Followers

Monday 27 April 2020

St Barlaam




On 19th November each year the faithful are asked to bring to mind the painful story of St Barlaam, an illiterate labourer who lived in a village near Antioch (southern Turkey) in the early 4th century. 

Barlaam was a Christian who was not shy in proclaiming his faith at a time when many Christians were suffering persecution. He was arrested and taken before a judge who ordered him to be tortured until he recanted his faith.

However, Barlaam was made of stern stuff and would not do as requested. The judge then came up with what he thought was a perfect plan, namely to trick Barlaam into making a sacrifice to the pagan gods. He reckoned that this uneducated man would fall for his ruse, but was to be proved wrong.

The judge ordered a fire to be lit on an altar dedicated to the pagan gods, into which people would throw incense to represent a sacrifice. Incense was placed on Barlaam’s open hand which was then forced over the flames. The idea was that Barlaam would flinch with the pain and drop the incense into the fire.

However, no pain would make Barlaam recount his faith and he left his hand in the fire until it had burned away completely. He was then taken away and executed.

© John Welford

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