I could add many more articles or miracles which our Lord did during history to show to all the right way but who wants to find out more can search Mount Athos website or www.eastern-orthodoxy.com or other orthodox christian websites from Greece, Romania, Russia, Serbia and so on. I could add also the miracles during the time of \"crossiads\" - when catholic church tried by force to bring everybody at the catholic religion, and when thousands of orthodox christians have suffered a lot during those times, were killed because they didn't want to became catholics, and when exchumed their bodies were discovered transformed into relics and smelling nice, I remember now a moment from our Romanian history when during 1600 our ruler, Mihai Viteazu (Michael the Brave) of whom mother was an orthodox non, with a very small Romanian army compared to the one of the Turkish Empire decided to go to Istanbul and fight against the Empire in order to stop the debts which Turkish were asking from our people (gold, animals etc) and because Romania had a small army he went to the Pope at Rome and asked him a helping hand, as the Pope had a big influence among the other catholic countries, and the Pope answered him \"sure, go to Instanbul and fight and Austria will send you a big army to help you to fight against the Turkish army\", and what happened? The Pope called to him other Romanian generals during those times and told them that the Holy Chair from Rome will help as everything in this world has a paying after, so they would like in return that a catholic ruler to rule Romania as lots of monies are involved here, as the \"Holy Roman chair\" have money and will give lots of money to each country in order to continue croosiads, so how can he trust an Orthodox ruler, this is why, he told to our Generals \"if you want to help me, let him go to Instanbul and loose the fight and maybe also loose himself and after this we will send the Austrian army to fight the turkish which will get weak after the first fight with the Romanians, so we will win and all Europe will get free from the turks\", all the time religion was a policy for the Pope.
So what happened then? When Mihai Viteazu, our ruler gathered the amall Romanian army and wanted to go to istanbul he sent to Pope and asked him where is the big Austrian army? And he received the answer \"in 5 months will come, as it's not so simple to gather such an army all together against turkish, it takes time\", Mihai Viteazu got so upset and he said to his generals, what can we do now? The Pope left us alone, in 5 months all Romania will be under turks as the turks were fighting us for hundreds of years and now it was a time in history when they wanted to occupy us. And they all decided, we will go to Istanbul and pray to God to help us, and if the will of God will be to die be it like this, but we can't let our people to suffer anymore, so they went, in front of the army they had orthodox priests, with crosses in hands and prayers and the miracle happened and all Europe was shocked that in around 1600 a small Romanian army could face the Turkish Empire army.
But the turkish didn't stop then, they continue to fight agaist us, we have another ruler, we fighted against turkish for hundreds of years, just to protect our small country from their invasion, we have another ruler of Romanian, Constantin Brancoveanu, who had 4 sons, and during his ruling Turkish had occupied Romania, he fighted against them a lot and once they lost, and Turkish Ruler from that times promissed him that if he baptize himself a muslim he will be left in Romania to rule the country in continuation but pay debts to them, and our Ruler answered he will NEVER deny his faith and never left Orthodox religion, and the Turkish asked then his 4 boys to baptize and rule Romania, and they answered also no, and the turkish answered then \"we will cut your heads if not\", and Constantin Brancoveanu answered this doesn't scary him but first he wants the turkish to start with his boys (because he was afraid that if he will die first his boys will get afraid and became muslims) and turkish took his eldest son and this boy got scared and look at his father and the father told him \"you better die as a christian then living as a pagan\" and turkish cut his head and this happened with all 5, and when they saw this, some of the Constantin Brancoveanu army said they are all christians too, and cut their heads also, now their relics lie in a big Romanian church.
It's full our history of such deeds.
Also, how come somebody think of the apparitions from Fatima etc that they might be holy when these apparitions happened DAILY!!! for 20 years, at 16.30 sharp, to a group of 7 lay people, sometimes were coming from that village tens of people around to see, and nobody asked himself if it may be from somewhere else, when our holy monks from Mount Athos have such bad/evil apparitions a lot even in the Holy Mountain, but they don't believe them, as they have some methods to proove them that they are from the evil. In Mount Athos are saying that in a generation (which is of around 25 years) there are only very holy people who can live smth like this.
I understood that the current Pope, have recently decided not to publish anymore the apparitions sayings, as he named a group of bishops to go there and check what is happening and which are from Lord and which aren't. So, I wonder how can they check this, if our orthodox faith told us that their priests lost all Holy Spirit, they cut the Liturgi to an hour, and cut from the Liturgi VERY! important parts, parts where we call the Holy Spirit and so on, there are books on this subject.
