Saints Julius and Aaron are celebrated as two British martyrs who died during the religious persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian in AD 304. Their feast day was traditionally celebrated on July 1.

In his De Excidio Britanniae, Gildas writes: "God�..in the�..time of persecution�..lest Britain should be completely enveloped in the thick darkness of black night, kindled for us bright lamps of holy martyrs�..I speak of Saint Alban of Verulamium, Aaron and Julius, citizens of Caerleon, and the rest of both sexes in different places, who stood firm with lofty nobleness of mind in Christ's battle."

There is doubt that Diocletian's persecutions were ever carried out in Britain, but churches were nevertheless dedicated to these two saints. Giraldus Cambrensis confirms that two churches at Caerleon were dedicated to Aaron and Julius. Bede repeats Gildas' words, but mistranslated Gildas' Urbs Legionum as Chester rather than Caerleon.

Help Keep this site
running

Key

Bold Red
Internal Link
Red
External Link

 Admission Charges
 Address
 Arts/Galleries
 Buses
 B&B�s/Guest Houses Campsites/Caravans
 Castles
 Credit Cards
 Cricket
 Disabled Facilities
 Email
 Farmers Markets
 Fax
 Film
 Food
 Football
 Parks/Gardens
 Golf
 Historic Houses
 Hotels
 Libraries
 Museums
 Opening Hours
 Places of Worship
 Pubs/Bars
 Rugby
 Schools/Colleges
 Shops/Gifts
 Taxis:
 Telephone No.
 Theatres
 Tourist Information
 Trains
 Vets
 Web Address
 Welsh Produce
 Youth Hostels
 Illustration(s) or
       photograph(s)