On 12 May the Orthodox Church remembers St. Venerable Nectarius of Optina who lived at the turn of XIX and XX centuries.

Nikolai (a secular name of future priest) was born in the middle of XIX century in the family of modest means in Oryol Governorate. He became orphan in young age and started to work in the merchant’s store.

When Nikolai grown up he went to Optina Hermitage, and after conversation with father Ambrose he decided to spend his life in the monastery.

Nikolai’s spiritual growth was under guiding of mentors – Ambrose and Anatolius.

In 1887 Nikolai was tonsured with the mane of Nectarius; in 1894 he was ordained to a deacon, and four years later – to a priest.

In 1912 inhabitants of the monastery elected hieromonk Nectarius to a Starets.

For prayerful exploits Lord gave to St. Nectarius a gift of sagacity and foresight. But he never spoke directly and prophesized in a joke or in some short stories. When Starets communicated to people he tried to humiliate himself and called himself weak and infirmed.

The Hermitage and Starets personaly did not avoided the era of theomachic persecutions. Monastery was closed and a lot of monks were sent to prison camps. In 1923 Starets Nectarius was arrested as well. After returning Saint lived for a while in a village in Kaluga Oblast.

Starets reposed on May 12 of 1928 being 75 years old. His body was buried in the local cemetery.

When in 1989 Optina Hermitage was opened, the relics of Saint were found. In 1996 he was glorified as local saint, and in 2000 he was glorified by the whole Church.

Today the holy relics are in St. Ambrose side altar of the Presentation Cathedral of the monastery. Above the shrine with relics is the icon of Our Lady «Troyeruchitsa» (means «Three-handed Theotokos») which was in the cell of Starets.

After the relics were found, near the reliquary a lot of healings happened to pilgrims.