Basilissa

Venerable Basilissa of Antinoe lived in Egypt, at the end of the third century and the beginning of the fourth, as the wife of the Holy Martyr Julian of Antinoe; both are honoured as saints.

According to the legend, Julian and Basilissa, probably from Antinoe, were married by their families against their will. They resolved, however, to live in complete continence and to give themselves to Christian charity. They gathered monks and nuns around them and made their house a hospital for the sick and needy. At the beginning of the fourth century Basilissa fell asleep. A little after, probably around the year 304, in the persecution of Diocletian, Julian was seized by the governor Marcian and condemned to death. In prison he converted Celsus, Marcian's son, and his mother, Marcianilla. Both were executed together with Julian, a priest, Antonius, another man, Anastasius, and other persons. They are honoured as saints and martyrs.

Their veneration is old, attested by the Hieronymian Martyrology and the Marble Calendar of Naples. Their relics are kept in the churches of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo fuori le mura in Rome and in St Mark's in Venice. Their attribute is the burning idol. Their commemoration varies by tradition: 6 or 13 January, 13 February or 21 June. In time the legend of Julian was mixed with those of other saints of the same name, above all Julian of Tarsus and Julian the Hospitaller.