Collection: St. Panteleimon

St. Panteleimon is one of the most popular saints among Eastern Christians, because of his fame as a healer for all those who turn to him in prayer.  He was born in Nicomedia in 275 and studied medicine as a young man.  Originally named Pantaleon, which means "in all things a lion," in time he came to be called Panteleimon instead, a name that means "all merciful," because of the generous way he accepted all who were ill, regardless of whether they had money to pay for his services.

Although his father was a pagan, on his mother's side he came from generations of Christians, and he himself was a Christian.  Besides healing with herbs and other natural remedies, he sometimes cured the afflicted through prayer.

He was arrested and subjected to intense torture during the reign of Maximian, in 305.  After much suffering, he was beheaded.  A blind man he had healed through his prayers was also arrested and executed.

His feast day is July 27.