Saint Nektarios Metropolitan of Pentapolis, Egypt
Celebration date: 09/11
He was born on October 1, 1846 AD. in Silivria in Thrace from Dimos and Vasiliki Kephala and was the fifth of their six children. His secular name was Anastasios.
Mikros, 14 years old, went to Constantinople, where he worked as a clerk and then as a pedagogue at the school of Metochi of the Holy Sepulcher. Then he went to Chios, where, from 1866 AD. until 1876 AD he served as a public teacher in the village of Litheio.
In 1876 AD he became a monk in the New Monastery of Chios with the name Lazarus and on January 15, 1877 AD. he was ordained a deacon, named Nektarios, by the Metropolitan of Chios Grigorios (1860 – 1877 AD), and assumed the Secretariat of the Metropolis.
In 1881 AD he came to Athens, where at the expense of the Patriarch of Alexandria Sophronius IV (1870 – 1899 AD), he studied Theology and received his degree in 1885 AD. Then, the aforementioned Patriarch ordained him in 1886 AD. elder and gave him the duties of secretary and Preacher of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. He was also patriarchal commissioner in Cairo.
On January 15, 1889 AD, he was ordained Metropolitan of Pentapolis. His activity as Metropolitan was amazing and because of this he was a main candidate for the patriarchal throne of Alexandria. However, due to envious suggestions (obscene slanders) to Patriarch Sophronius, the humble Nektarios, in order not to grieve the old Patriarch, returned to Greece (1889 AD).
He was Hierokarykas (Evia) (1891 – 1893 AD), Phthiotides and Fokida (1893 – 1894 AD) and director of the Rizareio Ecclesiastical School in Athens (1894 – 1904 AD).
After the death of Patriarch Sophronius of Alexandria (1899 AD), Nektarios was invited to succeed him, but the Saint refused.
During his sermons, crowds of people gathered to “suck” the nectar of his Holy words.
In 1904 AD founded a women’s Monastery in Aegina, of which he personally took over the administration, after abandoning there in 1908 AD, after resigning from the Rizario School.
He wrote several works, mainly auxiliary to the divine sermon. His humility and charity were proverbial.
He died on the evening of November 8, 1920 AD. Such was his holiness that he performed many miracles, both before and after his death. He was buried in the Holy Monastery of Agia Triado in Aegina.
His Holy relics were collected on September 3, 1953 AD. and on April 20, 1961 AD. by Act of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he was proclaimed a Saint of the Orthodox Church.
