My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
On the 10th of February, Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates
the holy and glorious Hieromartyr HARALAMBOS of Magnesia.
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone
AN unshaken pillar of the Church of Christ God art thou, an ever-
resplendent lamp, O Haralambos most wise, which shineth
throughout the earth; in martyric contest thou has shined on the
whole world, and thou hast dispelled the moonless night of the
idols. Now boldly intercede thou with Christ that we may all be
saved.
Kontakion Hymn. Fourth Tone
THOU didst rise up in the East, a luminary that enlightened faithful men with thy bright shafts of miracles, O Haralambos; hence
we revere thy godly contest, O Martyr of sacred fame.
+
Saint Haralambos, the sacred Hieromartyr, the grace-filled and splendid athlete and sacrificer in his sacerdotal ministry to the Lord, who is the boast of all Greece and the adornment of believers, was from Magnesia. He set himself aside for Christ from his youth, desiring only to follow Him. He served the Church and the flock for many years, abundantly serving every need, until the time of the grossly impious Emperor Severus, when Lucian (Loukianos) was Provincial Governor. The holy priest was arrested by them and subjected to a death by martyrdom on account of his faith in, and love for, the Christ.
The valiant warrior of Christ whom we honor is Hieromartyr Haralambos the Great Martyr. As we said, he was first a priest lawfully ordained for the Magnesian Diocese. While he was serving the flock of Christ, the profane Severus in Rome assigned the rough, hard, and cruel Lucian to Magnesia. The Governor tortured many Christians in an attempt to have them renounce piety and venerate the inanimate idols. It was during those tumultuous times that the blessed Haralambos was arrested by the odious Lucian. The Governor had been notified that Haralambos, as the priest of the Christians, set at nought the idols and treated them with contempt. The holy priest was also accused of boldly and openly preaching to the people to believe in the Christ. The Governor was informed against the priest: “He belittles our idols, saying they are powerless and broken perdition for their followers. He consoles the Christians by saying our religion is diminishing.” Lucian dispatched soldiers to bring to him the priest who would incite civil disobedience. Lucian began the interrogation, asking the man of God, “Why dost thou despise the idols and the imperial decrees?” The Saint answered, “I obey the just and saving commands of the Heavenly King, Christ…My Master Christ bestows Everlasting Life and Blessedness upon His servants (slaves). Those who invoke His Almighty name cause the demons, who are wanting in strength and to whom you make obeisance, to take flight. Our Christ is able to heal every incurable disease and infirmity for those who call upon Him with faith.” The Governor retorted, “Leave off this talk, old man, and act prudently and do what is in thine interest. Worship the gods, lest I should put thee to the test by means of harsh tortures. The holy man replied, “If we do not suffer troubles here in this temporal life, we shall not inherit those everlasting good things.”
The Governor then bade his officers to disrobe the Christian priest. The executioners took up hand tools and flayed the holy man from his head to his feet. The blessed man endured this unbearable torture bravely, as his flesh was dreadfully rent asunder. He had been well taught to bear violence. He began to say, “I give thanks to you, O brothers, that you have tortured my body, for this shall usher in for my soul everlasting blessedness in the future age.” The torturers were amazed and said, “This man deems indignities to be honor and torments to be rest. Peradventure he is the Christ disguised and has come among us to test us? His body is being torn to shreds by iron instruments, and yet he is stronger than iron. Though the talons penetrate the flesh, yet he recovers and abides unharmed and intact! The Governor could not doubt it: the evidence was before his eyes.
