On the 15th of
September in the year 1998 the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria sent out an
apology. Here is what they wrote,
“The Holy Spirit
has enlightened the gathered members of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of
Alexandria and all Africa, under the leadership of H.B. Petros VII, Pope and
Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, more than a century since Saint
Nektarios, the great Teacher and Father of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church was
expelled from the Church of Alexandria, to reach the following decision:
Taking into account
the resolution of the Church to rank Saint Nektarios amongst the saints because
of his innumerable miracles and his acceptance within the religious conscience
of Orthodox Christians throughout the world, we appeal to the mercy of the
ever-charitable God. We hereby restore the ecclesiastical order of the Saint of
our Century, Saint Nektarios, and grant to him all due credits and honors. We
beseech Saint 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, Saint Nektarios, suffered.” Petros VII
Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.
What led to this
apology? Let’s find out…
Saint Nektarios,
known for his countless miracles of healing, and as, “A Saint for our Time,”
was born in 1846 in Thrace. When he was fourteen, he left his home and traveled
to Constantinople in search of work and study. There, St. Nektarios lived a
very modest life constantly praying to Christ and believing that He would
provide everything he needed to live. Many acts of kindness were shown to St.
Nektarios by his neighbors and townspeople, and it was through them, and by the
grace of God, that St. Nektarios became an accomplished academic at the age of
twenty-one. By this time, too, St. Nektarios was considered a theological
scholar and a devout Christian. Upon completing his studies, he left
Constantinople and entered a monastery in Chios.
Some time later,
the Patriarch Sophronios of Alexandria, Egypt, offered St. Nektarios a
scholarship to study theology at the University of Athens. Upon completing
studies at the university, St. Nektarios was ordained to the priesthood to
serve in Cairo, Egypt, where he became quite popular as a preacher and
confessor. Within five months of his ordination, the Metropolitan of Nubia
blessed St. Nektarios with the title of archimandrite, and two months later he
was appointed to the high position of Patriarchal Trustee.
It was in January
of 1889 that the Metropolitan Nilos suddenly passed away. As the seat was under
the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Patriarch Sophronios nominated St. Nektarios to
fill the vacancy. Therefore, on January 15, 1889, St. Nektarios was ordained a
bishop and began to serve his congregation with humility and an oath to never
succumb to the temptations of this world. He served as bishop until countless
rumors and false accusations were brought up against him. Patriarch Sophronios
became subjected to unbearable pressure regarding the rumors circulating about
Metropolitan Nektarios (including the rumor that Nektarios wanted to become
patriarch instead of Sophronios). Soon after, Sophronios stripped Metropolitan
Nektarios of his authority and duty as bishop. Upon this humbling and confusing
experience, St. Nektarios returned to Athens where he continued to serve God by
preaching and teaching in its many churches.
In the beginning
this was difficult because so many lies and rumors had hurt his reputation in
the eyes of the people. But over time, love won. His popularity among the
people in Athens again gained him popularity, and led to his appointment as
dean of Rizarios Ecclesiastical School in Athens, where he dedicated fourteen
years of his wisdom and loving care, until his body forced him to retire on
March 24, 1908. Once a new dean was found and instated as his replacement, St.
Nektarios retreated to the island of Aegina, to the monastery that he helped to
establish years before.
With his return to
Aegina, the monastery began to receive countless visitors who sought to be in
the presence of St. Nektarios’ pious and loving nature. While there, St.
Nektarios witnessed the completion of the building of the chapel on the
grounds, which he first started in July of 1906. On June 2, 1908, the chapel
was dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and he began to settle in and plan for the
building of his simple home on the grounds. Throughout the years that he spent
in Aegina, St. Nektarios wrote and published many theological treatises, guided
the nuns of the monastery toward divine work, and performed many miracles of healing.
It was also while serving at the monastery, that St. Nektarios endured many
spiritual and physical tribulations, as well as witnessed the magnificent power
of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary.
On November 9,
1920, St. Nektarios retired his spirit to the Lord. However, even in death St.
Nektarios continues to perform miracles, the first of which occurred in the
very hospital room in which he died. With the passing of St. Nektarios, a
hospital nurse, assisted by a nun from the monastery, immediately began to
change his clothes and threw his undershirt on the next bed. In this bed lay a
paralytic, who once the undershirt landed upon him, was instantly healed and
jumped out of bed, praising God for his miraculous healing. This was the first
of many miracles that St. Nektarios began to perform in death. The stories of
these miracles, along with his body remaining completely intact and emanating a
magnificent fragrance for twenty years after his death, led the nuns at the
monastery to venerate him as a Saint of the Church. Finally, in April of 1961,
the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople further blessed St. Nektarios with a
proclamation of Sainthood.
What a worthy
example of humility, patience, long-suffering, faith, hope and love. Holy
Father Nektarios, pray for us!
Source: https://outofegyptblog.wordpress.com/2013/11/10/when-the-church-apologized/
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