“If you really want happiness, you have to believe in Christ and be a Christian.” He left the faith as a Christian later he confessed again and came back to Christianity. These are the words of the saint Pantaleon.
He is one of the fourteen Holy Helpers of the Catholic Church. Pantaleon is a special mediator for physicians, caregivers, and crying babies. Born in 275 AD in a wealthy family in Nicomedia, he grew up under the special discipline and prayer of his Christian mother. However, after the death of the saint’s mother, he abandoned Christianity. By this time Pantaleon had studied medicine under the famous physician Euphrosynos and had become the physician of the then ruler, Galerius.
During a conversation with Hermolaus Pantaleon, the then Bishop of Nicomedia, he emphasized the idea that ‘Jesus is the true physician’ and gave examples of this. From the bishop’s speech, Pantaleon returned to the Christian faith, recognizing that faith in Christ was fundamentally necessary for healing, rather than the doctor’s advice.
Pantaleon then miraculously healed a blind man in the name of Jesus and converted his unbelieving father to Christianity. After the death of his own father, he became the owner of innumerable properties. He showed the example of love and sharing taught by Christ by giving all he had to the poor and orphans. Eventually, in 305 AD, his colleagues, jealous of his work and life of faith, surrendered to the Christian persecution of Emperor Diocletian. The miraculous healing power of the saint, who bravely witnessed the beheading, is highly revered among the faithful.
The image of Pantaleon is very famous. The image of carrying a medicine box and a spatula in one hand and a crucifix of martyrs in the other is most popular. The Pantaleon Temple, built by Emperor Justinian in Constantinople in the 6th century, and the Pantaleon Monastery in Jordan are important pilgrimage sites named after the saint. The Catholic Church celebrates feast day on 27 July.