What we have to know is that we should try to steak to our religion, 'cause outside it there is nothing certain and we can't know what's happening to their souls.
As our Elders are telling us, we have to keep the road, as we can:
- they are saying that we should have each of us a spiritual father, having him and listening to him almost gives us salvation, it would be good to be a father who knows how to guide you, a strong father, but at least you have to have one, as those who have no spiritual father will have big fights in his life;
- then it's necessary confession, true confession from heart and to feel sorry (but really feeling sorry) for what you did and to decide to not do them anymore, and if you still do them to go again to confession and so on. There are books on confession, it's very important as this cleans your soul and give you power, a sin not confessed is very difficult to fight with, you can only fight against a sin already confessed 'cause it helps you Holy Spirit to do this, there are sins against \"believing\" - not believing, doubting your faith etc (big sins); sins against the 10th commandments (you know which are); and also the 7th capital sins (pride; the love for money; fornication and others like this; having smth against someone, fighting, querrel and so on; having no limits in evrything, eating with no limits, spending with no limits etc; rage; laziness in everything) and also are sins against goodness (not giving to poors, being bad and so on).
So when we confess we should say all these thinking and saying what we do against them, I think everybody is doing these sins (maybe monks do little from some only) but the rest we have to confess them everytime, as confessing them often they (the sins) loose power in time and we will see how we can fight them easier in some years of true confession, maybe less.
We have to find a father willing to listening to us, some are so busy they can't listen to everyone but there are plenty of fathers who find time, in Romania we are writing our sins on papers and thinking of them with a day before and praying for their forgiveness and the next day we go to confession, it's easier to read them as the evil will dark your mind to forget them while you are at confession.
Then you have to keep what your spiritual father is saying to you, be it a prayer, not communication etc, as they use books for this and addapt them for you, if you want to renounce at your spiritual father and find another one, first find him and them asked the old one to bless you and leave you to go to the other one, it's very important to be always under the protection of a spiritual father.
It's best to confess at least 4 times per year, during fasting times, but if you're sick or have a problem it's the best to confess monthly and if you can to communicate, at least until your problem is gone.
- then if you're allowed to communicate you should do it as often as you can, at least 4 times per year, but at least once per year but do it, the best is at least 4 times per year, and if you're sick or have problems even more, because when you communicate you take the Holy Body and Blood of our Saviour in true, and It gives you much strength for a long time, for at least a month or 2, depends how clean is your sould when you receive it.
- then personal prayer is very important, as during it Holy Spirit is covering you, you can do the Jesus Prayer or read an hymn, after each Icos you can ask your \"need\", first you ask for your forgiveness and your family's and the dead ones from your family's each on their names to be forgiven (as you are carrying with you aome sins from ancestors also, lots are erased when you got baptized but others will be erazed only if you pray for this) and then ask your own \"need/wish/want\" in prayer.
It's important during prayer to not imagine anything in your mind, nothing holy or not, just think about the prayer's words but not imagines (our Saviour etc), nothing imagining as they are people who did this and called for the dark powers as angles of light and became very ill, possessed.
We can pray in front of icons, but the icons to be holied in church by orthodox priests, one Elder was once during prayer, and an angel appeared and took him to a church, and when he entered he saw all the saints painted on walls alive, and icons too, and the voice of our Saviour from an icon told him, if you would know that when an icon is holied the Holy Spirit comes down and that icon comes to life, and when someone is praying to it he lays in front of exactly that saint, and he is there and listening to him in front of him, this is what Holy Spirit is doing when holing an icon.
We should pray morning and evening, my spiritual father told me at least 5 minutes in the morning, our Father prayer, and forgive me and my family, and my wish at least to say, and in the night it is best to pray more, maybe 20 minutes, or you can read a prayer or pray your own, one Elder told us that 1 hour per day at least, or 2, but everyone decide his time, he should pray daiyly anyway, sometimes you can walk and in your mind saying Jesus prayer, or our Father prayer all the time, or working and saying them, and so on.
During prayer we should first ask forgiveness for us, for our families (even if they are not orthodox, and our dead loved ones) and then our wishes.
