Nikephoros of Simonopetra

Nikephoros of Simonopetra, a hieromonk, with the secular name Theodore Pantzarelas, son of Panagiotis and Euanthia, was born in 1880 at Galatista in Chalkidiki. He came in 1897 to the cell of Saint John the Theologian, near the arsenal of Simonopetra Monastery, and in 1899 was tonsured a monk with the name Nikephoros. In 1905 his brother in the flesh, Asterios, also came, tonsured in 1908 with the name Arsenios. Their elder was Nikephoros of Asia Minor (1868-1934), who from the monastery of Saint Mark on Chios went to the cell of the Holy Trinity in Saint Anne's Skete, then to the Simonopetra cell of Saint John the Theologian.

Nikephoros of Galatista was tonsured into the great schema on the Saturday of the Akathist in 1904 and ordained deacon by Nilos, former Metropolitan of Karpathos (d. 1917), then priest. Humble, he feared the mystery of the priesthood, but obeyed his elder. Father Chrysanthos of St Anne's (d. 1981) writes: "By the order of his elder, Nikephoros was ordained priest, though from humility he did not want it. After the ordination he came to the monastery and wept inconsolably for the heavy burden of the priesthood. But soon he went blind and ceased to celebrate. Father Nikephoros, now blind, served in the kitchen and in the other obediences of the Kathisma with great readiness." He had in his heart such a flame of divine love that he prayed unceasingly.

It is told that one night two robbers came to their cell. The elder told them they were poor and had nothing to take. They threatened him with weapons. The elder told them to wait, went to the church and communed from the holy reserve, then went out to the robbers: "Now do with me what you wish." His face shone so brightly that they were terrified and left in repentance. He reposed in the Lord on 23 May 1958; five days after his repose his brother Arsenios left for Karyes, where after forty days he too reposed. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.