Saint Nectarios of Aegina (1846–1920) is, for Romanians, the saintly physician without medicines: people ask him for healing from serious illnesses, successful procedures and relief from suffering. His relics are brought to Romania almost every year, and the queues at monasteries under his patronage (Egumenița, Petru Vodă) are famous.
Prayer to Saint Hierarch Nectarios
O Saint Hierarch Nectarios,
the swift helper of all who turn to you!
Come to love Christ deeply
and with your pure life you have shone;
you are a fountain of comfort for the afflicted
and a physician without payment for the sick.Now, together with the angels,
you stand before the throne of God.
Believing in your miracles and having hope,
I turn to you with humility:Pray for me (name),
that through your holy prayers
I may obtain health of soul and body,
atonement for my faults
and salvation for my soul.For you are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
The short prayer (for the sick)
Saint Nectarios, swift healer,
pray to God for the health of His servant (name)!
How healing is requested
- It is recited for 9, 12 or 40 consecutive days (the traditional prayer rule), morning and evening;
- Add an Our Father, a Hail Mary, then the saint's prayer;
- With blessed oil (from the relics or the saint's vigil lamp), with which the sick person's forehead is anointed;
- A spiritual brotherhood is also maintained: confession and Communion — the saint heals soul and body together;
- In serious cases, the Paraklesis to Saint Nectarios is performed at church or at home.
Why he is so loved in Romania
Because his holiness feels «close»: he lived until 1920, in the modern world, enduring slander, exile from his episcopal see and poverty — and remained gentle. Healings reported at his relics (in Aegina and during visits to Romania) have filled entire churches. Many Orthodox doctors in Romania have waiting rooms full of patients who also pray «with Saint Nectarios» — prayer does not replace treatment; it accompanies it.
Frequently asked questions
When is Saint Nectarios's feast day? November 9 — a day of major pilgrimage at churches under his patronage.
What else do people pray for? Health (especially serious illnesses and cancer), surgery, children, families in crisis and jobs — the saint is known as a «swift helper».
