Alexandria 15th September 1998
The Holy Spirit has enlightened the gathered members of the Holy Synod of
the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa, under the leadership of H.B.
Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, more than a
century since Saint Nektarios, the great Teacher and Father of the Holy Eastern
Orthodox Church was expelled from the Church of Alexandria, to reach the
following decision:
Taking into account the resolution of the Church
to rank Saint Nektarios amongst the saints because of his innumerable miracles
and his acceptance within the religious conscience of Orthodox Christians
throughout the world, we appeal to the mercy of the ever-charitable God.
We hereby restore the ecclesiastical order of the
Saint of our Century, Saint Nektarios, and grant to him all due credits and
honors. We beseech Saint Nektarios to forgive both us, unworthy as we are, and
our predecessors, our brothers of the Throne of Alexandria, for opposition to
the Saint and for all which, due to human weakness or error, our Holy Father,
Bishop of Pentapolis, Saint Nektarios, suffered.
PETROS VII
By the Grace of God
Pope and Patriarch
of Alexandria and All Africa.
Beloved and faithful children of the Church,
In these modern times, when our way of life is constantly changing, when the
products of technology and the numerous experiences of our daily life, confuse
man’s spirit incurably, crushing the hope of our hearts and destroying man’s
character, the Saints of our Church bear witness to man’s salvation, the
majesty of man’s spirit and the ontological concept of hope and the recognition
of human life.
One of the Great Saints of our Orthodox Church, who lived and experienced
the joyful meeting and continuous coexistence with Christ our God, who aimed to
build a new world, to separate man from his stained inheritance and to reform
the human personality, is Saint Nektarios, Bishop of the ancient Kyrenian
Pentapolis, the Wonder-worker.
All that our Church believes and experiences is to be found in the inner
personality of Saint Nektarios. This is substantiated through our
life-experience.
The whole Grace of the Church exists in his life, and the burning flame
which is St. Nektarios, passes on to us the essence of the mystery of the
Church.
He is truly formed by great experiences. He is able to transfuse us with
holiness and grace because he himself was tested and saved.
Saint Nektarios lived in our Patriarchate and became the humble servant of
the world, despite the difficulties caused by malicious intent, the atmosphere
of contempt and defeat, enmity and injustice. He achieved absolute humility. In
virtuous silence he endured the turmoil of his flaming soul. Like Noah in his
ark, he relived the experience of humanity mixing the waters of deluge, the
water of Baptism and the tears of his eyes. He overcame every trial and
temptation through continuous prayer.
He became the vessel of God’s Grace. He is the poor, the unseen, the meek,
the kind, the wonder-worker, the protector of God’s divine love for mankind.
In the life of Saint Nektarios, the world, mankind, every one of us finds
his measure, the scale by which to compare, the truth. We realise the ugliness
of our spiritual self-centredness; we see perfection in the fear that we might
wound God’s love; we search for the only, the essential evangelical reality -
that we must renounce ourselves and take up our cross in our daily lives. And
the life of Saint Nektarios also reveals something completely different: the
power of man, mobilized by the presence of God, freedom of choice and the deep
desire to be a child of God.
110 years have passed since the ordination of St. Nektarios as Bishop of our
Patriarchate, and over a 100 years have passed since St. Nektarios, the Great
Father and Teacher of our Church, was cast out from the Patriarchate of
Alexandria, because of human weakness, error and the influence of the evil one.
We, Myself and the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ancient Patriarchate of
Alexandria and All Africa, calling upon the mercy of God Who so loves mankind,
and witnessing by the grace of the Holy Spirit the conscience of the body of
the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church regarding the holiness of St.
Nektarios, admit the injustice which was done against the Saint, restore the
canonical order, ask the Saint to forgive us and the fathers and brothers who
have passed away, for all that he endured and suffered, and dedicate the year
1999 to the sacred memory of our holy father Nektarios, Metropolitan of
Pentapolis, the Wonder-worker.
The dedication of the year 1999 to the memory of Saint Nektarios is
essentially an invitation to repent, to separate ourselves from the fallen
world of destruction and death, and to join with the new risen world in Christ.
This is an opportunity for us all to find God and the man of Paradise, to
increase our awareness and goodness. This is the heritage and the precious gift
of a holy man, who is one of us, St. Nektarios. This is how he overcame
destruction, death and time. This is why he exists today.
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ through the intercessions of our
Father Saint Nektarios be with you all.
With warm prayers to God for all of you.
In the Great City of
Alexandria
10th September, 1998.
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