-fasting and prayer together throw out dark powers, confession and Liturgi also. So, fasting Friday and Wednesday, at least up to 6 PM or so, but the best is all day from 12 am to 12 am, and it's not difficult at all, when we fast we have to also not full our bodies with food, and to hold us from speaking too much, silence is very good all the time, to quarrel and so on. Also the 4th fasting period in year are very important, at least partially, or Wednesday and Friday, but the best is all.
- Then St Liturgi is most important Mass, on Sunday, if you're ill or have problems you can go for some days everyday, or evryday for some weeks and stay at a monastry and participate in this holy Mass daily, and at the other Masses too, during St Liturgi in every church comes Holy Spirit and Angels and St Mary and our Saviour, there are Saints who could see this with their eyes. It is told that if you don't go for 3 weeks one after the other to Liturgi then you're not covered anymore by the Holy Spirit, until you go again, it's an old canon this, 3 weeks one after the other with no Liturgi makes you loose protection.
- and also reading daily at least one page from the New Testament keeps our souls linked to the church and to religion, and if we can in plus to read another page or so from another orthodox book written by a Saint, Pateric, Philocalia, Saint's lives, Catehism, about Prayer, about Confession, Liturgi, or other Saint's adives etc.
Keeping these as we can, and if we can't keep all then we should confess this, as these will clean a lot our souls and we will see changes in our lives and miracles, I'll copy-paste down little miracles from the hundreds of such miracles which you can hear or see in Romania.
Also, we have to have in minds that Lucifer had falled from sky because of pride, so pride is a very, very big sin, this is sometimes why we find problems in our lives in order to find humiliation after them, because a humble soul can receive lot of help, is loved by God, but a proudful one no, because our Saviour was God himself and He was not proud at all so how can we be? so to try to get rid of pride, year after year.
Then being kind and good, and not judging the others but striving us to be better, and doing everything from love, if I give a money to a poor I do it because I feel bad for him and not because this is supposed to do or to see me my spoose and congradulate me, but because from love from the poor, and keeping this a secret if we can. And never loose hope, love, faith, we should pray to have them all, when you loose hope you loose everything, God is giving us if we ask persistently every day for months or days for what we want, if we loose hope and renounce of asking Him we loose everything, as we have freedom to do what we want.
One Elder told us that the reason for which your prayers are not listen can be because you have smth against someone and didn't confessed, \"if you bring your gift to Altar and have smth against someone, leave your gift there and go find peace with that person and then come back and bring your gift again\", or we may ask something which can harm us or is not for our salvation and we don't know this that another way gives us salvation.
We can pray to St Mary or different Saints, St Nicholas, St Nektarios, St Cyprian, St Paraschevi and so on, praying hymns or personal daily prayer in front of their holy icons. I've heard that also they do listen our prayers quicly \"St Raphael, Nicholas and Irina\" - a greek Saint.
We should all the time drink in the morning holy water and take holy bread, and throw holy water at least weekly in our homes for quarrel to go out and everything bad, and light candles from church during prayer (as they are made by nons who live a holy life not by anybody with sins, and this is important), and also light smirne in house, and if we can we can light on Sunday a holy candle with oil. And women should wear a skirt up to knees at least in church and smth at least little on their heads during church, and in church should be completely listening and praying if we can. And also a holy cross on our neck it would be of a great protection. And bring the priest to holy our homes, offices, cars if we can of course, but at least once. And keeping a holy icon in every room, office or in pocket protects that places, or having an orthodox Bible and a holy cross and Myr.
I'll copy paste here little miracles after praying for getting rid of diseases, there are plenty in Romanian language but in English only these I could found:
http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:aBCOZ_ppX0EJ:www.saint-nectarios-of-aegina.org/Miracles.html st nektarios miracles&cd=2&hl=ro&ct=clnk&gl=ro
Saint Nectarios blessing at his Last Liturgy in Aegina
St. Nectarios is a modern day saint, a bishop in Greece, despised by many who mistook his popularity amongst the people as an attempt to become patriarch. As such he was relegated to being put in charge of a run down convent. Here St. Nectarios was able to dedicate his life to prayer. His fame spread amongst the lay people and many people came to him for spiritual guidance.
Suspected by his brother clergy of more ambitious goals than a simple abbot of a convent, St. Nectarios was ignored by most of the clergy. He died alone in a local hospital, in the hallway of the emergency room. When it was discovered that he had died, they took his cassock off him and threw on the patient next to him and took St. Nectarios body to the morgue. The patient, upon whom the cassock of the saint had fallen, was healed of the illness for which he had entered the emergency room.
