July 27: Saint Panteleimon is celebratedtranslated

Today the Church honors the memory of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon the miracle worker. It was originally called Pantoleon. He lived in Nicomedia at the beginning of the 4th century, during the reign of Maximian. His father Eustorgios was a pagan, while his mother Evvoulis was a Christian. He studied Greek letters and was taught medical science, in which he distinguished himself among all his colleagues. He learned the true faith from the priest Ermolaos, whose memory we celebrated yesterday, and with the power of Christ he was credited with performing many miracles. He cured every disease and provided his services for free, that is, having mercy on everyone, as indicated by the name Panteleimon, by which he came to be known. This is also the reason why the saint is included in the choir of the twenty miracle-working holy doctors Anargyri.

The envy of the pagans and indeed of the doctors, which culminated after the healing of a blind man, was the reason for his arrest and being brought before the emperor. Despite the horrible tortures to which he was subjected, he remained, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, unsullied in his faith. The Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon received the crown of martyrdom with...