By Fr. George Dorbarakis
The martyr Barlaam was from Antioch in Syria. Being old in age, because of his confession of faith in Christ, he was led before the ruler. And because he would not be persuaded to sacrifice to idols, they beat him with rods and pulled out his nails. Then they led him to the altar and forcibly stretched out his hand, putting fire and incense on it. For the ruler thought that if he threw the coals together with the incense on the altar, it would be seen that he was offering a sacrifice to the gods. But he stood unyielding and motionless - thus showing that his right hand has greater strength than bronze and iron - until the fire ate through his flesh and fell to the ground, piercing his hand. Thus he preferred to have his hand burned, rather than, even slightly moved, to appear to have thrown incense on the altar. After this, his soul was delivered into the hands of God with a brave and firm mind. This martyr was honored with praise by both the divine Chrysostom and the great Basil.
If we modern Christians do not particularly know the Holy Martyr Barlaam, the holy choir of the Fathers of our Church knows him very well. It is no coincidence that not simple ecclesiastical writers and synaxarists, but ecumenical Fathers and Teachers of the caliber of Basil the Great and Saint John Chrysostom dedicated discourses and encomiums to him. What does this mean? That those with the illumination of the Holy Spirit who also possessed the depth of their thoughts, discerned that such personalities as Saint Barlaam should not go unnoticed. They must be highlighted, so that they constitute examples and guiding luminous signs in the firmament of the Church. And rightly so: Saint Barlaam proved to be, according to the Holy Hymnographer, “more firm than a man, and more powerful than bronze, and more mighty than iron.” And this because the mindset of his soul and intellect was “firm and vigorous and unwaverable.” What we emphasized about Saint Plato: the body may be dissolved, but if the soul remains strong, then man remains victorious. "Every bond of the flesh and the harmony of your limbs was dissolved; yet the tone of your soul remained unbroken."
One would think that the strength of the Saint's soul was in a youthful body. Young people usually have such an indomitable spirit. But what a surprise, to see this spirit in an old man. Saint Barlaam, according to the Synaxarion, "having grown old in age, he was brought before the ruler for his confession of Christ." Whatever he suffered, he suffered at an age when others tremble to walk. And he stood proud, "unyielding, steadfast," with fire in his hand that burned his flesh. His heroism thus seems to multiply. How he reminds us of the beloved Saint, the Apostolic Father and Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp, who at the age of eighty-six was also arrested and thrown into the fire. And the fire revered him and made an arch around him, while the fire made Barlaam himself incense to the Lord. “Bearing incense with fire, Barlaam, you were shown to be fragrant incense to the Lord.” We believe that both of them, being elderly at the time of their martyrdom, and now young in the Kingdom of God, appear together next to the Lord, “standing on the right hand,” “wearing purple, dyed with the blood of martyrdom.”
Two points from the hymns of the Service of Saint Barlaam are also particularly worthy of note. First, the Saint’s outstretched hand pierced by fire. The Hymnographer considers it as a means of God's power, with which on the one hand the faces of the demons are struck, on the other hand the hearts of the faithful and the choirs of the angels are caused to leap with joy and gladness. "Let the faces of the demons be struck on the right with fire, while the hearts of the faithful leap for joy, and the choirs of the Bodiless Ones rejoice brightly." Secondly, the Hymnographer's exhortation to the painters of the Church. It is not sufficient merely to "illustrate" the Saint through words and hymns. Good painters are called upon to glorify the Saint through the art of the icon, yet also to engrave in the image the Lord, the rewarder of the struggle, who will evidently crown the martyr. "Rise up now, good painters of the martyr, glorify the icon with your artistry, clearly engraving the rewarder of struggles within it." May the faith and love for Christ of Saint Barlaam also be engraved in our own hearts. It will be the most "decorous adornment" we could ever possess.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
