The holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon can safely be called a holy young man. That is how he is always portrayed, and that is how he really was. On many icons, the saint is depicted with an amazing softness of his face. The face of a saint is extraordinary. In 1993, the Panteleimon Temple was created in Yekaterinburg.
The Life of the Great Martyr
Saint Panteleimon was born at the end of the 3rd century after the birth of Christ in Nicomedia. Today it is a city in Turkey on the shores of the Sea of ​​Marmara. At that time, Maximian ruled the empire - a cruel torturer and persecutor of Christians. Panteleimon's father was a pagan and ardent follower of idolatry. Mother is a Christian who served God diligently. From early childhood, she raised her son in Christian piety. After the mother’s early death, the father sent his son to a pagan school, and then sent him to study medical art. Panteleimon quickly grasped everything that he was taught, and soon surpassed all his peers. Soon, the local priest Yermolai converted the youth to the Christian faith. After the death of his father Panteleimon received a rich inheritance. Immediately he granted freedom to slaves, he distributed property to the poor, and he devoted himself to healing and healing. Very soon, the name of the healer became known to everyone around. Other healers harbored anger at Panteleimon and reported it to Maximian. The king called the saint to himself and ordered him to renounce Christ. Panteleimon refused and was severely punished. In anger, the king ordered the martyr to be hung on a tree and his body clawed with iron claws. Panteleimon endured all suffering. However, he did not stop praying for a minute.
Construction of the Panteleimon Temple in Yekaterinburg
In 1993, Dmitry Baybakov, a student at a medical institute and at the same time a priest, became an intern with a degree in Psychology at a local psychological clinic. It was he who initially came up with the bright idea - to open an Orthodox church on the territory of the hospital. He explained this initiative by the fact that mentally ill people require maximum attention to themselves, that such diseases must be treated not only with medications, but also spiritual ones.
Then it was decided to organize the Church of St. Panteleimon in Yekaterinburg. At first, the room was not adapted for this. One-story brick building - the premises of the second former women's department. It made a small repair at the expense of the parishioners, made candle holders made of wood, hung paper icons on the walls, and built an iconostasis. Much later, a beautiful temple with golden domes appeared in the forest. On the 20th anniversary of the structure, its walls were decorated with amazing murals. Now everyone who enters Panteleimon’s temple in Yekaterinburg, looking up, meets his gaze on the Lord the Overthrow. Which, both in life and in the church, constantly looks at us always and everywhere.
The painting of the temple of the healer Panteleimon in Yekaterinburg
The canon for the placement of plots has long been established in church painting. All painting is divided into 4 large parts. Dome with sails depicting evangelists. Between them are important church holidays. The southern wall of the temple is completely dedicated to the life of Jesus Christ. According to the paintings you can trace, read the entire Gospel. What events were filled with the life of the Savior, what miracles he performed. The northern wall of the temple is dedicated to scenes from the life of the holy great martyr Panteleimon. Here are his miracles and sufferings. Resurrection of the deceased, healing of the weakened, healing of the blind. And next we see how his suffering begins. Here they burn him, tied to a tree with torches. Throw to the wild beasts. Here is his gentle body on a scary wheel. Finally, a huge warrior truncates a saint on his knees - his head in a golden halo obediently lies on the ground. On the western wall of the temple, icon painters, by tradition, depicted paintings of the Last Judgment. This is an upcoming event that awaits us all. The altar is the main part, the holy of holies of each temple. It is also painted with amazingly beautiful images of the Mother of God, the Lord and His Saints.
Modernity
This year the temple of the holy healer Panteleimon in Yekaterinburg will celebrate its 26th anniversary. Is it a lot or a little? From the point of view of human life, 26 years is the age of an adult. During this time, he managed to do some things, certain actions. So, we can talk about the good fruits brought to the Lord.
Many parishioners came to Panteleimon’s temple quite by accident, but they couldn’t just leave. There is something attractive and unusual in it that cannot be explained or conveyed in words. That is why there are so many youth, young families, and large families. On Sundays, the temple resembles a real kindergarten.
Library in the building
In the Panteleimon temple in Yekaterinburg there is a large library fund. It is constantly growing and now has about 15 thousand books. Despite the remote location of the temple of the healer Panteleimon, and maybe even because of this, there are always many parishioners in the temple. In addition to prayers, you can also engage in soulful reading. The library takes into account the interests of parishioners of all ages.