Miracles began to abound regarding St. Nectarios. Healings from such diseases as cancer are not uncommon. Many people actually remember being visited by St. Nectarios whom they have described as an old monk in black robes with a white beard. Anastasia, the daughter of an Orthodox priest and was stricken with a stroke at the unbelievable age of two. With palsy on the entire right side of her body and with a speech impediment, His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas visited Anastasia the next day in the hospital. Along with the family, and the Connecticut Deanery clergy, Metropolitan Nicholas prayed over Anastasia and anointed her with oil from the tomb of St. Nectarios asking for the saints healing intercession before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is without a doubt to the family that through the prayers of St.Nectarios that Anastasia has had a full recovery and shows no sign of the palsy or any speech impediment to this day.
Today, St. Nectarios is one of the most well known and highly venerated saints in Orthodoxy.
Source: Saint Nektarios of Aegina (G. Georgiou)
Courtesy of The Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in London, England
My name is George Georgiou and I live in London, England. From Christmas Eve 1989, my mother started to suffer from terrible pains in her back and left leg. Every day her condition was getting worse. From the 2nd January 1990 until the 7th January 1990 she lay in bed, unable to move. She could not sleep, she could not walk, and the tablets she had received from her GP were not easing the pain. On the Saturday 6th January the pain was unbearable. She thought this would be her last night. She was wake until 2am Sunday morning, unable to sleep. She was in so much pain that she was sweating profusely. My father tried to help her by massaging her leg and he also helped her put on a surgical stocking, hoping this would help. Prior to this he had soaked her leg with some bread dipped in wine. As soon as she put on the sock the pain became intolerable. So much so, that she was crying. My father took the sock off immediately. With tears in her eyes she begged St Nectarios for help. Almost at once her leg seemed lighter. She fell asleep. When she woke up on Sunday, a few hours later, the pain had gone totally. She got up and we all went to St Nectarios church in Battersea, London. We even had visitors around later and she served them with tea and cakes. She has been fine ever since, free from this horrible pain. I thank St Nectarios for his help.
My name is Nikolina. I live in the Los Angeles area and attend church at The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Greek Orthodox Church in Long Beach, California. My husband, John, and I have been trying to have a baby for about two years. I have infertility issues and was undergoing infertility treatments. I was on 100 mg of clomid, a fertility drug, and undergoing intrauterine inseminations (IUI). My first insemination was in November 2000. I did become pregnant, but had a miscarriage 4 weeks later. The second IUI was unsuccessful. On the Saturday that we celebrate the raising of Lazarus from the dead by our Lord, I was in church making palm crosses with other church members. I was talking with one of the ladies there and telling her about my situation. She told me that I should pray to St. Nectarios and he would help me. Being a convert to Greek Orthodoxy, I had never prayed to a Saint before. I decided to pray to St. Nectarios almost every night before my next IUI and every night after. In April 2001 I was due to have another IUI. I had a good ovulation this time. However, my husband had been working nights for the past two weeks and his sperm count wasn't very good. The nurse let me look at the sample under the microscope and I only saw a few sperm. I was so disappointed. I thought for sure that I would have another unsuccessful IUI. I continued to pray to St. Nectarios and to God for the next two weeks. But my faith was low. When it was time for the blood test I had hope but there was more doubt. The next day when I called for the results the nurse told me that I would need to come in for another blood test because the lab technician had extracted my blood into the wrong tube. This made me more nervous and yet excited, because I had seen no signs of a period. I went the next day and had my blood redrawn. The nurse put it through STAT, and thank God! She called me a few hours later and told me that I was indeed pregnant. I was so happy. Six weeks later I found out I was blessed with twins. I am now 15 weeks pregnant and becoming very excited. I thank God and St. Nectarios for interceding for me. I am hoping for a boy and a girl, but will be thankful for whatever God will give us.
