My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
Saint Nektarios the Wonderworker and
Metropolitan of Pentapolis.
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn of Saint Nektarios. First Tone
THE offspring of Selyvria and the guardian of Aegina, the true friend
of virtue who didst appear in the last years, O Nektarios, we faithful
honor thee as a godly servant of Christ, for thou pourest forth healings
of every kind for those who piously cry out: Glory to Christ Who hath
glorified thee. Glory to HIm Who hath made thee wondrous. Glory to
Him Who worketh healings for all through thee.
Kontakion Hymn of Saint Nektarios. Plagal of Fourth Tone
COME, let us all laud Orthodoxy’s newly-shining star and the divine
and newly-builded bulwark of the Church; and in joyfulness of
heart, let us sing his praises. By the working of the Spirit was he
glorified, and doth pour forth the abundant grace of wondrous cures
upon them that cry: Rejoice, O Father Nektarios.
SAINT NEKTARIOS was born in Selyvria of Thrace on October 1st, 1846. After putting himself through school in Constantinople with much hard labor, he became a monk on the island of Chios in 1876, receiving the monastic name of Lazarus; because of his virtue, a year later he was ordained Deacon, receiving the new name of Nektarios. Under the patronage of Patriarch Sophronios of Alexandria, Nektarios went to Athens to study in 1882; completing his theological studies in 1885, he went to Alexandria, where Patriarch Sophronios ordained him priest on March 23, 1886 in the Cathedral of Saint Savvas, and in August of the same year, in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Cairo, made him Archimandrite. Archimandrite Nektarios showed much zeal both for preaching the word of God, and for the beauty of God’s house. He greatly beautified the Church of Saint Nicholas in Cairo, Egypt, and year later, when Nektarios was in Athens, Saint Nicholas appeared to him in a dream, embracing him and telling him he was going to exalt him very high.
On January 15, 1889, in the same Church of Saint Nicholas, Father Nektarios was CONSECRATED Metropolitan of the Pentapolis in Eastern Libya, which was under the jurisdiction of Alexandria. Although Nektarios’ swift ascent through the degrees of Ecclesiastical Office did not affect his modesty and childlike innocence, it aroused the envy of lesser men, who convinced the elderly Sophronios that Nektarios had it in his heart to become Patriarch. Since the people loved Nektarios, the Patriarch was troubled by the slanders. On May 3, 1890, Patriarch Sophronios relieved Metropolitan Nektarios of his duties; in July of the same year, he commanded Nektarios to leave Egypt.
Without seeking to avenge or even to defend himself, the innocent Metropolitan left for Athens, where he found that accusations of immorality had arrived before him. Because his good name had been soiled, he was unable to find a position worthy of a bishop, and in February of 1891 accepted the position of provincial preacher in Evoia; then, in 1894, he was appointed Dean of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School in Athens. Through his eloquent sermons, his unwearying labors to educate fitting men for the Priesthood, his generous almsdeeds despite his own poverty, and the holiness, meekness, and fatherly love that were manifest in him, he became a shining light and a spiritual guide to many. At the request of certain pious women, in 1904 he began the building of his Women’s Monastery of the Holy Trinity on the island of Aegina while yet Dean of the Rizarios School of Theology; finding later that his presence there was needed, he took up his residence on Aegina in 1908, where he spent the last years of his life, devoting himself to the direction of his Women’s Monastery and to very intense prayer; he was sometimes seen lifted above the ground while rapt in prayer. He became the protector of all Aegina, through his prayers delivering the island from drought, healing the sick, and casting out demons. Here also he endured evil slanders with singular patience, forgiving his false accusers and not seeking to avenge himself. Although he had already worked Miracles (Wonders) in life an innumerable multitude of miracles have been wrought after his repose in 1920 through his holy relics, which for many years remained incorrupt. There is hardly a malady that has not been cured through his prayers; but Saint Nektarios is especially renowned for his healings of cancer for sufferers in all parts of the world. (The Great Horologion)
Orthodox Christians who practice their faith are always inspired by the innumerable pious examples of authentic and genuine spirituality of the Saints, Holy Martyrs, Holy Confessors and Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church. They are taught that the Christian faith is not a theory but life divine in Christ. No power on earth can ever defeat or destroy this kind of life ever. They understand being a Christian, no matter what century, and no matter what hazardous conditions exist in the world, they remain loyal to Him and Him alone. It means not only but to strive for holiness through humility, meekness, and the willingness to suffer for Christ and always maintaining agape and hope.
The life of Saint Nektarios demonstrates how to endure as a Christian all manners of persecution, humiliation, slander and unjust condemnation. The Christians never seek ways to retaliate against their enemies or to seek revenge. Instead, as Saint Nektarios, we turn to prayer and our only response is that of agape and forgiveness. Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ has taught us how to forgive when from the Cross He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). The Divine words of our Lord, "Father, forgive them," is a remarkable prayer, showing the boundless mercy of the crucified Jesus.
The greatest example of authentic Christianity after our Lord and Savior Christ, are the Saints of our Church. They serve as our guides, revealing that through God’s grace, one can overcome sin and personal frailty and be able to walk as He walked. The Christian is always ready and open to God’s grace so that he or she surrenders his/her own will for God’s will which will lead him/her to love everyone unconditionally.
The life of Saint Nektarios reveals that through his faith no persecution, humiliation, slander, anger, injustice, cruelty and hardship could obstruct or prevent his divine mission to serve his/her Master and God. We, as Orthodox Christians, revear the Saints, Holy Martyrs, Holy Confessors, Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church, as the friends of Christ as well as our friends who constantly pray for the salvation of all mankind. They truly adhered to Christ’s command, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" [Matthew 17:24-25]. The "cross" is a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ. Self-denial is for the sake of Christ and the Holy Gospel, for a better life; it is not a punitive end in itself. By sacrificing everything we can know, we gain unimaginable wealth. The Saints, the Holy Martyrs, Holy Confessors, Holy Father and Mothers of the Church, believed by dying, we live.
___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 