Life of Saint Haralambos
Saint Haralambos was an early Orthodox Christian priest in Magnesia on the Maeander, a region of Asia Minor, in the diocese of the same name. His name Χαράλαμπος means glowing with joy in Greek language. He lived during the reign of Septimius Severus (193–211), when Lucian was Proconsul of Magnesia.
As Saint Haralambis was Bishop of Magnesia also in Assyrian Mar Zaia, He was spreading the Gospel in that region for many years. However, when news of his preaching reached the authorities of the area the saint was arrested and brought to trial, where he confessed his faith in Christ and refused to offer sacrifice to idols.
Despite his advanced age, he was tortured mercilessly. They lacerated his body with iron hooks, and scraped all the skin from his body. The saint had only one thing to say to his tormentors: “Thank you, my brethren, for scraping off the old body and renewing my soul for new and eternal life.
At the time of his martyrdom in 202, Haralambos was 113 years old.
Miracle of Saint Haralambos
During the Second World War , the nazis invaded the country of Greece. A certain nazi captain who took over Pyrgos village had orders from another high up nazi to blow up the whole village in a few days. The orders were coming from another high up nazi, who was about fifty kilometres away from the village. The local villagers found out about it, and feared for what was to happen. Being that the patron saint of their village was saint Haralambos, the villagers decided to go to church at night and pray to Him.
The next night the captain who had orders for the catastrophe, had a dream. He dreamed that an old man with a long beard approached him and said: “WHAT YOU ARE THINKING OF DOING TO THIS VILLAGE? DON’T DO IT OR YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!” He woke up startled and frightened, but he thought it was only a dream. Again, the next night the same happened, St. Haralambos appeared in his dream. Do you think that this is a dream, I’ll tell you for the last time , DONT do it. Again woken with fear, he decided to let his superior know. Although scared that he might be rejected, he called his superior and told him everything about his dreams. The superior was in silence for few minutes and then asked him: “Was the old man with a long beard?”
“Yes”, he replied.
The superior said to the captain: ” I’m coming over there, because that old man came to me too.
The superior came , and together with the captain , wanted to know who the old man was? Upon going into the church to ask the priest about it, all of a sudden they noticed the icon of St Haralambos! They screamed out: “who is this man, and where is he now? The priest replied, that is St Haralambos, and has been dead for over a thousand years.
Being in huge fear and panic they both decided not to destroy the village.
After this incident one of the nazis kept coming back to Greece for the name day of St Haralambos to venerate and pray to him.