In May this year I read the story of Saint Nectarios' life. It affected me so much that my husband and I traveled to Greece in August 2001 to visit his tomb, and to see the monastery where he lived and preached. The effect of seeing first hand his Holy Relics, his room, and the beautiful new Church dedicated to his blessed memory was a great experience. I truly believe that he has become my protector and Spiritual Father. I feel so close to him after being in his room, seeing his belongings. I have become dedicated to him and he has become my Saint. It is hard to put into words how I feel, but I truly felt His presence as I walked around the monastery, such emotions swept over me. I have a stronger faith because of Him, and I know that he directs me on the right path. I feel as though He reminds me to pray, influences the way I act, and talk. I will never be the same after discovering this Saint of our time, and reading his life story. I love him, and pray that he will guide me to Christ.
Patrikia Lewis
As a Greek-Cypriot boy growing up in London I suffered with severe asthma. When ever I would have an attack I would be rushed off to hospital and put into an oxygen tent. Before my 10th birthday my parents, sister and I went to visit St Nectarios. The doctors had told my parents that I should not be taken out of the country for it would have been dangerous for my health. My parents disregarded them and took me to see the Saint. When I entered the monastery I placed my ear on the tomb of the Saint and I could hear a tick, tick ,tick noise. I immediately started crying and wouldn't let go of the tomb.......From that day my asthma is virtually non-existent. The doctors said a miracle had happened. Since that day I keep our saint close to me and he helps me all day, every day.
Pantelis C Fouli
Glory be to God for all things!
Recently, I was diagnosed with a sudden profound hearing loss in my right ear on November 29th 2001. I was told by one of the top ear specialists in my region, two weeks after my hearing loss, that some hearing had returned (I only could hear environmental sounds very faintly ie. cars, noise) and that my hearing would not get any better. My reply to him was that miracles do happen and the doctor agreed. On January 2nd 2002, I went back to the hospital for further testing. After the test, the audiologist advised me that some more hearing had returned and that I could now wear a hearing aid. His words were that \"Someone from above was watching me.\" Meanwhile, I had anointed my ear on a daily basis with Holy Oil from St. Raphael and had asked many to pray on my behalf. I had asked the Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes to pray for me, and unknown to me, he prayed to Saint Nectarios. Thank you Saint Nectarios for helping in this miracle. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for all that you do. Thank you Lord for allowing me to meet Father Serfes and through him being introduced to Saint Nectarios. Thank you Panagia, St. Raphael and all the Saints for this miracle. Please believe in Jesus Christ, He is the truth and miracles do happen.
In Christ,
George Kyreakakos
In 1995 my father was dying of cancer. While sitting together one night just the two of us, in his private hospital room, my father who was conversing with me, stopped and stared in disbelief to the corner of the room. He said to me in Greek, \"what is Archbishop Makarios doing in my room?\" I said \"who?\" He said \"Archbishop Makarios, can't you see him he's standing right there behind you?\" I turned and looked but could see nothing. I asked him \"Where do you see Archbishop Makarios?\" He repeated, getting somewhat flustered,\" right there behind you!\" I immediately reached behind his pillow and pulled out a small icon of St. Nectarios that I had placed behind his pillow, and said \"Dad, is this who you see in your room?\" He looked at the icon and said \"yes, yes, that's who I see, Archbishop Makarios.\"
\" Father,\"I said, I think you're seeing Saint Nectarios visiting you. He looked at me, looked back at the corner of the room, and nodded his head knowingly, a little embarrassed at mistaking the saint's identity, yet very honoured for the visit. My father died a few days later. Saint Nectarios and many other saints we prayed to, helped my father live with cancer for two years, despite the fact that the doctors had given him only a couple of months to live. In those two years he lived to attend my wedding, and hear of my wife's and my sister in laws first pregnancies. Despite the fact that he did not live to see his grandchildren, Saint Nectarios helped him be there for us as long as he could. We thank our Lord, and all the saints and angels that helped us through that difficult time. We especially thank St. Nectarios for visiting his spiritual child Telemachos, before his great journey. My brother and I now both have sons named Telemachos, and my son is named Telemachos - Nectarios. May this great saint help all those who need his help.
