Day of Remembrance of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon (09/08)

The Great Martyr Panteleimon is revered in the Orthodox Church as a formidable saint, the patron saint of warriors. This side of veneration reveals his first name Pantoleon, which means «lev in all ». The second name given at Baptism, — Panteleimon, that is, «all-merciful», is revealed from the veneration of the great martyr as a healer. Among Western Christians, he is considered the patron saint of doctors.

The connection between these two patronages of the saint is clearly visible from the fact that warriors who receive wounds more often than others need a healer most of all. That is why Christians who conduct spiritual abuse also resort to this saint with a request to heal the ulcers of the soul.

The great martyr and healer Panteleimon was born in the city of Nicomedia into the family of the noble pagan Eustorgius and was named Pantoleon. His mother Eubulus was a Christian. She wanted to raise her son in the Christian faith, but died when the future great martyr was still a young boy. His father sent Pantoleon to primary pagan school, after graduating from which the young man began to study the art of medicine with the famous doctor Euphrosynus in Nicomedia and became known to Emperor Maximian (284—305), who wanted to see him at his court.

After the death of his father, Saint Panteleimon dedicated his life to the suffering, the sick, the wretched and the poor. He treated all those who turned to him without delay, healing them in the Name of Jesus Christ. He visited prisoners in prison, especially Christians, with whom all prisons were overcrowded, and treated them for their wounds. Soon rumors about a merciful doctor spread throughout the city. Leaving other doctors, residents began to turn only to Saint Panteleimon.

Out of envy, the doctors informed the emperor that Saint Panteleimon was treating Christian prisoners. Maximian persuaded the saint to refute the denunciation and sacrifice to idols, but Saint Panteleimon confessed himself to be a Christian and, before the eyes of the emperor, healed Jesus Christ, who was relaxed in the Name. The cruel Maximian executed the healed man who glorified Christ, and betrayed Saint Panteleimon to severe torment.

The holy relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon dispersed in parts throughout the Christian world: its honest chapter is now in the Russian Athos Monastery in the name of the Great Martyr Panteleimon.

The veneration of the holy martyr in the Russian Orthodox Church has been known since the 12th century. Prince Izyaslav, baptized Panteleimon, son of Saint Mstislav the Great, had an image of the Great Martyr Panteleimon on his helmet. By the intercession of the saint, he remained alive in the war of 1151. On the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr Panteleimon —, July 27, old style —, Russian troops won two naval victories over the Swedes (in 1714 at Gangut, in 1720 at Grengam).

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