Book Description

Blurb: While Saint Nektarios is already renowned for being a wonderworker, a prolific writer, a gifted preacher, and, of course, a divinely inspired spiritual father, his artistic talents have largely remained unnoticed. Completed in 1907, while he was the Director of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School, this collection of his own hand-drawn calligraphy, primarily in the form of the Precious and Life-giving Cross, demonstrates his devotion to Christ and his Holy Cross by means of the graphic arts. Here we are given a rare glimpse into something which gave repose and joy to the saint when he was not preoccupied with his many other duties. English translations accompany each hand-drawn piece so that, for the first time, an exceedingly broad audience can enjoy and be spiritually edified by the fruit of the saint's pen in a uniquely different way. Date and place of original publication: Completed in February 1907, in Athens, when Saint Nektarios published An Historical Study on the Precious Cross in the journal "Ιερός Σύνδεσμος" while Saint Nektarios was still the Director of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School. Purpose: His pursuit of this work was a pleasant respite from his many other administrative, pastoral, liturgical, literary, and other duties as the Director of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School. This was a pastoral way in which the nuns (of Aegina) could study the Holy Scriptures and to keep their nous concentrated. Content: Cruciform calligraphy in Greek using excerpts from the Holy Scriptures (Old Testament and New Testaments), the hymns of the Church, especially from the feasts which celebrate the Holy Cross.