Nektarios the Agiannanite

Nektarios the Agiannanite was a monk of the Skete of St Anne on Mount Athos, an iconographer and almsgiver, killed as a holy venerable martyr by the Turks at Smyrna in 1922, during the Asia Minor catastrophe.

He came from Vourla near Smyrna. He lived first in the hut of the Nativity of Christ in the Skete of St Anne, then in the hut of the Archangels, where he cared for the elder Anthony from Kythera and his brother Chrysanthos, whose feet had withered from constant standing. Elder Azarias (died 1947) invited him to the hut of the Honourable Forerunner. He was a good iconographer; one of his works is the wonderworking icon of St Irene Chrysovalantou at Lykovrysi in Attica, painted in 1919.

Father Chrysanthos (died 1981) wrote that Nektarios was so merciful that, if it had been possible, he would have given even the walls of the hut as alms. After Compline he went to the hermits and gave them all he had; only Azarias knew of this. In 1922 Nektarios and another elder of St Anne set out for his homeland, Vourla. At Smyrna the Turks had lined up many clerics and monks to be slaughtered. All waited in fear, and Nektarios comforted them: Brothers, we left the world as children for Christ, and now that we have the chance to die as martyrs, are we afraid? Let us confess whatever wrong we have done, so that the fear of death may leave us. All obeyed, confessed and met death with courage. Only a deacon was saved and told the story to Father Chrysanthos, who concluded that almsgiving helped Nektarios face death and be martyred for Christ.