He was physician to the emperor Galerius Maximianus, and a Christian,
but fell by a temptation which is sometimes more dangerous than the
severest trials of the fiercest torments; for bad example, if not
shunned, insensibly weakens, and at length destroys the strongest
virtue. Pantaleon being perpetually obsessed by it in an impious
idolatrous court, and deceived by often hearing the false maxims of
the world applauded, was unhappily seduced into an apostasy. But
a zealous Christian called Hermolaus, by his prudent admonitions
awakened his conscience to a sense of his guilt, and brought him
again into the fold of the Church. The penitent ardently wished
to expiate his crime by martyrdom; and to prepare himself for the
conflict, when Dioclesian’s bloody persecution broke out at Nicomedia
in 303, he distributed all his possessions among the poor. Not
long after this action he was taken up, and in his house were also
apprehended Hermolaus, Hermippus, and Hermocrates. After suffering
many torments they were all condemned to lose their heads. St.
Pantaleon suffered the day after the rest. He is ranked by the Greeks
amongst the great martyrs. Procopius mentions a church in his honor
at Constantinople, which being decayed was repaired by Justinian. His
relics were translated to Constantinople, and there kept with great
honor as St. John Damascen informs us.[306] The greatest part of them
are now shown in the abbey of St. Denys near Paris, but his head at
Lyons.
* * * * *
Physicians honor St. Pantaleon as their chief patron after St. Luke.
Happy are they in that profession, who improve their study chiefly
to glorify the supreme Creator, whose infinite power and wisdom are
displayed in all his works; and who by the opportunities of charity
which their art continually offers them, rejoice to afford comfort,
and corporal, if not often also spiritual succor, to the most
suffering and distressed part of their species, especially among the
poor. All the healing powers of medicine are a gift of God;[307] and
he himself who could have restored Ezechias to health by the least
act of his omnipotent will, directed Isaiah to apply dry figs to the
abscess into which his fever was terminating; than which poultice,
no better remedy could have been used to promote suppuration.[308]
St. Ambrose,[309] St. Basil,[310] and St. Bernard,[311] inveigh
severely against too nice and anxious a care of health, as a mark
of inordinate self-love and immortification; nor is anything
generally more hurtful to it. But as man is not master of his own
life or health, he is bound to take a moderate reasonable care not
to throw them away.[312] To neglect the more simple and ordinary
succors of medicine when absolutely necessary, is to transgress that
law of charity which every one owes to himself.[313] The saints
who condemned as contrary to their penitential state, far-sought
or exquisite means, with St. Charles Borromæo, were scrupulously
attentive to essential prescriptions of physicians in simple and
ordinary remedies. But let the Christian in sickness seek in the
first place the health of his soul by penance, and the exercise
of all virtues. Let him also consider God as his chief physician,
begging him, if it may be conducive to his divine honor, to restore
the frame he created, and entreating our Redeemer to stretch out
that hand upon him, with which in his mortal state he restored
so many sick to their health. He who trusts more in the art of
physicians than in the Lord, will deserve the reproach of Asa,
king of Juda.[314] So hidden are often the causes of distempers,
so precarious the power of remedies, and so uncertain the skill of
the ablest physicians, that their endeavors frequently check nature
instead of seconding its efforts, and thus hasten death. The divine
blessing alone is the Christian’s sheet-anchor, perfect resignation
to the divine will is the secure repose of his soul; and the fervent
exercise of penance, patience, and devotion, is his gain in the time
of sickness.
SS. MAXIMIAN, MALCHUS, MARTINIAN, DIONYSIUS, JOHN, SERAPION,
AND CONSTANTINE, MM.