Beekeepers Celebrate Patron Saint Charalambos with Honey Blessings

The Orthodox Church today honors the memory of St. Charalambos the Wonderworker,, a revered figure known for his miraculous healings and unwavering faith. This day is particularly significant for beekeepers, who consider him their patron saint, and is the only day in the liturgical calendar when honey is blessed with a special prayer after the liturgy. Many believers bring honey to churches for consecration, as it is thought to carry divine blessings through the saint’s intercession. According to tradition, a loaf with honey must also be present on the table, and folk beliefs caution against household work to avoid incurring the saint’s wrath, which could unleash disease.

St. Charalambos was a bishop in Magnesia, Asia Minor, during the reign of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at the end of the second century. He was persecuted for his Christian faith and subjected to brutal tortures, including having his flesh scraped with iron hooks. However, his wounds miraculously healed, and his resilience led many pagans to convert, for which they were also executed. Though sentenced to be beheaded, church tradition states that he died peacefully at the age of 113 before the executioner's sword could touch him. His last prayer was for the forgiveness of all people. Today, his relics are kept in the Monastery of St. Stephen in Meteora, Greece.

The saint’s name means "strong" or "powerful," symbolizing his endurance and divine grace. In addition to being regarded as a protector against diseases and epidemics, he is also associated with the changing of seasons, as folk beliefs hold that from this day onward, the earth begins to warm, making it suitable for cultivation.

Also commemorated today is St. Valentine, a Christian martyr who suffered persecution under Emperor Maximilian II Galerius in 308. She was a devout young woman from the region of Caesarea Palestine. When ordered to make a pagan sacrifice, she instead threw a stone at the altar and turned her back on the fire burning there. This defiant act sealed her fate, and she was beheaded for her faith.

Additionally, the Church honors the holy martyrs Ennata and Paul, who were tortured and executed for their Christian beliefs in the early third century under the rule of Firmilian, the governor of Palestine. Their steadfastness in the face of suffering is remembered as a testament to their faith.

Name days are celebrated today by those named Charalampi, Harry, Haralan, Lambi, and Lambo, as well as by individuals bearing the name Valentine. Those celebrating St. Valentine will also mark another name day on February 14, honoring the Catholic St. Valentine.

Sources:

• BNR
• OFFNews