In the churches there are images of saints who donated gold jewelry: rings, earrings. Panteleimon the healer is capable of giving life saving or helping seriously ill people. The icon displays him as a wonderful young man. A brief history of his life, the ability to heal people and help modern believers in prayers - all this will be discussed in the publication.
What kind of life did Saint Panteleimon the healer live ?
The icon of this Great Martyr is today the most revered among Russian believers for her amazing ability to treat people. Panteleimon is portrayed as a young man with a pen (liar) in one hand and a casket with medicines in the other. But what was his fate?
The great martyr named Pantoleon was born in the northwest of Asia Minor, in the city of Nicomedia. Now this place belongs to Turkey, it is called the city - Ismid. His mother was a Christian, and his father a pagan. After receiving his basic education, the young man learned healing abilities from Efrosin, who treated the emperor.
By God's will, Pantoleon met the preacher Yermolaus, who taught him faith in God. The boy carefully delved into everything that was knowable, marveling at the Savior's ability to heal and resurrect the sick. Once Pantoleon himself was convinced of such a miracle: turning to Christ could revive a child who was bitten by a snake. From that moment on, the future Great Martyr was christened at Yermolaus under the name Panteleimon (the correct stress on “le”), which in Greek means “all-merciful”, “the doctor from God.” Since then, the merciful young man has asked for the help of the Heavenly Forces in order to cure the people who turned to him. He helped each of them, leading them to faith. One fine day Panteleimon helped a blind man who had lost hope of seeing. When his ability to see returned, such an event became one of the greatest miracles.
Once, doctors who did not recognize faith in Christ reported to the emperor Panteleimon, demanding reprisal for his confession of God. When the youth healer was brought to Maximilian, he said that he was healing in the name of Jesus, and asked for an opportunity to prove it to him. A paralyzed, weakened man was brought into the palace, suffering for many years from his fate. No matter how hard the heathens tried to put him on their feet, everything was useless. When Panteleimon approached the sufferer and said prayers, he easily got to his feet and felt great. He gained faith in God and began to praise Jesus Christ, who healed him. However, this course of events did not suit the pagan emperor, who immediately ordered the healed to be executed, and Panteleimon sentenced him to serious torture, forcing him to abandon God.
The young man did not do this. Real miracles happened: all the tools that touched his body became completely harmless, broke, lost rigidity! They tried to burn the healer with candles, but as soon as they approached him, the flame went out. Then he was thrown into a flock of lions, but they began to lick his legs. Anyway, Maximilian decided to execute the young man by beheading outside the city, under a withered tree.
When the executioners were about to fulfill the order, their weapons became soft. They believed in God and asked for forgiveness from Panteleimon. However, the young man ordered them to fulfill what the emperor ordered. When everything happened, the unexpected happened: the blood turned into milk, and the dried olive was covered with fruits.
Icon Panteleimon the healer. Meaning in modern life
The image of this good youth healer in the churches is flooded with a large number of believers. People who have lost hope of saving their loved ones are turning to him. They ask for help with ailments, illnesses, because Panteleimon devoted his short life to the unfortunate, suffering from an ailment. There were many cases when a merciful saint sent his help from heaven to all who sincerely asked him to do so. In gratitude, believers leave precious things at the image of the Great Martyr, make donations to the temple. For this reason, Panteleimon the healer - the icon is considered miraculous.
Today at the time of Baptism, when the sacrament of the Blessing of Sanctification and the sanctification of water is performed, the worshipers turn to this merciful young man. He is also called in prayer for sick people. Celebrating the day of this saint is customary to perform in the new style on August 9 (in the old style - July 27).
Panteleimon the healer - an icon that carries two meanings
Panteleimon - this is how the young man was called when he became a real healer. In Western countries, he is considered the patron of all doctors. However, the name that the young man had before baptism, Pantoleon, was not forgotten in the Orthodox Church. It translates as “lion in everything.” Therefore, they believe that Panteleimon the healer is an icon of the patron saint of soldiers, a formidable saint. There is a close relationship between them: warriors most often receive wounds, and they most need treatment.