Today the Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Great-martyr and Healer Panteleimon.
Pantoleon, as the saint was originally called, came from Nicomedia and lived in the second half of the 3rd century AD during the reign of Maximian. His father Eustorgius was a pagan whereas his mother Eubula was a Christian.
He studied Greek and medicine, and became a notable physician. The priest Hermolaus was the one who spoke Saint Panteleimon about Christian faith, whose memory was celebrated yesterday, and by the power of Christ he was deemed worthy to perform many miracles. He cured every disease and did not accept payment for his services, so he showed compassion to everyone, as the name Panteleimon states, with which he became known to everybody. This is the reason why the saint is included in the chorus of the twenty miraculous Holy Unmercenaries.
Due to the envy of the pagans and even the physicians, which became even more intense after the healing of a blind man, the saint was arrested and was brought to the emperor. Despite the horrible tortures, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, he remained steadfast in the faith of Christ the Savior. The Holy Great Martyr and Healer of Panteleimon received the crown of martyrdom by beheading in AD 304.
Today’s celebration reminds us of the famous historical Monastery of Agios Panteleimon in the Turkish-occupied Myrtos, in which, as the famous phrase says: “the pilgrims suffering from every disease resort to the grace of the Saint”.
Today, the women’s monastery of Agios Panteleimon in Achera, near the community of Agrokipia, is celebrating. Among the parish churches that celebrate are those of Kakopetria, Meneos and Makedonitissa.
Source: Church of Cyprus
