GIULIO. - The centurion entrusted with Paul, the prisoner, on his journey from Caesarea to Rome (Acts 27:1–28:16).
Julius treated Paul with great humanity (Acts 27:3), so that Luke speaks of him with sympathy. Along with Paul, he allowed Luke and Aristarchus to embark, taking advantage of the law that granted a Roman prisoner the service of two slaves. At Sidon he permitted Paul to
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GIULIO II PAPA
Marcellus and Asclepiades and other ecclesiastics, driven from their sees, to come and seek justice. The Eusebians, however, to whom Julius had written a letter through the Roman presbyters Elpidius and Philoxenus, offered excuses for not coming, writing an arrogant, vain, harsh, and slanderous letter, and even detained the papal legates. After waiting in vain, Julius nevertheless held the Council, which was attended by fifty bishops; the Pope’s actions toward the Eusebians were approved; the case of St. Athanasius was examined, and he was declared innocent and restored to communion; the other bishops were likewise reinstated.
Julius replied to the Eusebians with a letter that is a masterpiece of dignity and nobility, in which he refuted their excuses and accusations; the truth is defended with apostolic firmness, exposing their malice; he reproached them for violating canon law and refuted every pretext they had advanced for not attending the Council; he then demonstrated the innocence of St. Athanasius and the duplicity of their conduct against him, and concluded with a warm exhortation to charity and peace. This letter of Julius failed to curb the impetuosity of the Eusebians, who, supported by Constantius II, gathered at Antioch in 341 and even elected a certain Gregory to the see of Alexandria. The matter was taken up again at the Council of Sardica (343), to which Julius sent the legates Archidamus and Philoxenus, but once more the Eusebians refused to make amends and met separately at Philippopolis.
When St. Athanasius was able to return to Alexandria after his second exile, driven out by Constantius (349), Julius welcomed him to Rome with great signs of esteem and affection and gave him letters of congratulation for the Church of Alexandria. Shortly afterward, he also received the retractions of Ursacius and Valens, bitter opponents of St. Athanasius.
Julius is credited with the construction of a church near the Forum of Trajan (SS. Apostoli) and another in Trastevere (S. Maria); he is also said to have built S. Valentino on the cemetery of the same name on the Via Flaminia. He was buried in the cemetery of Calepodius on the Via Aurelia, where he had also built another church.