The great healer Panteleimon and his life

The future healer Panteleimon, now known to the whole Orthodox world, was born near Constantinople, in the town of Nicomedia. His parents represented a very strange and unacceptable union at that time, namely, the mother adopted Christianity, and the father did not hurry to renounce pagan holy faces. Therefore, the future great martyr was used to religious disagreements since childhood, and they accompanied him all his life.

Panteleimon's mother died very early, so the boy grew up and was brought up in a pagan school, under the guidance of his father. There the healer Panteleimon learned the basics of medicine of that time, the secrets of anatomy and learned many plots that, under the auspices of the pagan gods, could heal any diseases. However, the moral teachings of his parents, teachers and all those who surrounded him, could not resist the true nature of Panteleimon. Fate brought him with the great martyr Ermolai, who told him about the mystery of Christianity. Since then, the future saint has very often visited his new comrade, and forgot all pagan dogmas.

The decisive moment, after which healer Panteleimon took Christianity, was the day when on his way he found a dead child. He began to read the prayers of Christ, and the baby came to life, and the snake that stung it, immediately decomposed into pieces. Of course, accepting a stranger for his family's faith prompted anger and resentment towards him, and for some time the father even refused his son.

However, one day something happened which changed the pagan parent, turning him into the Christian faith. Healer Panteleimon had to restore sight to one blind man, who lived in Nicomedia. And when he uttered healing prayers, there was his father in the temple who, with his own eyes, saw the miracle created by the Lord through his son. Since then, one more person has ceased to believe in false beliefs about the power of the pagan gods, and turned his thoughts and motivations into a single faith - in Christ the Savior.

After the death of his father, the great doctor of God inherited rich gifts, which he later distributed to the poor. He did not stop treating people, saving them with prayers and funeral services. It was thanks to his good deeds that he became known to the Byzantine emperor. The same was extremely concerned about the religious prejudices of such a great figure, and called him immediately to him. The Tsar of the people tried to persuade Panteleimon in his faith, to turn him back into paganism, but in vain. After that he ordered to torture him, tie a stone to his body and throw him into the water.

However, no torment, and even fire, did not affect the body and spirit of the saint. In 305, the great martyr and healer Panteleimon was beheaded, and he was buried according to Christian traditions. The body and head of the saint were taken to Constantinople, but his relics are in various parts of the modern Christian world. It is believed that they give any church strength and God's grace.

In honor of this saint the temple of Healer Panteleimon was built (and in many cities). Extraordinary beauty of God's sanctuary is in Greece, on Mount Athos. A huge and very picturesque monastery is located in Odessa. And, of course, in Moscow, in the Leningrad region and other cities of Russia there are churches and monasteries that remind us of the great king preaching at the dawn of the dawn of the Christian faith.