Nikephoros of Chios

St. Nikephoros of Chios (* approx. 1750 in Kardamyla (Chios) ; † 1821 in Agia Paraskevi (Chios) ; also Nicephorus , Nikephorus ) was a priest monk, abbot of the Nea Moni monastery, theological writer and saint of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Life

Saint Nikephoros of Chios was a priest monk who was born around 1750 in the village of Kardamyla in the northeastern part of the North Aegean island of Chios . As a child, he became seriously ill with an infectious disease. His parents vowed that if their son survived, they would hand him over to the Nea Moni monastery . He recovered from his illness and was admitted to the monastery to become a monk.

He received his education at the famous school in the capital Chios . His mentors were Neophytos Kafsokalyvitis (1713–1784), a Jew who became a monk on Holy Mount Athos and later director of the school of Chios, Athanasios Parios (1722–1813), a priest monk and Macarius of Corinth (1731–1805).

Macarius of Corinth (feast day April 17th) stayed in Chios in 1780, left the island for some time, but returned in 1790. Nicephorus of Chios and Macarius of Corinth met frequently; he exercised the greatest influence on Nikephoros of Chios, which is why Nikephoros of Chios can be named as his spiritual son and disciple.

Later he got to know Athanasios Parios (feast day June 24th), who was head of the school in Chios from 1788 to 1811.

Nikephorus of Chios was elected abbot of Nea Moni in 1802. Before the end of his two-year term in office, he resigned himself because he did not like dealing with the monastery finances and spiritual matters, and because his plans met with resistance from the monks. Nikephoros of Chios left the monastery and retired to the monastery of Agios Georgios Reston in Resta (Brontados) .

He taught and wrote in Chios, leading a spiritual life there. He loved the island of Chios as his home and as a place where piety and learning flourished. For these reasons, and because there was no opportunity to leave the island, he stayed within its shores all his life.

In 1805, on his deathbed, Makarios of Corinth asked Nikephorus of Chios to complete and publish his book The New Leimonary . It contains hagiographies of martyrs , ascetics and other saints and worship services in their memory. Three saints were involved in this collection: Macarius of Corinth, Nikephoros of Chios and Athanasios Parios.

Although Saint Nikephoros probably died in the summer of 1821, his feast day is May 1st. He died in a house near the church of Agia Paraskevi (Chios) , where he sometimes stayed overnight when he could not return to Resta. His body was brought to Resta and placed in a tomb where both Macarius of Corinth and the monk Nilus had previously been buried.

Even during his lifetime, Nikephoros of Chios was known for his holy way of life, which is why he was regarded as a saint by the Chiot population before his death .

The relics of Saint Nikephoros were discovered in 1845 and brought to the Metropolitan Church of Chios. Many years later the tanners' guild asked for the relics and took them to the monastery church of Agios Georgios Reston of Resta, where they remained. In 1907 an icon of Saint Nikephoros was painted and a service was held in his honor.

Just one year after Nikephoros von Chios' death, Chios was devastated by the Turks in 1822 , including the Nea Moni monastery, with all monastery literary items perishing . For this reason, the history of the monastery from his hand, printed in Venice 1804 (see literature), is of particular importance for the history of the monastery.

Works

Books

• He Theia kai Hiera Akolouthia ton Hosion kai Theophoron Pateron hemon Niketa, Ioannou kai Iospeh, ton Ktitoron tes en Chio Sebasmias, Hieras, Basilikes te kai Stauropegiakes Mones tes Epilegomenes Neas, tes ep 'Onomati Timomenes tes Hyperagiase Despohen kouai te Historia tes Mones kai Thaumata Tina Paradoxa para tes Theometoros Telesthenta ( The Divine and Holy Akoluthia of Our Holy and God-inspired Fathers Niketas, John and Joseph, Founders of the Venerable, Holy, Royal and Cross-possessing Monastery Named the New, Which is Dedicated to Our All-Holy Lady Theotokos and Evervirgin Mary, and the History of the Monastery and Certain Strange Miracles Performed by the Mother of the Lord ). Henetiēsin (Venice, Venice): Glykys, 1804. [8] sheet, 118 pages, [2] folded sheets; 3 illustrations (copper engravings); 4 °.

