Detail of bleeding hands on icon of St Nektarios, Rhodes
After yesterday’s post about St Phanourios of Rhodes, current news of a potentially wonder-working icon from the same Greek island. According to various sources, an icon of St Nektarios has been bleeding from the hands since December last year and, and is now starting to attract various pilgrims from around the Orthodox world.
Wonder-working icon of Rhodes
Saint Nektarios is a 20th century saint with an inspiring life-story that is known in detail, and numerous postmortem miracles attributed to him. Reposing in 1920, we have photographs of him and writings that reveal his “voice”, which all contribute to him being an incredibly popular and well-loved saint. Indeed, the Rhodes icon currently bleeding and exuding a myrrh-like fragrance (right) is based on a photograph of the Saint. Relics of impeccable provenance are readily available and kept in various churches in practically every country with a considerable Orthodox presence. Therefore it is no surprise that on the island of the “Holy Revealer” (i.e. St Phanourios), this icon of St Nektarios is garnering international attention.
Bleeding and weeping icons have been discussed here before. In this instance, the priest of the church, Fr Spyridon says: “Do not be afraid; it’s a good thing.” He also goes on to say: “There is no need to wait for something like this to obtain faith and do good deeds. Every day we have to offer ourselves, to be as God wants us to be, to not hate but to forgive.”
Links:
The story as originally reported in English
Article on Saint Nektarios: includes the photograph of St Nektarios upon which the icon is based.
More in depth life of the Saint: from an Orthodox perspective (his feast-day is November 9th)
A Reader's Guide to Orthodox Icons 