The future healer Panteleimon, now known throughout the Orthodox world, was born near Constantinople, in the town of Nicomedia. His parents represented a very strange and unacceptable union at that time, namely, his mother converted to Christianity, and his father was in no hurry to renounce the pagan saints. Therefore, the future great martyr got used to religious differences from 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 the then medicine, the secrets of anatomy and learned many conspiracies that, under the auspices of the pagan gods, could heal any disease. However, the moralizing of his parent, teachers and everyone around him could not resist the true nature of Panteleimon. Fate brought him together with the great martyr Yermolai, who told him about the mystery of Christianity. Since then, the future saint began to visit his new friend very often, and forgot all pagan dogmas.
The decisive moment, after which the healer Panteleimon took the Christian rank, was the day when he found a dead child on his way. He began to read the prayers of Christ, and the baby came to life, and the snake that had bitten him immediately disintegrated into pieces. Of course, the adoption of a faith alien to his family prompted anger and discontent towards him, and for some time the father even abandoned his son.
However, one day something happened that changed the pagan parent, converting him to the Christian faith. The healer Panteleimon was supposed to restore sight to one blind man who lived in Nicomedia. And when he said healing prayers, his father was in the temple, who saw with his own eyes the miracle created by the Lord through his son. Since then, another person stopped believing in false beliefs about the power of pagan gods, and turned his thoughts and motivations into a single faith - in Christ the Savior.
After the death of his father, the great physician of God inherited rich gifts, which he subsequently distributed to the poor. He did not stop treating people, saving them with prayers and funerals. It was thanks to his good deeds that he became known to the Byzantine emperor. The same one was extremely disturbed by the religious prejudices of such a great figure, and immediately called him to him. The king of the people tried to convince Panteleimon of his faith, to turn back to 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 flour, andeven fire had no effect on the body and spirit of the saint. In 305, the great martyr and healer Panteleimon was beheaded and 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 the Healer Panteleimon was built (and in many cities). The extraordinary beauty of God's sanctuary is located 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 Christian faith.