The executioners resumed the torture until they were worn out. They declared the power of Christ and glorified Him, together with His servant whom He strengthened. They too suffered martyrdom. All the inhabitants of Magnesia, and surrounding parts, gathered about the Saint. They confessed their sins and were baptized. The abundance of grace with which the Saint was supplied wrought many miracles and cures for those who were ailing. The blind received their sight, the lame walked about, the demons took flight, the dead were raised, and every disease and infirmity was healed. Governor Lucian, an eyewitness, went to the palace and reported all the incidents pertaining to the holy Christian presbyter. Lucian also did not conceal the fact that he himself had converted to Christianity. The ungodly Severus, was moved with anger and in his rage, Severus dispatched three hundred soldiers. Their orders were to take custody of the Presbyter Haralambos and insert nails down his spine. Then they were instructed to drag the Christian priest from Magnesia to Antioch. The soldiers carried out their commission. They took nails and, without the least pity, hammered them into, and throughout, his body. Next they braided his long beard and wound it about his neck. His hair was thus used to pull the elderly presbyter along the road. After they dragged the Saint 1.72 miles.
The Saint was brought before Severus by the soldiers. Severus wasted no time in devising a heinous punishment for the holy priest. He ordered that a great skewer be made to pierce Haralambos’ chest. Next he bade his men to fetch wood and then light a fire. He planned to have the Saint burned until he gave up the spirit. After the spit was thrust into his chest, they burned him for a long time. Severus intended it to be so, lest the prisoner should expire quickly. However, it was observed that the martyr was untouched by the flames. The Saint appeared to have revived and stood forth as a fragrant rose. Severus then bade his men to release the prisoner and bring him closer to his judgment seat. The emperor asked the Saint how old he was. The Saint answered, “I am one hundred and thirteen years old.” The emperor remarked, “Thou hast lived so many years, so how is it that thou hast not acknowledge the immortal gods? Instead, as one ignorant, thou dost offer homage to the Christ?” The Saint replied, “Indeed, I have lived many years, O emperor, during which time I have acknowledged the truth and have venerated the One Who is God, the Almighty and compassionate One.”
“Sacrifice to the gods, O Haralambos, that thou mightiest attain release from the torments.” The athlete of Christ commented, “The more thou dost torture me, more so does my soul rejoice.” The emperor was angered at this response. Thereupon, he commanded his men to shatter with stones the cheeks and sides of the face of the priest. This was to be followed by applying burning lamps to his face and beard. The fire, as though it possessed a rational power, leaped forth and spread and burned those present.
Finally the Emperor pronounced judgment, the last sentencing, upon the holy priest. He charged his executioners to seize Haralambos and conduct him to the execution site. His order was carried out. On his way to execution, the Saint chanted the following psalm: “Of mercy and judgment will I sing to Thee, O Lord, I will chant and have understanding in a blameless path; when will Thou come to me” [Psalm 100:1]. After he had prayed , the heavens opened. The Lord, with a multitude of His Angels, came down. It was a spectacle full of wonder. The Lord was seen to be sitting on a Throne of pearl. He said to His holy priest and Martyr, “Come, My pleasing and beloved one who, for My name’s sake, suffered such ill-treatment and hardships. Ask of Me whatsoever gift thou dost wish, and I shall grant them entreaty.”
Then the blessed Hieromartyr of the Christ, the namesake of joy and brightness and light, who was rich nor only in love for God but also in love toward his neighbor. The Lord ascended into the heavens and the Saint soon thereafter surrendered his soul in peace, before the severing of his head by the executioner. The blessed Galeenee, the daughter of Severus who had converted to Christianity, quickly took up the Saint’s sacred relics and wrapped them. It was her happiness to inter the Saint in a gold coffin, after having placed costly myrrh and aromatic spices with his relics. As for Severus, still alarmed and in awe, he did not take action against his daughter, perceiving that the God of the Christians was with her. Thus, Princess Galeenee sent the remainder of her life in right faith and piety.
The holy, glorious, and most august relics of the Saint, Hieromartyr Haralmbos, have been distributed, for the sake of reverence, everywhere to Orthodox Christians. The holy relics are able to help, defend, and keep off dread circumstances. They have proved to be an excellent remedy of every infirmity. His most holy and precious skull is now found at the Monastery of Saint Stefanos, a Women’s Monastery at Meteora. [Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church].
________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 