FATHER´S  MESSAGE:

Nov 2025

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Let me begin by offering my sincere thanks to you all for your dedication and love you show for our parish. You have shown this throughout the time I have had the privilege to serve you. I was able to witness it again throughout the summer in preparation for our annual festival and again during the event. Your many work hours, monetary offerings and devotion made the festival a resounding success.

On November 9, the Church celebrates the memory of Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis the Wonderworker. As you know, his relics are at the monastery of the Holy Trinity on the island of Aegina which he founded and which I had the opportunity to visit earlier this year. Since his repose in 1920, thousands of miracles have been attributed to him. What might be less known is the controversy that surrounded his life.

During Nektarios’ service to the Patriarchate of Alexandria as Bishop of Pentapolis, he was greatly loved by the people. At the time, there were clerics within the Patriarchate who were jealous of Nektarios’ popularity and convinced Patriarch Sophronios that the humble bishop was seeking the popularity of the people to succeed to the Patriarchal throne. Sophronios anathemized Nektarios who embarked for Athens, alone, ignored, despised, often lacking food.

Imagine having humbly served the Church, being wrongly accused, anathematized, ignored, despised, alone yet throughout, remaining faithful.

Despite his innocence, the Saint made no attempt to justify himself yet placed his hope in Christ. He continued in his life, preaching in Athens, directing the Rozarios Theological School and ultimately starting the Holy Trinity Monastery on the island of Aegina. There, he remained faithful living out his life as a monk. Shortly after his death, a sweet fragrant fluid emitted from his body drenching his face and hair. Even five months after his death when the nuns opened his grave to build a marble tomb, this fragrance was still present, and his body was intact in every way.

Nektarios was proclaimed a Saint by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1961. Thirty-five years later, the Patriarchate of Alexandria restored the Saint to proper ecclesiastical order, asking his forgiveness for all that he suffered due to human weakness or error.

May the Saint be an example to us in how, whatever the circumstance, we continue to place our faith in Christ. May he also intercede for us and be our protector and guide.

In His Service,

+Fr. Mario