "No; all you are worth will not purchase her; for I would freely lose the most valuable thing I have in the world rather than be deprived of her."
Not content, Felix prepared a banquet and waited until Eusebius became intoxicated and fell into a deep sleep to make his next move.
Felix found Julia alone and unprotected. He tried to get her to sacrifice to his gods. He told her he would grant her freedom if she would obey. Julia refused to deny Christ.
"My freedom is to serve Christ," she said, "whom I love every day in all the purity of my soul."
Enraged by her response, Felix had Julia struck in the face and her hair torn from her head. Still, during her torture, Julia continued to confess her faith. Finally, he had her hanged on a cross until she died.
Her body was carried off by monks of the isle of Gorgon, but in 763, the King of Lombardy, Desiderius, had her relics moved to Brescia, a city in the northern Italian region of Lombardy where the memory of St. Julia is celebrated with great devotion