Feast day: February 12
Saint Julian the Hospitaller married a wealthy widow. While he was hunting in the woods, a deer predicted that Julian would kill his parents. Greatly troubled by this premonition, Julian and his wife moved far away from his family.
One day, while Julian was away from home, his parents came by for a surprise visit. In an effort to be a good hostess, Julian’s wife allowed his parents to sleep in her and Julian’s bed. When Julian came home, he was shocked to find a man and a woman sleeping in his bed. Thinking that his wife was having an affair, he killed both people in the bed. Once morning came, he realized his terrible mistake. To seek penance for his actions, Julian and his wife traveled to Rome. After he received absolution, the couple continued their penance by constructing an inn and a hospital for the poor.
Julian was so concerned about the poor and travelers that he allowed a leper to rest in his own bed. Surprisingly, the leper revealed himself to be an angel. The angel told Julian that God had accepted his penance for mistakenly killing his parents.
(Image in public domain-100)