August 9 / July 27

The Holy Great-martyr and Healer Panteleimon (304)

Panteleimon was born in Nicomedia of a Christian mother and a pagan father. His mother was named Eubula and his father Eustorgius. As a young man, he studied the science of medicine. The priest Hermolaus befriended him, taught him the Christian Faith and baptized him. Panteleimon miraculously cured a blind man whom other doctors had treated in vain; he healed him by the name of Christ and baptized him. The doctors, full of envy, accused Panteleimon as a Christian, and he went before the Emperor Maximian to stand trial. “He stood before the earthly king in body but in mind, he stood before the heavenly King.” He freely declared to the emperor that he was a Christian, and in his presence healed a paralytic of his long-standing illness. This miracle drew many pagans to the Christian Faith. The emperor subjected Panteleimon to torture, but the Lord appeared to him on several occasions and delivered him whole and unharmed. Then St. Hermolaus, along with Hermippas and Hermocrates suffered. Sentenced to death, St. Panteleimon knelt in prayer. At that moment, the executioner struck him on the neck with the sword, but it broke as though made of wax. The executioner was unable to execute Panteleimon until the saint completed his prayer and gave him permission to do so. His relics possess the ability to heal. Panteleimon was executed under an olive tree which was thereafter adorned with much fruit. “Panteleimon” means “all-merciful,” or “all-compassionate.” The All-merciful God received his righteous soul and glorified him among His great saints. This wonderful martyr suffered honorably for Christ in his youth, on July 27, 304. St. Panteleimon is invoked during the prayers of the Blessing of Waters and in the Sacrament of Holy Unction, together with St. Hermolaus and the other unmercenary and wonderworking saints. A most beautiful church dedicated to this saint is located on the Holy Mountain.

2.  Saint Clement (916), Archbishop of Ohrid, and his companions

Clement was a disciple of Saints Methodius and Cyril. After the death of St. Methodius, Clement, under pressure from the Germans, traveled southward from Moravia. Clement and his companions—Gorazd,  Na-

hum, Sava, and Angelarius (together, they were called “The Five”)—crossed the Danube River, where they were guests of Emperor Boris Michael. Following this they came to the region of Ohrid. They first founded a monastery in Belica, where Clement’s first episcopal see was located. Afterward, he moved to Ohrid, and from there developed his great archpastoral and illuminating activity for the entire region. In Ohrid St. Clement erected a church to St. Panteleimon. He had many disciples, who copied books in the Slavonic script for the Slavic peoples. St. Nahum especially assisted him in this work. He worked miracles during his life, and his relics manifest a healing power to the present day. Following great labors and faithful service to God, he reposed peacefully in Ohrid, in the year 916. His wonderworking relics repose in a church formerly dedicated to the Holy Theotokos, which was re-dedicated to St. Clement.

3. Blessed Nicholas, the Fool-for-Christ, of Novgorod (1392)

Nicholas was from Novgorod, and was the son of wealthy parents. He left his wealth, and ran through the streets as a fool-for-Christ, instructing men through his foolishness. His companion in the same ascesis was Blessed Theodore. Once, in the presence of witnesses, they both ran across a river on the surface of the water. Nicholas reposed in the Lord in 1392.

4.  The Venerable Anthusa, abbess, of Mantinea (Asia Minor)

After a long solitary ascetic life Anthusa founded a convent of ninety sisters. During the iconoclastic controversy under Emperor Constantine Copronymus, all ninety nuns were slain, after which the Venerable Anthusa herself died, in the year 759.

5. The 153 Martyrs

They were drowned in the sea in Thrace.

• Symeon Stylites (the Younger) of Sicily (6th c.).
• Martyrs Aurelius, his wife Sabigotha (Natalia), Felix, and his wife Liliosa, and Hieromartyr George the Sabbaite, hierodeacon, at Cordoba (852).
• Ioasaph, metropolitan of Moscow (1555).
• New Martyr Christodulus of Cassandra, at Thessalonica (1777).
• New Hieromartyr Ambrose, bishop of Sarapul (1918).
• Glorification (1970) of Herman of Alaska (1836).
• (Greek : The blind man who confessed Christ and was healed by St. Panteleimon [4th c.]).

 

HYMN OF PRAISE

The Five (Saints Clement, Nahum, Angelarius, Sava and Gorazd)

The Five God-pleasers,

Diligent bearers of the honey of the Gospel,
Spread the Faith throughout the wide world,
Until they settled on the blue lake—
But from there they labored with greater effort
To sweeten, with the Lord,
the bitter life of men.
Clement the hierarch,
God’s true servant,
Who endured much pain and mockery,
Became Christ’s banner at Ohrid.
And with him, Saints Nahum,
Angelarius and Sava,
And blessed Gorazd, five in number;
All were men of God, His laborers.
For a thousand years they have lived in heaven;
For a thousand years they have amazed mankind.
They spared no labor in baptizing the people,
And were crowned with glory, for they loved God.
Ohrid preserves the glory of the Five,
As the boast and glory of the Slavs.

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To read the Reflection, Contemplation, and Homily for this day,
you can purchase your copy of the Prologue of Ohrid at our St. Sebastian Bookstore
or download our Kindle E-Book version at Amazon.com.