Saint Nektarios: Commemoration of holy relics

September 3 marks the commemoration of the translation of the holy relics of Saint Nektarios. Born Anastasios Kefalas on October 1, 1846, in Sylivria, Eastern Thrace, he became a highly revered hierarch, pastor, and educator within the Eastern Orthodox Church.

His early life was marked by hardship. Moving to Constantinople at a young age due to his family's poverty and a lack of local educational opportunities, he worked in difficult conditions in a tobacco packaging facility. Despite facing physical abuse and economic struggle, he maintained a deep religious devotion, often sharing Gospel verses with those he encountered during his early labor.