LIVES OF THE SAINTS: STS. JOHN AND PAUL. Martyrs

STS. JOHN AND PAUL. Martyrs June 26 

These saints were both officers in the army under Julian the Apostate. They received the crown of martyrdom in Rome under Apronianus, Prefect of the city, a great enemy of the Christians. Little or nothing is known of these saints, although a probable account of them has been handed down to us. Julian, a nephew of Constantine, succeeded Constantius in 361, the survivor of the three brothers among whom the Empire had been divided. Julian renounced his baptism and returned to the workship of the gods. So he is known as the Apostate. Though he pretended toleration, he began a crafty persecution of the Christians by disqualifying them for office and forbidding them to teach philosophy and rhetoric. Several martyrs died for the faith during his reign, among them were Sts. John and Paul.