Charalambos

Saint Charalambos or Haralambos was an early Christian priest in Magnesia on the Maeander, a city in Asia Minor, in the diocese of the same name. His name means glowing with joy in Greek. He lived during the reign of Septimius Severus (193–211), when Lucian was Proconsul of Magnesia. According to one source, at the time of his martyrdom in 202, Charalambos was 113 years old.

Life and martyrdom Charalambos was Bishop of Magnesia and spread the Gospel in that region for many years. However, when news of his preaching reached the authorities of the area, the proconsul Lucian and 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 his advanced age, he was tortured mercilessly. They lacerated his body with iron hooks, and scraped all the skin from his body. After praying this, the saint gave up his soul to God even before the executioner had laid his sword to his neck. Tradition says that Severus' daughter Gallina was so moved by his death, that she was converted and buried Charalambos herself. On some Greek islands, bulls are sacrificed on his feast day. "This festival is the most important popular activity of the village of Agia Paraskevi and it combines a variety of happenings that regard the ritual of the bull' s sacrifice. [An agricultural group] revived this ancient custom in 1774. It was established as a reverence to St Haralambos, the protector of [the] agricultural group that organises [the] festival".

The feast day of Saint Charalambos is normally commemorated on February 10, the exception being when this date falls on the Saturday of Souls preceding Great Lent or on Clean Monday (the first day of Lent), in which case the feast is celebrated on 9 February. .

Iconography In Greek hagiography and iconography, Charalambos is regarded as a priest, while Russian sources seem to regard him as a bishop.