So our Julian was born in an unidentified “Western country” in the 300s and at a very young age was kidnapped and taken to Syria as a slave. He hated being enslaved and then–as has happened way too often throughout the history of Christianity–Julian was introduced to the True Faith in a way that made slavery not seem nearly so burdensome. It was what it was. Oh, of course part of the condition of his enslavement was that he remain illiterate.

Then when Julian’s owner died, he suddenly found himself no longer enslaved to a human. So Julian immediately indentured himself to life in a monastery. While there, Julian struck up an acquaintance with Ephrem (who was himself later canonized). Ephrem was older, putatively wiser, more advanced in the faith (etc., etc.), and Ephrem “went often to see him.” The given reason for their meetings was so that Ephrem could mentor Julian. Butler reports, however:

This learned doctor of the Syriac church [Ephrem] tells us, that he could not forbear always admiring the sublime sentiments and spiritual lights with which God favoured a man who appeared in the eyes of the world ignorant and a barbarian. Julian was of a robust body, inured to labour . . . .

To deconstruct–Ephrem just couldn’t keep from mooning over this muscled (“robust”!), earnest, spiritually pure and illiterate younger man. Julian was dreamy; Ephrem couldn’t stay away.

There is no suggestion that it went any further than Ephrem’s man-crush. Really, it’s simply a sweet vignette that is altogether a part of the human experience…and brings to mind Landford Wilson’s play, Fifth of July (even though this post is for the 6th)!