ON LIFE AND DEATH. ARCHPRIEST SERGIY BARANOV

Today we commemorate the Holy Great-Martyr and Healer Panteleimon. When we think of St. Panteleimon, pray to him, we take him as a healer who must cure all the diseases upon our request. According to us, he must study, satisfy and fulfill all the cases. Some other options are just beyond our Orthodox comprehension. And now I would like to cast my mind back to Holy Mount Athos and its Russian St. Panteleimon monastery where lived one hieromonk Anthimos, within my memory at the beginning of the 2000-s he was still alive. He was not old, middle-aged, and it was this hieromonk who most of the time brought out the head of St. Panteleimon for pilgrims to veneration. He was the one who was closest to the holy relics. And then in the 2000-s he developed cancer, burned out very fast and died. In this regard for many people who don’t see the big picture raises the question: why? Why didn’t Holy Great-Martyr and Healer Panteleimon help? He, whom we ask for recovery, ask most categorically, hoping that by simply