THE PRIESTLY

June 3

From the Prologue

Lucian was a Roman renowned for his noble birth, wealth and learning. For a period of time he was a disciple of the Apostle Peter. Later, Pope Clement sent him, together with Dionysius the Areopagite, to Gaul to preach the Gospel consecrating him bishop beforehand. With great zeal Lucian sowed the teachings of Christ at first in Gaul and, afterward, throughout Belgium. When the evil Emperor Domitian began his persecution of Christians, a cadre of men were sent by him from Rome to Gaul to seek out and to capture the Christian missionaries. They first captured St. Dionysius and, after that, they went in pursuit of Lucian. Finding Lucian in Belgium together with his assistants, the presbyter Maxianus and the deacon Julian, the soldier killed these two in one place and in another place, beheaded Lucian. After Lucian had been beheaded, his lifeless body rose up from the ground, took his head in his hands (similar to St. Dionysius and St. John Vladimir) and then walked to the place where he desired to be buried. There he fell and there he was buried. Later, a church was built over his relics.