Saint Nektarios Metropolitan of Pentapolis (Libya) and the Vatopedi Monastery (2nd nocturn)

by Andri Hatzikosta-Tofalidou

The written works by the Saint indicate his holy passion
His writing and publication of his works was an accomplishment of his godly passion to spiritually strengthen the people of the Church. He could not overlook the fact that both laymen and the clergy were deeply ignorant and that there was a lack of spiritual books those days.
He was deeply disturbed by the realization that the congregation was suffering- “there is an almost general displacement of the beliefs of those deluded by the new deception…”( 7th Letter) read more…
That’s why the God-wise clergyman as a “true laborer of virtue” has endowed the Church with a large volume of written works, as an accomplishment of his holy passion to work “in favor of his brothers and for the glory of God” ( 11th Letter).
The Saint describes his theological works and himself as the disciple of the Greek patristic tradition. His theology is distinguished for the exemplary choice of themes, most of which he had dealt with for the first time. Even now no one has continued this work. ( Mpratsiotis: “Saint Nektarios Kefalas”, 1985, p. 241
In the published letters we discern the following regarding his theology:
-The Saint describes his work as great and beneficial 91st Letter) and as “work favored by God”.( 9th Letter)
-His works support Theology and Greek Education. (3rd Letter0
-Moved by religious zeal, he tries to support the displaced beliefs of the faithful by his published work, teaching them the truths of our Holy Church which they were not aware of until then. (7th Letter)
-With God’s assistance, he does not get weary, but continues to write and publish his works. His greatest reward is his belief that he has been working for the Church and for the glory of God. (11th Letter)
The unpublished works are the following: (to be continue)

source: Άντρης Χατζηκώστα-Τοφαλίδου, Άγνωστες επιστολές του Αγίου Νεκταρίου προς την Ιερά Μονή Βατοπεδίου, Περιοδικόν Ορθόδοξη Μαρτυρία, Έκδοσις Παγκυπρίου Συλλόγου Ορθοδόξου Παραδόσεως «Οι Φίλοι του Αγίου Όρους», τεύχος αριθμός 41, Λευκωσία, Φθινόπωρο 1993

Translated from Greek by: Olga Konnaris Kokkinos, journalist