Saint Nestor of Thessaloniki Resource Page

St. Nestor the Martyr (Feast Day - October 27)

 

Verses

In decapitating both Lyaios and the brutal indignity of error,

Nestor is decapitated by the sword.

On the twenty-seventh diligent Nestor was beheaded.

 

Synaxarion of Saint Nestor the Martyr of Thessaloniki 

 

Saint Nestor the Martyr

 

Saint Nestor the Martyr of Thessaloniki  

 

Saint Nestor as a Model for our Lives

 

Saint Nestor, the Daring Disciple

 

The Chapel of Saint Nestor, Patron Saint of Athletes, Next to the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki

 

Saint Demetrios of Thessaloniki Resource Page

 

 

 

Saint Nestor the Martyr

 By Archimandrite Demetrios Kavvadias

The Victorious Martyr of Christ Nestor is known to us from the life of Saint Demetrios. Thessaloniki is the place of origin of Saint Nestor.

The age at which he appears is young, in fact according to Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite it was "when the hairs of the beard begin to grow", while Saint Damaskinos the Studite mentions he was "around twenty years old". Dionysios from Fourna says he was "young and without a beard" and Photis Kontoglou says he was "young without a mustache and just beginning to grow a beard". The teacher of the Gospel, Michael Galanos, identifies his form as beautiful: "He therefore bent his blonde and beautiful head and gave his last breathe with the striking of the sword, in order that he may ascend even more beautiful, to be with the ruler of life, the source of immortal beauty." Scholars of his life therefore determine his age and form as directly related to his story, since the hagiography and the iconography around his person coincide.

When Bulgarian Soldiers Tried to Steal the Relics of Saint Demetrius the New of Basarabov from the Cathedral of Bucharest During World War I

Saint Demetrius the New, commemorated on October 27th, was born in the village of Basarabov in northeastern Bulgaria. His relics came to Bucharest in the second half of the 18th century, in the context of the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774, brought by Russian general Pyotr Saltykov. According to tradition, the general intended to take the relics to Russia, but at the request of a Romanian, Hagi-Dimitri, the relics were given to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Bucharest. Thus, in the last decades of the 18th century, Saint Demetrius the New of Basarabov became the patron saint of Bucharest.

During World War I, on 17 February 1918, when Bucharest was occupied by the Germans, about 20 Bulgarian soldiers, allies of the Germans, broke down the entrance to the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen and snatched the relic of the patron saint of Bucharest, Saint Demetrius the New of Basarabov, to transport it to their country. They hid it in a car and at night set off for the Danube River. But the Saint, not wanting to leave Romania, caused such confusion in the streets that the thieves could not find a way out, so they found themselves outside the Cathedral again. As soon as it dawned, they managed to find the public exit road, but on their way the car broke down several times and they were arrested by the German occupying forces. Thus the holy relic was returned to its place in the midst of a glorious reception by the Metropolitan himself and thousands of people.

Fr. Ioannis Aleiferis, a Holy Monk of Mount Sinai Known as a Fool for Christ, Has Reposed

 By Ioannis Fourtounas

Fr. Ioannis Aleiferis (+ 10/19/2021), who after a brief illness departed for the heavenly dwelling place, was a Sinaite monk of the God-trodden Monastery of Saint Katherine.

Hailing from the region of Neapolis (Vatika) in Lakonia, Fr. Ioannis joined the monastic brotherhood of Mount Sinai and served as an ecclesiarch for many years.

He was found worthy of the rare gift of foolishness for Christ, which he preserved as the apple of his eye, appearing to people as a supposedly real fool in the world and not for Christ.

Translation of the Relics of the Holy New Martyr George of Ioannina

 

The Holy New Martyr George of Ioannina was hanged to death on January 17, 1838. One hundred and thirty-three years later, on October 26, 1971 his sacred relics were translated to the newly-built Church of the Holy New Martyr George of Ioannina in the city square.

"A deep emotion continues in my heart and fills my soul with awe and sacred fear, because the Most High has reserved for me this great honor, that I should at least search for him and that His unworthy servant should deposit the Sacred Relics from the grave to his household position."

"You have supported me, my children in the Lord, my dear ones, and you have strengthened me in the great dare, which I attempt, of the exhumation of our Patron Saint, through your fervent prayers."