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[[Image:Haralampos.jpg|right|frame|Icon of Saint Charalampus at Skete.com]]The holy, glorious, right-victorious [[martyr, ]] '''Charalampus''' (or '''Haralambos''' ) was a [[priest]] (Greek tradition) or [[bishop]] (Russian tradition) in the city of Magnesia in Thessaly during the late second and early third century. He was martyred, having openly preached the [[Gospels|Gospel]] during persecutions during the reign of Alexander Severus (222-235), and when Lucian was Proconsul of Magnesia. His feast is commemorated on [[February 10]].

==LifeMartyrdom==Haralambos served his people with great faith Charalampus is a most wonderful [[saint]] who lived to a very old age. He was 113 when he was tortured and lovelater martyred. His reputation The Emperor Severus had appointed Lucian as a man the governor of God had spread throughout the area and many people came to the Faith through his preaching the Good News territory of Jesus Magnesia where Charalampus was a priest. Lucian was upset that Charalampus was [[Christconversion|converting]]so many pagans. He had him arrested and commanded him to honor the stone gods. During a period of extreme persecution, Haralambos did Since he would not hidedo this, but openly Lucian began to torture him. They used a tool that would flay the skin and boldly preached the Orthodox Faith! When Haralambos was finally arrested for having the courage they cut his skin to preach shreds. All the Gospelwhile, his persecutors devised a plan of persecution for everyone Charalampus gave thanks to witnessour Lord. His strength amazed the executioners and they were converted. Although he The military commander, Lucius, was tortured repeatedly, he never denounced angry and had his faith in Jesus Christtwo officers Porphyrios and Vaptos beheaded. This persecution went on for several months Three other women were converted, and not once did Haralambos weaken in his faithwere also killed. Forced to suffer extreme pain Then miraculously, the general's hands were severed at the elbow and degradation, Haralambos continued he saw them hanging from the martyr's body. Fear spread throughout the city. People began to preach beg mercy from the God Charalampus professed. The general begged for mercy from Charalampus. The Lord's voice was heard and many miracles instantly all those injured were healed. The general was converted and conversions took place among the people[[baptism|baptized]]. When The Governor Lucian stopped persecuting the soldiers thrashed Christians until he could report back to the skin from his body Haralambos said: "Thank youemperor. Meanwhile, Charalampus performed many [[miracle]]s, my brethrenhealing the sick, for scraping off curing the old body blind, and renewing my soul for new and eternal lifeeven raising some from the dead. The whole region came to believe in [[Jesus Christ]]."

In the final moments of his lifeSeverus, moments before when he heard about this from Lucian, was outraged and sent in three hundred troops to be beheaded, Haralambos lifted arrest Charalampus and drive spikes into his hands spine. They were to heaven drag him from Magnesia to a nearby town. But after they had dragged him about a mile and prayed for all humankind: "Lorda half, You know that men are flesh and blood; forgive them their sins and pour out Your blessing on all." Following this prayer two of the saint gave up his soul soldiers' horses began talking to God and died without the sword being laid soldiers in a great voice calling them minions of the devil. The horses said to his neckfree Charalampus lest they be harmed. At This frightened them and they stopped the time of his martyrdom the Saint was 103 years of agetorture.

