PRESTIGIOUS PANTALEON AND HIS PRODIGIES

Like St Augustine, St Pantaleon was born to a pagan father and a Christian mother. His father was very rich and wielded much influence in Northern Turkey of the 3rd century. It speaks to his father's sense of his high status that he gave his son such a strong name, Pantaleon, which means "a lion in all things". His devout mother died when he was a young child. His father enrolled him in a pagan school, and Pantaleon showed himself to be very smart and he trained to be a medical doctor. 

Pantaleon was remarkably handsome, even the artwork depicting him reminds me of the actor, Thimotee Chalamet. Everything in his life and career came easily to Pantaleon. He was such a talented doctor that he became Emperor Maximian's personal physician. But his mother's example remained with him, and he questioned if she had in fact been right to spurn the pagan gods in favor of Christ. Two catalysts caused his conversion. Pantaleon encountered a holy priest called Hermolaus who lived in hiding lest he be martyred and he reminded the young doctor of his mother's piety and practice of the Faith, to the point that she was a different religion to her husband. But ahem, Dr Pantaleon lived a lavish lifestyle at the court of the emperor, and he enjoyed being held high in the emperor's esteem; this would not continue if he became a Christian. 

That which brought him to faith was a miracle his prayer worked which is illustrated in the classic painting above. One day, out walking, Dr Pantaleon came across the body of a dead boy lying in the street. A snake had delivered a death bite to the boy, and the serpent still hissed near the child; the sight cut the physician to the heart and he knew he could not, by his own powers, bring the child back to life so he prayed to Jesus that the child be restored to life, and he promised that were this to happen, he would be baptized and become a fully committed Christian, no matter the cost to his career. Suddenly, the child rose and the snake's life was extinguished. 

He swiftly asked Hermolaus to baptize him and he took the name, "Panteleimon" which means, "all merciful". Christ Himself had instructed Dr Pantaleon to take this name because He ordained him to be an instrument of mercy. To this day, Byzantine Catholics call him "Panteleimon" while us Roman Catholics call him by the name his father gave him. Newly baptized, Pantaleon hurried to convert his pagan dad, and it was another miracle that brought his wealthy father to the Faith. There was a blind man for whom medical science could do nothing. Pantaleon invoked the Holy Name of Jesus over the man and instantly the man could see. After that, his dad was promptly baptized. 

This was the first of many prodigies that Pantaleon worked for his patients when he employed the Holy Name of Jesus to heal them miraculously. He sought out the sick and the poor, and he treated all for free; he knew no price could be put on the Holy Name or on a patient's salvation; when they were cured by way of Jesus's Name, they knew by Whom they could be saved. 

Dr Pantaleon became ever more popular, til news of his new way of practicing medicine reached the ears of his boss, Emperor Maximian, who also heard malicious gossip against Pantaleon, uttered by envious peers of his in medical profession. Maximian called Pantaleon before him to answer for himself. Pantaleon tried to demonstrate for Emperor the power of the Holy Name by organizing a contest. He invited the pagan doctors to an audience before the emperor. These doctors were his envious enemies. Then he brought before them a paralyzed man who no doctor had been able to treat successfully. Dr Pantaleon had his fellow doctors call on their gods to procure the man's healing, which they did, but to no avail. Then Pantaleon called on the Name of Jesus and the man was relieved of his paralysis and could walk as though he had never been paralytic. 

The emperor was not impressed, rather he was enraged and he had the handsome doctor beheaded. Pantaleon was only 30 years old, and it was the year 305. He ended his life, punished like the worst criminal, but he was raised to the prestigious role of patron of medical doctors. He is also patron of midwives, pharmacists, children who cry uncontrollably and counted among the 14 Holy Helpers, thus he is in the illustrious company of Margaret, patroness of pregnant women. I posit that he is a fine intercessor for all our medical needs, but that he may be a special helper to those who need charity from their doctors, especially if they have trouble paying their medical bills. May those doctors - who act in the spirit Pantaleon - have a great reward in Heaven. 

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The classic painting, Conversion of St Pantaleon was executed by Paulo Veronese, the second image is an icon of Pantaleon from St Catherine's Monastery in Mount Sinai. This post was largely informed by Dr Pius Parsch's The Church's Year of Grace, as well as my wider reading into the figure of Pantaleon.