Julian lived in a damp cave well into his old age. He became known as “Julian Sabas”–the Sabas part being Syriac for the “Gray” or the “Old” man. Julian, the Old Gray Man. Old Gray Julian who lived in a damp cave. Eventually, maybe from arthritis (who knows?), Julian moved out of his cave and to a cell on Mt. Sinai–in the dry heat of Egypt.

In his own, hermitic life, Julian dreamed dreams (see Joel 2:28). In one of these dreams, he looked upon the death of an heretical apostate in Persia, also named Julian. He spoke up about his dream and that this death was good for the Church in Persia! He had no time to pretend sympathy he didn’t feel (if, indeed, Julian the Gray ever did). Word spread that the Old Gray Man had spoken out and people as far away as Antioch (in present-day Turkey) began to do the ancient equivalent of anonymously trolling Julian. Butler’s record is silent as to what actual insults these people hurled at Julian or against his reputation. But do note the geography–Julian the Gray was in Egypt…when he dreamed about what was happening in Persia (modern-day Iran)…leading people in present-day Turkey to besmirch his name.

Enough was enough for Julian! Enough of living in a damp cave or on a lonely mountaintop. Enough of being quiet while people in faraway lands–people who didn’t know him, never met him, but who felt free to lie about him and insult him–had their say. Enough! Julian climbed down Mt. Sinai to go after those trolls. Butler reports:

[H]e left his solitude, and coming to Antioch loudly confounded them, and wrought many miracles. When he had given an ample testimony to the true faith, he returned to his cell . . . .

I love that Julian went to Antioch, YELLED at his detractors, whipped up a bunch of miracles, turned on his heel and left them behind!

There are no stories of any compassionate acts of service to the poor, the sick, or the lame. That wasn’t Julius’s thing. No stories of his being kind, long-suffering, or generous. Nevertheless, he’s still a saint! He was a cranky saint, a hermit saint, a visionary saint, a yelling saint. He reached a boiling point and let it rip.

And then he went back to his own hermitage.

Way to go, SAINT Julian Sabas!