On August 9, Orthodox Christians celebrate Saint Martyr Panteleimon the Healer, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Maria Sarbu, parishioner of the Saint Panteleimon Church in Chisinau, people come to the church to pray for health and are anointed 7 times in honor of the 7 Gospels. They bring flour and oil, which are blessed by priests, then go home and prepare food with them. Saint Panteleimon, observed on August 9 according to the Old Calendar, is considered the protector of doctors and healer of the ill. In Christian tradition, he is called “the doctor without money”. Saint Panteleimon was born in Nicomedia, Bithynia, a Roman province in Asia Minor, in 284. His father was a pagan senator and his mother Christian. Before converting to Christianity, he was named Pantaleon. He performed his first miracle on a child who had been bit by a viper. Pantaleon prayed to God and the child healed and the snake died. Afterwards, he was baptized and named Panteleimon, which means all-merciful. Ever since, he continued to heal the ill and injured with the power of faith. Word of his miracles reached emperor Maximilian (286-305). Like many other Christians, the young saint was tortured to convert back to the pagan gods. His faith couldn’t be defeated so he was killed. Folk traditions call him Pintilie the Traveler, when summer “travels away” and is replaced by autumn.