![[illustration of Saint Julian]](saintj31.jpg "34kb jpg illuminated capital of Christ, Saint Martha, and Saint Julian the Hospitaller in a small boat")
As penance, he and his wife travelled to Rome as pilgrims seeking absolution. On his way home, to continue his penance, he built a hospice beside a river, cared for the poor and sick, and rowed travellers across the river for free.
Once, after having helped many, many travellers, Julian gave his own bed to a pilgrim leper who had nearly frozen to death. When they had him safely settled, the man suddenly revealed himself to be an angel. The visitor announced that Christ had accepted Julian's penance; the angel then disappeared.
Immensely popular in times past; scholars today think the story is likely to be pious fiction, mistaken for history.
boatmen carnival workers childless people circus workers clowns ferrymen fiddlers fiddle players hospitality hotel-keepers innkeepers jugglers knights murderers pilgrims San Giljan, Malta shepherds to obtain lodging while travelling travellers wandering musicians
carrying a leper through a river ferryman hart holding an oar man listening to a talking stag oar stag with Jesus and Saint Martha as patrons of travellers young hunter with a stag young man killing his parents in bed young man wearing a fur-lined cloak, sword, and gloves young, well-dressed man holding a hawk on his finger
Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate Catholic Online Catholic Online For All The Saints Google Directory Life of Saint Julian the Hospitaller, translated by Tony Devaney Morinelli Olga's Gallery Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson