My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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ON JULY 27th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE FEAST-DAY OF SAINT PANTELEIMON THE GREAT MARTYR
Saint Panteleimon, the Great Martyr, was born at the end of the 3rd century A.D. His father, Efstrogios (Eustrogios), was not only very rich but was well known for his zeal in idol worship; whereas his mother Saint Evoule (Euboule) was a faithful Orthodox Christian full of Holy Spirit, love and kindness. Her only interest was to guide her only begotten son in the True faith and virtuous life.
Saint Panteleimon's first name was Pantoleon ("in all things a lion"). When he was very young his mother, Saint Evoule, passed away and his father taught him to worship the false pagan gods of their ancestors. Pantoleon studied medicine under the guidance of the wise doctor Ephrosynos (Euphrosynos), and shortly differentiated from all his other classmates in wisdom and all virtue. Even the Roman pagan emperor Maximianus admired his kind character, that he ordered Ephrosynos to teach him all the secrets of medicine so that Pantoleon became his own personal imperial doctor.
At that period of time, in the Greek city of Nicomedia, there was an old man named Ermolaos, who was the Orthodox Priest of the city. He foresaw that the young Pantoleon will become a vessel of Christ's grace and will glorify Him through his life. One day, as Pantoleon was passing by, he called the young doctor to his house and asked him about his family and religious beliefs. Pantoleon, as noble as he was, answered with politeness to all his questions. Saint Ermolaos said to him, that the medicine which Asclepius, Hippocrates and Galenus, taught is of no value, nor the pagan gods of the empire are true gods, but false and the work of men. He taught Pantoleon about the Orthodox Christian faith and that Christ is the Only True God, Who created heaven and earth, and reminded him that his mother believed in Jesus Christ. He also emphasized that Christ is the True Physician of both soul and body and assured him, that if he believed in Christ, he shall cure all illnesses through God's healing grace.
Pantoleon heard all the wise words of Sant Ermolaos. One day, as he was returning to his home, after school, he found on the side of the road a small boy, who died because he was bitten by a viper snake. Pantoleon prayed to Jesus Christ saying: "If you are the True God, as Ermolalos says, let this boy rise from the dead and let the viper die." Immediately the boy came back to life and the snake blasted into pieces.
This was the proof which he needed. He returned to Saint Ermolaos and demanded to be baptized. From that day onwards, the young doctor performed so many miracles in the name of Jesus Christ that his fame traveled throughout the Roman Empire. From all places, Asia Minor, Greece and Rome ill people came to see the imperial doctor and to be cured of their illnesses. He never demanded payment for his services but rather asked that they believe in the True God and become Christians.
Unfortunately, the other doctors seeing that they were losing out, reported to Maximianus that his personal doctor, Pantoleon, as a Christian. The emperor, at first, did not want to believe this rumor. He sent soldiers to bring forth Pantoleon and asked him personally. When the young man stood before the emperor, he confessed his faith in the One and Only True God. In order to prove the falsehood of the pagan gods Pantoleon cured a blind man, but the emperor did not believe.
Pantoleon was brought forth to the imperial court. He was asked to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods of the empire. On his refusal, Maximianus put Christ's Martyr under different martyrdom. He was hanged, and with iron clutches, the soldiers tore his body to pieces and at the same time with torches they were burning his wounds. They threw him into a boiler with boiling lead, but God's grace protected His servant. They then plunged him into the sea with a heavy rock tied to his neck to drown but was not harmed. They threw him to the lions, but the wild beasts respected the Martyr of Christ and were playing around him as if kittens. On the day all the inhabitants of Nicomedia, seeing that the Martyr through his God overcame all sufferings believed in Christ and cried out with one voice:
"Great is the God of the Christians, He is the One and True God, let the righteous be set free."
From all these martyrdoms Pantoleon was protected by God's grace, and thus His name was glorified through His servant.
Maximianus seeing that he could not achieve anything ordered that Pantoleon should be beheaded on the 27th of July in the year of the Lord 304 A.D. When the soldiers brought Pantoleon outside the city of Nicomedia, they tied him on a dry olive tree. The Martyr of Christ asked for a few moments to pray, Christ appeared to him and said
"From now on your name shall be Panteleimon ("all-merciful"), for in your name I shall work signs and wonders (miracles), and if anyone calls with faith upon your name he shall be cured of any illness he has."
At the stroke of the sword on Saint Panteleimon's neck, the sword bent as though it was made out of wax. Everyone was filled with fear, but Saint Panteleimon demanded that they should carry out the Emperor's order, and thus he was beheaded in the year of the Lord 305 A.D. When his blood fell on the roots of the dead olive tree, immediately it gave new green branches, leaves, and olives.
Saint Panteleimon is one of the Holy Unmercenaries (Anargyroi) and is held in special honor among them, even as Saint George is among the holy Martyrs. (Source: Holy Mountain)
Apolytikion of Great Martyr Panteleimon. Third Tone
Panteleimon, saintly champion and healer, intercede with our Merciful God to grant our souls remission of sins.
Kontakion Hymn of Great Martyr Panteleimon. Plagal of the First Tone
O Champion and Martyr of God, imitating the Merciful and bearing from Him the grace of healing, cure our spiritual ills by your prayers and set free from the temptation of the eternal enemy those who ceaselessly cry out, "Save us, O Lord."
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DIVINE SERVICES FOR SAINT PANTELEIMON THE GREAT MARTYR AND HEALER:
Saturday, July 27th:
Orthros (Matins) at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
Location: Saint Andrew
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George