Feast Day: November 19th
The Life of Saint Barlaam: Then he was brought to an altar for the idols, and it was ordered that he be forced to spread forth his right hand. On this hand was put burning coals and incense. By this the governor thought that he would not be able to endure the heat of the coals, and therefore would drop the coals and the incense onto the altar, and in this way it would appear that he sacrificed to the idols. The Athlete of Christ stood there with great bravery, unmoved and unshaken, giving his right hand no movement whatsoever. By this he showed himself to be stronger than brass and iron. This went on until the coals made a hole in his consumed flesh, and he fell to the ground. The noble one preferred to struggle with bravery and a firm mind for Truth, by having his hand consumed in the flames, rather than to be shaken, and by this showing unbelievers that he did not offer incense and sacrifice to the demons…
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Prayers
Apolytikion – Tone 4: Armed with youthful manliness, thou didst endure Martyrdom in old age and Glorify Christ. Thou didst offer Him thy right hand as a whole burnt offering, and thy Holy Soul as a blameless sacrifice. Intercede that all may be granted forgiveness, O Great Martyr Barlaam.
Kontakion – Tone 3: Though aged in body thou didst vanquish the evil one by thy mighty contest, O Barlaam. Thou didst endure the rack like one without a body, and manfully bear the burning of thy hand. Wherefore God the Word has Crowned thee with a Crown of Glory.
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Then the Governor thought of an unaccustomed way of putting his constancy to the test. He made the tormentors place a burning coal with incense in the Martyr’s hand which they held over an idolatrous altar so that, when the pain forced him to drop it, they could say he had freely sacrificed. But the love of Christ burned in his heart more ardently than all the braziers in the world. The Holy Martyr gazed without yielding at the dissolution of his flesh and steadfastly maintained his grasp. So he became himself at once sacrificer, altar and sacrifice. Instead of pouring the incense on the impious altar, he offered it to the One and Only Everlasting God, blending with its perfume the acrid smell of his burning flesh. In the end his hand fell to the ground in ashes, and Saint Barlaam gave up his Soul to God.
“He had a right hand more powerful than fire: although the coal burned his hand, his hand still held the fire as if it were ash.” – Saint Basil the Great
“The Angels looked from the heights. The Archangels beheld. The scene was majestic, in truth transcending human nature. Behold, who would not wish to see a man who made such an Ascetic endeavour, yet did not feel that which is characteristic of men to feel; a man who was himself both the altar of oblation and the sacrifice and the priest?” – Saint John Chrysostom
An Icon
