Agios Nektarios of Aegina - Saint Nectarios of Aegina


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One of the most visited sites on Aegina is the church of Agios Nektarios (Saint Nectarios) with next to it the monastery of Agia Triada (The Holy Trinity). Agios Nektarios of Aegina (1846-1920), is one of the most widely known Greek Orthodox Saints. He was officially recognized as a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1961. Each month, thousands of people visit the tomb of Agios Nektarios, to pray to him, or ask for his blessings, which always seem to be answered. His memory is celebrated by the Church on 9th November, nameday of Nektarios. There are services in the church and there is a special procession in the morning, where the remains of Agios Nektarios are carried through the streets of Aegina town. The translation of his relics is on the 3rd of September.

Agios Nektarios of Aegina - Saint Nectarios of Aegina

Agios Nektarios was known as a great miracle worker, particularly as a healer of every sort of disease, he was also a prolific writer, theologist, philosopher, moralist, educator, poet, ascetic and mystic. Above all Agios Nektarios was a man of deep prayer, and a hard worker who laboured just as everyone else around him, no work was ever dishonorable to him.

He was despised by many who mistook his popularity amongst the people as an attempt to become patriarch. As such he was relegated.

In 1904 at the request of several nuns, he established a monastery for women on Aegina named The Holy Trinity, where he lived for the rest of his life as a monk. He wrote, published, preached, and heard confessions from those who came from near and far to seek out his spiritual insights. In 1920 he died at the age of 74.

Visiting the church and monastery
You can visit the immense church, which is one of the largest in the Balkan. The church is still not finished. The mausoleum of Agios Nektarios is inside the church. After you visited the church you can climb the stairs to the monastery of the Holy Trinity. 14 Nuns are still living in the monastery. Recently, the monastery has been expanded with a huge guesthouse. The hill on which the monastery is built is named Xantos, from the word "xagnadema" (look out point), inviting you to survey the surrounding landscape.

At the monastery area of The Holy Trinity you can visit 2 little chapels where you can see the old marble tomb where he was burried after he died. Many faithful can hear the Saint blessing them if they put their ear to the tomb and listen. In the left small chapel his remains are kept in a silver box. Behind the chapels you can visit his cell/ home where he used to live. In front of the chapels you can fill a bottle with holy Agios Nektarios water. There are also 2 shops where you can buy Agios Nektarios souvenirs, books, icons etc.

The church can easily be reached by car, taxi or bus. The area is called Kondos and is located 6 km (10 minutes by car) from Aegina town or Aghia Marina. The bus stop is in front of the church. The church and monastery are open daily. Make sure your arms and legs are covered when you enter the buildings. Skirt are available at the entrance of the monastery and church. Entry free of charge.

Facts about Agios Nektarios
1846	Agios Nektarios was born on October 1, 1846 in Silivria in the region of Thraki (Thrace - Northern Greece) to a poor family. His given name was Anastasios Kefalas. He was the fifth of six children.
	At the age of 14 he moved to Constantinople (Istanbul) in order to go to work and further his education.
1866	In 1866 he moved to the island of Chios, where he taught at a school for seven years.
1876	Agios Nektarios became a monk at the age of 30, which is highly unusual in itself.
1879	Three years after becoming a monk he was ordained a Deacon, taking the name Nektarios.
1885	He graduated at the University of Athens in 1885.
	During his years as a student at the University of Athens, he wrote many books, pamphlets, and Bible commentaries.
	Following his graduation he went to Alexandria, Egypt, where he was ordained a Priest and served the Church in Cairo with great distinction.
1889	In recognition of his piety and brilliance as a preacher, as well as his administrative ability, he was consecrated Bishop/ Metropolitan of Pentapolis by Patriarch Sophronios.
	He served as a Bishop in Cairo for one year, and was unjustly removed from his post by jealous clerics who envied his popularity with the people. Lies were made up about him by the jealous clergy. Patriarch Sophronios refused to listen to Agios Nektarios. He was sent away from Egypt without a trial or explanation, and was never given an opportunity to defend himself.
1891	After his dismissal, he returned to Greece in 1891, where he sought employment as a preacher. He was appointed preacher in the jurisdiction of Evia, a large peninsula, north of Athens, where he served for two and a half years.
1893	In 1893 he was transferred to a part of the Greek mainland, west of Athens. He served as preacher there with the same great effectiveness as he had in Evia.
1894	In 1894 he was appointed director of Rizarios Ecclesiastical School in Athens where his service was exemplary for fifteen years.
	He developed many courses of study, and wrote numerous books, all while preaching widely throughout Athens.
1904	In 1904 at the request of several nuns, he established a monastery for women on the island of Aegina. The Monastery was named Holy Trinity and was finished in 1910. He also founded several churches and chapels on the island as well.
1908	In December of 1908, at the age of 62, Agios Nektarios resigned as Director of the Theological school and withdrew to the Holy Trinity Monastery on Aegina, where he lived the rest of his life as a monk. He wrote, published, preached, and heard confessions from those who came from near and far to seek out his spiritual insights.
	While at the monastery, he tended the gardens, carried stones, and helped with the construction of the Monastery buildings that were built with his own funds.
1920	Agios Nekatrios died on the evening of 8 November, 1920, at the age of 74.
	His body was taken to the Holy Trinity Monastery, where he was buried by a Priest Monk named Savas, who later painted the first icon of Agios Nektarios.
	His funeral was attended by multitudes of people from all parts of Greece and Egypt.
	By many people he was regarded as a Saint during his lifetime because of his purity of life, virtues, the nature of his publications, as well as the miracles he performed. Agios Nektarios also had a unique gift of foreknowledge.
1953	His relics were removed from the grave on 2 September, 1953. His relics gave out a beautiful fragrance.
1961	Official recognition of Nektarios as a Saint, by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, took place on 20 April, 1961.
	The Name Day of Agios Nektarios is celebrated every year on November 9th.
	There have been more than two thousand miracles attributed to the intervention of Agios Nektarios.
1998	Decision of the Church of Alexandria, 15th September 1998
	"We hereby restore the ecclesiastical order of the Saint of our Century, Agios Nektarios, and grant to him all due credits and honours. We beseech Agios Nektarios to forgive both us, unworthy as we are, and our predecessors, our brothers of the Throne of Alexandria, for opposition to the Saint and for all which, due to human weakness or error, our Holy Father, Bishop of Pentapolis, Agios Nektarios, suffered." PETROS VII

The first miracle attributed to Agios Nektarios:
During the last days of his life, Agios Nektarios was in the room for the incurables of the hospital, among many poor patients who were at the point of death. Beside the bed of Agios Nektarios was a patient that had been paralyzed for years. As soon as Nektarios gave up his spirit, a nurse of the hospital, together with a nun who had accompanied him, began to prepare the holy body for transportation to Aegina for burial. They removed an old sweater from him and placed it for convenience on the bed of the paralytic and continued to prepare the body. Suddenly, the paralytic patient became well and rose from his bed, praising the Lord. This was the first miracle after the repose of Agios Nektarios, through which the Lord confirmed the sainthood of Nektarios.