Juliana of Nicomedia

Saint Juliana of Nicomedia is a revered figure from the early centuries of Christianity. Born in Nicomedia (modern-day Izmit, Turkey) in Bithynia, she was raised in the Christian faith. Betrothed to a pagan senator named Eleusius, she refused to marry him unless he converted to Christianity. Upon his refusal, and at the behest of her father and fiancé, she was subjected to horrific tortures during the Diocletianic persecution around 304 AD. Hagiographical accounts describe her miraculous resilience in the face of torment, her dialogue with the devil (often depicted as a dragon), and her unwavering fidelity to Christ until her beheading. Her body was later translated to Cumae, near Naples, where she was widely venerated.