July 27th, Saint Pantaleon, Martyr.
Pantaleon (whose name by interpretation is The-All-Compassionate) died the death of a martyr, as Theodoret and others do testify, and the year thereof was probably 305. Little more than this is certainly known of him, but in after years his story came to be told on this wise. He was of a noble family of Nicomedia, a learned man and a Christian, who became the physician of the Emperor Galerius Maximian. At whose wicked court he was seduced into sin, and became an apostate. But when he had been brought back to Christ by a zealous Christian named Hermolaus, he gave all that he had to the poor, and out of his great compassion served them without pay. Whereat he was denounced as a Christian by some jealous fellow-physicians, and put to the torture under the Emperor Diocletian ; first on the rack, and then by searing of his body with red-hot metal, and in divers other ways. All which bitterness of suffering he bore with a quiet and brave heart, and at last received the stroke of the sword, and the crown of martyrdom. He is counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, being venerated as a patron of the sick and those who care for them. In the east he is entitled : Great Martyr and Healer : and is numbered along with Saints Cosmas and Damian, among those known as The-Holy-and-Moneyless-Physicians, which three saints all Catholics do honour, next after Luke the Beloved Physicians, and Patrons of medical men.
Collect:
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God : that by the prayers of thy holy Martyr blessed Pantaleon, we may be delivered from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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