Chris Bitsakakis
From: Nektarios Kokologiannakis
kokoslures@hotmail.com
Hi. My name is Nektarios. I was born on May 28, 1970. When I was born and came out of my mothers womb I was really sick- health wise. I was not expected to live. My parents were both devastated by the news. So they decided to name me Nektarios, after Saint Nektarios because he performed many miracles and always prayed to God for mankind. As the years went on, doctors had doubts that I would walk. They didn't know if my mind was okay. I always had bad kidney infections, and they believed I would be a midget. Fortunately I was blessed with great parents who loved me and raised me with faith in my life. I have gone through a lot of pain, suffering, surgeries, needles, and torture in my life. But one thing remains within my mind and that the belief that I will never ever give up in life because it is so precious, and we must take care of ourselves, believe in God himself, and always pray to him for the best- our health and the health of our family, relatives and friends. I wanted to share a story with you. Back in 1982 I was really sick and was going through some hard times in my life. Lots of sadness came into my heart. The question was why me? I couldn't understand that. As I was laying within my bed by the window, there appeared this bishop looking person. I didn't know who he was. He stood there up right, dressed in priestly garments. The colors were mostly green and gold-with some traces of blue. He had his staff which was made of gold. On top of his staff it had 2 dragons heads facing each other. I honestly don't know how tall he was, but I can estimate about 5'8 to 5'9. He had a white moustache attached by his long white beard which was down to his chest- a pure snow white looking beard. I couldn't see exactly the color of his eyes, but I do know he glowed. He didn't smile, but just stared at me. I didn't know any better who this man was, so I buried my face in my pillow and started screaming, yelling at the top of my lungs, terrified . Who was that man in my door way? I kept thinking. Finally my mother and father rushed into my bedroom, shaking me and telling me to get my face out of my pillow. I finally did. What's wrong? they asked me. I described what I had seen . My mother said \"I'll be right back, hold him.\" My mother ran into my grandmother Maria's room, (her mother) and grabbed an icon out of the iconostasio. My mother showed me a picture of Ayios Nektarios and asked me: \" Is that who you saw?\" I yelled \" yes that's him\". She replied \"Don't be afraid of anything. He's here to help you.\"
She went on to explain to me who he was. My mother said \"You saw St. Nektarios the Wonder Worker.\" My surgery went well and I grew up and am now 31 years old . Last year in Late April I lost my kidneys. My doctors didn't take care of me, despite the fact that I trusted them. I have a harder life to deal with being on dialysis 3 days a week.The doctors have implanted a shunt in my arm in which they poke 2 large needles 3 days a week. Yes they hurt but in all honesty there is nothing I can do except to go on with life. You have to understand something I am not a quitter. Neither do I give up at all. Every night I pray to God for my family, my relatives and friends. I say the \"Lords Prayer\". One thing I have told my parents is to never blame themselves for how I was born, and that it wasn't their fault. It was meant to happen. The way I look at life is to always be positive, to care about people by being there and loving them, being a good person, to be honest, to joke around, providing laughter into peoples hearts and praying every single night to God himself. Most of all I am blessed and honored to have Saint Nektarios (Ayios) name. I was born in Modesto, Ca. I go to the Annuniciation of Greek Orthodox of Modesto. This is the church I grew up in and the church I will pass away in ,when God comes calling to me on the day whenever his heart wants me to come to him. To see pictures and information about our beautiful church go to http://www.goannuniciation.org
From Con Colovos
colovos@optusnet.com.au
I am 42 years old and I am a firm believer and follower of the Greek Orthodox religion. My desire to learn more, and understand what our religion is about commenced primarily from my parents when I was young. One of the most prominent components of the Greek Orthodox Religion has been Agios Nektarios. He has been the Saint that has guided me, protected me, and helped me when I needed it. I have read all the literature that is available on him, so I may gain a better understanding of his life and the miracles that he has performed. All my life Agios Nektarios has been looking over me and making sure that nothing ever happens to myself and my family. It is Agios Nektarios, God and Jesus that I get up and pray to every morning and every night before I go to sleep. I honestly believe that he has the power to guide, heal and help people who believe in him to a more fulfilled life, understanding his works and the Greek Orthodox religion. An example of something that I regard to be one of his works is outlined below;
As previously stated I, my love and understanding of Agios Nektarios goes back to my teenage years. Something happened recently that proved to myself and my family that he is looking after all of us and that he loves us. My family and I took our first overseas holiday together approximately one month ago. It was a trip that was organized very quickly and certain things were neglected. Leading up to the trip I was very busy and my mind was everywhere. The trip was only three weeks and we had to fit a lot of things in. I wanted to go and see Agios Nektarios, but for some reason completely forgot about Aegina and only thought about Hania, Crete. I do not know why this happened. Crete was completely out of the way, and I knew I could not make it there so I was very disappointed that I had come such a long way and not being able to see the Church of Agios Nektarios. Anyway after we arrived in Europe we went to Italy first and then to Greece. Upon arriving in Athens I met up with a travel agent who met me at a different hotel to what we were originally booked into. We met in the lobby and he asked me to pay for the new hotel in which we stayed. After some discussion he asked if we would be interested in going on some tours while we were in Athens. I asked what he recommended and he showed me a cruise which takes in the islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina. He gave me the brochure so I can show my family, I paid him for the tour and proceeded to go upstairs to my family. Upon arriving in the room we started to read the brochure to see exactly where we were going and what we were doing. (Remember that I had not previously organized this tour, it was last minute and primarily due to us staying at a different hotel and meeting this travel agent.) The brochure showed that the trip to Aegina included a trip to the monastery of Agios Nektarios. As soon as I read this I started crying. My family and I all went to the old Church, his house, the tomb, and the new church. It was the highlight of my trip, and I was happy that my children also saw his monasetry and experienced a very important part of our religion.
