Saint Nectarios

[futureKC123]

Hey all!
It is my understanding that Saint Nectarios is recognized by the Melkite Church, since they came into communion with Rome in 1729. Why is Saint Nectarios glorified in the Melkite Church? He was glorified in the Greek Orthodox Church in 1961.
Oh Holy Wonderworker of Aegina, Nectarios, pray to God for us!
Thanks for all your help!
FKC

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Dear Friend,

St Nektarios was never “glorified” in the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church but he is recognized and venerated by it.

Particular Eastern Catholic Churches, and Rome itself, will, from time to time, decide to include in their calendars particular Orthodox saints due to their great Christian witness and devotional popularity.

Historically, when an Eastern Orthodox Church or a part of it, came under Rome, it kept all of the Saints it had venerated until then. Only that Orthodox saint who may have been known for particular “anti-Roman” sentiments was expunged from the calendar (or else he would have been left in the calendar for purposes of commemoration only, and not liturgical veneration). In fact, it would be difficult to find an Orthodox saint of recent times who would not have had this or that to say about Rome - and in that he was repeatiing the prejudices of his own environment.

Alex

 

[futureKC123]

On a related note anybody know anything interesting about Saint Nectarios? Also, I had a Roman priest ask me this question: If Saint N. (replace any Orthodox Saint) didn’t approve of the Catholic Church why would they intercede for us? I disagree with him but it’s good food for thought…
Thanks for all your help and information!
FKC

 

[Erethorn]

I’ve read about this saint and I’ve also read countless accounts from eastern orthodox people who’ve prayed and asked for his intercession and had their prayers answered and thus I am convinced he is indeed one of the saints of the Lord.

 

[MrPip]

On a related note anybody know anything interesting about Saint Nectarios? Also, I had a Roman priest ask me this question: If Saint N. (replace any Orthodox Saint) didn’t approve of the Catholic Church why would they intercede for us? I disagree with him but it’s good food for thought…
Thanks for all your help and information!
FKC

Interesting question. For the little that it’s worth, here’s my take on it: It is God who makes saints, not the Catholic or Orthodox Church. It’s the Church that makes a public acknowledgement of God’s action when the saint He has made is formally canonized. There are many, many, many saints who have not been publicly recognized by a canonization. So…once a saint has departed this life, it seems to me that whether one who requests his/her intercession is Catholic or Orthodox should be irrelevant. We are all, after all, seeking greater closeness to our Creator, are we not? And if any given saint can intercede on behalf of any given sinner, is not God’s will being done?

Will God, Himself, be asking us at the Final Judgment whether we were Catholic, or Orthodox, or Baptist, or Jewish, or whatever? Or will He be more interested in how we have conformed our will with His and loved our neighbor as He has loved us?

Hope my 2.25 cents-worth makes sense !

Jeff

 

[theidler]

Also, I had a Roman priest ask me this question: If Saint N. (replace any Orthodox Saint) didn’t approve of the Catholic Church why would they intercede for us?
FKC

Because in heaven, our little sectarian biases between East and West no longer are an issue. Orthodox and Catholic saints both contemplate the living God face to face - why would they still bear bias?