The emperor was frustrated and brought Charalampus in for his questioning. He brought a person who had been tormented by a demon for 36 years to see whether Charalampus could [[exorcism|exorcise]] this demon. This he did. Severus was amazed and exclaimed, "Truly, great is the God of the Christians." The emperor then brought before him a lad who had been dead for three days, and the lad was resurrected by the [[prayer]]s of Charalampus. All gathered were converted. Severus' prefect Crispus was angered and asked that the emperor put Charalampus to death. Again Charalampus refused the demands of Severus to honor his gods and the emperor ordered that his face be crushed with stones. Once they bashed his face with stones, they were to apply torches to burn his beard and face. When they applied the fire, the flames leapt forth and spread, burning those present instead. The emperor remembered the words of the wise old man who had told him that Charalampus was a sorcerer. Severus asked his deputies about who is the Christ. Aristarchos stepped up to tell the truth about Jesus Christ. The emperor, angered, declared war on heaven, challenging Christ to come down from heaven so he could fight him. He exclaimed, "Come down, O Christ, to earth, that we may fight. Behold, my army will war against thee; if thou will not come down, I will pull down the firmament and extinguish the sun!" At this moment there was a great earthquake. In some way, Severus and Crispus were suspended in midair. The emperor's daughter, Galina, begged her father to believe in Christ and ask that Christ deliver him from punishment. She then [[veneration|venerated]] the saint and asked that the punishment of Severus be stopped and it was. The two retreated to their palace for three days. Meanwhile, his daughter had a vision of [[paradise]] and that the guardian carried her and set her down next to a cedar tree. Charalampus explained to her that this was the Paradise promised by Christ, that the one who had placed her next to the tree was Jesus Christ, and that she had this vision because of her belief in Christ. After 30 days, the emperor again summoned the priest, asking him again to honor the commands of the emperor, and he again refused. This time Severus had his men place a hose's bit in Charalampus' mouth as if he were an irrational beast. His daughter Galina begged her father to stop this torture, but he did not listen to her and Charalampus was paraded through the streets as a beast of burden. Galina was relentless and the emperor turned to her and asked her whether she worshiped the gods. She told him that she did. Hearing this, he released Charalampus, elated that his daughter had forsaken the God of Charalampus. Galina then took Charalampus to the temple. He was silent. She then challenged the gods and mocked their impotence. She took hold of the statue of Apollo and pulled him to the ground along with 34 other stone statues of gods. Severus was dismayed and ordered that they be rebuilt that very night so the Galileans would not mock him. He told the workers to tell them that they had risen from the dead. Galina again destroyed them. This time Severus went into a rage and chastised her but could not bring himself to any punishment. He returned to harass Charalampus by assigning him to a widow, thinking that this woman would corrupt Charalampus. Instead, he worked many miracles and she was converted. This time Crispus demanded that Charalampus be beheaded. The emperor pronounced the sentence. The saint chanted holy [[hymn]]s on the way to his execution. He began to pray thus: "I ever give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, for thou are merciful and the Lover of mankind. Thou, O Almighty, hast cast down our enemy, the evil one, and taken Hades captive, and put death to death, thus delivering the race of man. Remember me, O Lord, in thy kingdom." After he had prayed in this manner, the heavens opened. The Lord, with a multitude of his [[angel]]s, 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 thine entreaty." Charalampus answered, "That thou hast, by thy grace, vouchsafed me, the least person, to behold the awesome glory of thy presence, is, in itself, a tremendous gift. But if it please thy goodness to command me to ask a gift of thee, I beseech thy majesty and dominion to grant this favor: to whomever should find or possess a portion of my [[relics]], and in whatsoever land he may be celebrating the memory of my martyrdom, may he never suffer from hunger or plague or pestilence or an untimely death or destruction from an evil man or injury to crops. I pray that he be in firm peace, salvation of soul, and health of body. I entreat that he enjoy plenty of wheat, oil, and wine, together with an abundance of livestock and other good and useful possessions. And to whomsoever should read the account of my martyrdom, and invoke my name, I supplicate for his salvation and that he should not suffer evil. Since thou knowest that men are but flesh and blood, and that they are in thine immaculate hands, I beseech thee for the forgiveness of their sins. Do thou pardon the sins of such faithful ones, as thou are good and the Lover of mankind. Do thou also, O Lord, keep the oxen of such in health, and all their animals and livestock, that they may cultivate the earth and abundantly enjoy her fruits, to the glory of thy name." Charalampus then surrendered his soul to the Lord. Severus, in awe, did not punish his daughter, seeing that the God of the Christians was with her. ==Relics==A large fragment from the cranium of Charalampus was looked after in the template of St. George in old Iraklitsa, Greece. In 1922, it was moved to new Iraklitsa.<ref> [http://www.panagiairaklitsa.gr/english/Kara_Haralampous.html The Cranium of St. Haralambos]</ref> An even larger fragment of his cranium is preserved in the [[abbey]] of [[St Stephen Monastery (Meteora)|St. Stephanos]] in [[Meteora]]. It is worthy to note that within the sheath of the cranium, there was also discovered to be a 17th century cross. ==References==<references /> ==External links==*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100475 Hieromartyr Charalampus the Bishop of Magnesia in Thessaly] ([[OCA]])*[http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/haralambos/learn/index.asp February 10: Feast of the Holy and Glorious Hieromartyr Haralambos] ([[GOARCH]])*[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?month=February&day=10 The priestly-martyr Haralambos (Charalampus)] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'') [[Category:Bishops]][[Category:2nd-3rd-century bishops]][[Category:Saints]][[Category:Greek Saints]][[Category: Ante-Nicene Saints]][[Category: Martyrs]][[Category:Wonderworkers]][[Category:3rd-century saints]] [[ro:Haralambie]][[el:Χαράλαμπος, Άγιος]]