From: John N. Rallis II
jrallis@cfl.rr.com
I was 25 and [thought I was] healthy...then a lump appeared on my right side just in front of my ear (the parotid gland region). It was Hodgkins lymphoma (cancer). My godfather gave me a book about the life of St. Nektarios, which I committed to read from cover to cover. He and my godmother also gave me a q-tip swabbed with oil from a miracle-working icon of St. Nektarios which I applied to the affected area. Not only was I cured (I can use that word now; it's been 9 years), but I also received an enormous amount of emotional and, yes, financial support from people I didn't even know (I had just started a business and didn't have health insurance yet). By the grace of God and, I believe, through the intercessions of St. Nektarios, I have received blessing upon blessing, not the least of which has been living long enough to marry my wife and raise my daughter, joys our great Saint did not himself have. I am forever grateful for his help, and for his humble example. I talk to him still.
From: CATHERINE DUBLE
Loaner1@benefitfunding.com
I am a 54 year old woman. On September 19, 2002, I had an allergic reaction to a prescription drug. I was rushed to the emergency room and while there, I went into cardiac arrest. Not knowing if this was caused by a blockage or anaphylactic shock from the medicine, the decision was made to give me TPA. This is a clot buster which is routinely given to prevent further heart problems, etc. In 1% of instances when this is administered, it results in a brain bleed or “haemoragic stroke”. This is what happened to me. I was rushed to another hospital with a much more sophisticated neurology unit and there I stayed in a coma for 9 days. My priest (I am Greek Orthodox) was called in to pray for me and my children were told to prepare for my imminent death. On the following Sunday morning I opened my eyes for the first time in nearly a week and a half. I was eventually moved out of intensive care into a “stepdown” unit. I remained there for about another week and then I was moved into a rehabilitation facility. I was still pretty confused for the first couple of weeks. When I started making sense of things, I told my daughters that I saw an elderly priest or monk in my dreams. He was walking on a grassy knoll alongside a water bank. The area was beautiful, very peaceful and serene. He extended his hand to me and said in Greek, “Come here my child. You have nothing to fear, you will be fine.” At the time, I did not know who he was. When my sisters were told of this by my daughters, I then learned that the entire time I was in a coma, I was clutching a small wooden icon of Agios Nektarios in my hand. I would not let go of it for anything. My one sister has been to Aegina and brought holy water back from there. She gave this to my priest and when he sprinkled it on me, it was the first time that I had shown any movement on my left side (I was completely paralyzed on that side). I am now certain that the person in my “dream” was Agios Nektarios and that it wasn’t a dream at all. I firmly believe that I was dying and that he sent me back for whatever reason. I will forever venerate him and celebrate in his name…Thank you for letting me share my story.
From: Emmanuel M. Mavrakis
NYA320Capt@yahoo.com
As an aspiring airline pilot, I had to pass some very stringent eye examinations while at a military academy. I prayed to Saint Nectarios continually since this was the one hurdle that many candidates could not qualify on. A few weeks later I saw him in my dream helping me up a very steep ladder and into a basket overlooking an airport where some airplanes were taxiing. As I stood there watching in awe, I noticed an old man with salt and pepper beard standing to my left watching me. I asked him what his name was and he said \"Aeginos\". I knew that a man from Aegina was called Aeginos and in the morning I thanked the Saint for blessing me. Several weeks later I took my eye examination which qualified me for flight training. Today Im an Instructor pilot and Captain for a US major airline
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