HARALAMBOS THE HOLY MARTYR
February 10th
Του
Αγίου Ιερομάρτυρος Χαραλάμπους του Θαυματουργού
St. Haralambos, Bishop of Magnesia (Asia Minor),
successfully spread faith in Christ the Savior, guiding people on the way to
salvation. News of his preaching reached Lucian, the governor of the district,
and the military commander Lucius. The saint was arrested and brought to trial,
where he confessed his faith in Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols.
Despite the bishop's advanced age (he was 113
years old), he was subjected to monstrous tortures. They lacerated his body with
iron hooks, and scraped all the skin from his body. During this the saint turned
to his tormentors, "I thank you, brethren, that you have restored my spirit,
which longs to pass over to a new and everlasting life!"
Seeing the Elder's endurance and his complete
lack of malice, two soldiers (Porphyrios and Baptos) openly confessed Christ,
for which they were immediately beheaded with a sword. Three women who were
watching the sufferings of St. Haralambos also began to glorify Christ, and were
quickly martyred.
The enraged Lucius seized the instruments of
torture and began to torture the holy martyr, but suddenly his forearms were cut
off as if by a sword. The governor then spat in the face of the saint, and
immediately his head was turned around so that he faced backwards.
Then Lucius entreated the saint to show mercy on
him, and both torturers were healed through the prayers of St. Haralambos.
During this a multitude of witnesses came to believe in Christ. Among them also
was Lucius, who fell at the feet of the holy bishop, asking to be baptized.
Lucian reported these events to the emperor
Septimus Severus (193-211), who was then at Pisidian Antioch (western Asia
Minor). The emperor ordered St. Harlambos to be brought to him in Antioch.
Soldiers twisted the saint's beard into a rope, wound it around his neck, and
used it to drag him along. They also drove an iron nail into his body. The
emperor then ordered them to torture the bishop more intensely, and they began
to burn him with fire, a little at a time. But God protected the saint, and he
remained unharmed.
Many miracles were worked through his prayer: he
raised a dead youth, and healed a man tormented by devils for thirty-five years,
so that many people began to believe in Christ the Savior. Even Galina, the
daughter of the emperor, began to believe in Christ, and twice smashed the idols
in a pagan temple. On the orders of the emperor they beat the saint about the
mouth with stones. They also wanted to set his beard on fire, but the flames
burned the torturer.
Full of wickedness, Septimus Severus and an
official named Crispus hurled blasphemy at the Lord, mockingly summoning Him to
come down to the earth, and boasting of their own power and might. The Lord sent
an earthquake, and great fear fell upon all, the impious ones were both
suspended in mid-air held by invisible bonds, and only by the prayer of the
saint were they put down. The dazed emperor was shaken in his former impiety,
but again quickly fell into error and gave orders to torture the saint.
And finally, he sentenced St. Haralambos to
beheading with a sword. During his final prayer, the heavens opened and the
saint saw the Savior and a multitude of angels. The holy martyr asked Him to
grant that the place where his relics would repose would never suffer famine or
disease. He also begged that there would be peace, prosperity, and an abundance
of fruit, grain, and wine in that place, and that the souls of these people
would be saved. The Lord promised to fulfill his request and ascended to heaven,
and the soul of the hieromartyr Haralambos followed after Him. By the mercy of
God, the saint died before he could be executed. Galina buried the martyr's body
with great honor.
Source:
OCA
