Saint Nektarios: The Saint of Our Century

By Sotos Chondropoulos

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9607374088
• ISBN13: 9789607374080
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Kainoyptia
• Length: 279 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The saint of our century

A truly amazing story of a truly amazing saint - this book chronicles the life of Saint Nectarios the Wonderworker, from his early childhood - one steeped in poverty yet coupled with an enormous faith and love for God and his fellow man. It details his ascent through the ranks of the Orthodox Church in Egypt and describes the trials that this saint faced - particularly from within the Church. Jealousy and conspiracy abounded amongst 'clergy' who were intent on seeing his demise - jealousy in particular because of his popularity amongst the laity, and his tireless work for the poor. (Saint Nectarios always kept in his mind the Words of our Lord concerning the rich man and Lazarus). The book goes on to chronicle his removal from office, by these 'clergy', and subsequent 'exile' back to Greece. Trial after trial continued, with Saint Nectarios' name tarnished - yet he never lost faith in the Lord, always praying for the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And the Lord never forgot His saint either. Despite all the trials, all the difficulties and all the obstacles that were placed in Saint Nectarios' way, by the grace of God he eventually rose to become Dean of the Rizarios Ecclesiatical School in Athens - and once again left his mark on the lives of all with whom he came into contact. The final part of the book details the establishment of the famous monastery in Aegina, named in honour of Saint Nectarios. However, even at the end of his life, his trials did not stop - yet his faith and love for God and his fellow man (including those who sought to harm him) never failed. Indeed the first miracle occurred from the moment Saint Nectarios fell asleep in the Lord. The book makes for very easy reading, flows very well and is highly recommended to all who would like to know how to bear their cross with true love and faith in the Lord, following the blessed example of this truly blessed Saint - May God always bless you Saint Nectarios for your life has truly been an inspiration to mine.

A beautiful inspiring life lived for God

At the risk of giving offense, let me start off by saying that this biography of Saint Nektarios would have greatly benefited from two things - a good proofreader, and a translator more familiar with the English language. The book has a multitude of spelling errors, and the prose is often strained, and sometimes uncomfortable. Having said this, this telling of the life of one of Orthodoxy's greatest modern saints is obviously a labor of love, and brings to the English speaker an inspiring example of a life lived in communion with, and in the service of, God. Saint Nektarios lived at a time of great turmoil and spiritual retreat for his beloved Greece, and for his beloved Orthodox Church. However, like Saint Athanasius before him, he was a beacon to his contemporaries, and to us today, that revealed the path of holiness and submission to our Lord even in the midst of great trials. Christians everywhere will be edified by studying the life of this humble and holy saint.