• 2nd edition by He Theia kai Hiera Akolouthia… published in Ta Neamonesia ( Writings Pertaining to Nea Moni ), by Georgios Photeinos, 1st book. En chio; Prodikos; 1865; 318 pp.

• Neon Leimonarion ( New Spiritual Meadows ). Edited and completed by Nikephoros of Chios. Venice, 1819. 2nd edition in 3 volumes, Hermoupolis, Syros, 1855–1857; 3rd edition Athens, 1873; 4th edition Athens, 1913. Revised edition (considerable material omitted and some new material added) under the new title Neon Chiakon Leimonarion ("New Chian Leimonarion"), ed. by Amvrosios Michalos, Athens, 1930, and by Christophoros K. Gerazounis, Athens, 1968.

Speeches (discourses)

• Speech in praise of the Theotokos. Published in Neon Leimonarion and Neon Chiakon Leimonarion .
• Speech in praise of the culture-loving island of Chios. Published in Zolotas 1926, Vol. 3, Part 1, pp. 553-566.
• 1802 speech to the same. Published in Zolotas 1926, Vol. 3, Part 1, pp. 567-575.

Heiligenleben and other things

Nicephorus of Chios published twelve lives of saints, including those of Niceta, John and Joseph, the founders of Nea Monia; then from Myrope, Markella and Matrona from Chios. Other scriptures include hymns (Akolouthia) to several saints and neo-martyrs of Chios.

literature

• Cavarnos, Constantine (1976), St. Nikephoros of Chios: Outstanding Writer of Liturgical Poetry and Lives of Saints, Educator, Spiritual Striver, and Trainer of Martyrs. An Account of his Life, Character and Message, Together with a Comprehensive List of his Publications, Selections from them, and Brief Biographies of Eleven Neomartyrs and other Orthodox Saints who are Treated in his Works . Belmont, Massachusetts: Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies. (Modern Orthodox Saints, 4). IX, 124 p. ISBN 0-914744-33-X (2nd enlarged edition 1986).
• Χαλκιά-Στεφάνου, Πόπη (Chalkia-Stephanu, Popē) (2003), Tα μοναστήρια τής Χίου (Ta monastēria tēs Chiu) (The monasteries of Chios). Athēna: Eptalophos. ISBN 960-8360-10-2
• Χαλκιά-Στεφάνου, Πόπη (Chalkia-Stephanu, Pope) (2008), Οι αγίοι τής Χίου: Εκκλησιαστική Ιστορία τής νήσου από τής διαδόσεως του Χριστιανισμου μεχρι τις ημέρες μας (20ός αίονας) (Oi agioi Tēs Chiu: ekklēsiastikē istoria Tēs nesu Chiu apo tēs diadosēōs tu Christianismu mechri tis ēmeres mas (20os aiōnas); The saints of Chios: Church history of the island of Chios from the spread of Christianity to our day (20th century)). Athēnai: Eptalophos, pp. 183-194 (Saint Nikephoros of Chiote or Nea Moniote). ISBN 978-960-90294-2-1
• Ζολώτας, Γεώργιος I. (Zolōtas, Geōrgios I.); Emilia Sarou, ed. (1926), Ιστορία τής νησιού Χίου (Historia tēs Chiou) (The story of Chios). Vol. 3, part 1. Athēnai: PD Sakellarios.

Illustrations

A drawing of the icon of St. Nikephoros in the church of St. George in Resta can be found on the frontispiece of Cavarnos 1976. The foreword of the 2nd edition 1986 on page viii, however, says that the template for this drawing is the icon in the church from Hypapanti in Ober Kardamyla (Ano Kardamyla). A photo of this latter icon of St. Nikephoros of Chios (painted around 1907) can be found in the 2nd edition of Cavarnos 1986 on page 10.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ On Resta see Chalkia-Stephanu 2003, pp. 194–199.
2. ↑ Venerable Nikephoros of Chios ( OCA )

Web links

• Nikephoros of Chios on Orthodox wiki [1]