The healing story of Fr. (later Archimandrite) Nektarios Vitalis is one of the most well-known and widely circulated modern miracles attributed to Saint Nektarios of Aegina. Fr. Nektarios Vitalis (who reposed in the Lord in 2018 at age 89) was a Greek Orthodox priest from the area of Lavrio (Kamariza), Attica, Greece. He was renowned locally for his charity toward the poor and marginalized. In 1980, he was diagnosed with advanced, terminal cancer.
According to his own detailed testimony (shared in interviews, books like I Talked to Saint Nektarios by Manolis Melinos, and Orthodox publications), he suffered from a severe form of cancer that manifested as an open, festering wound on his chest. The wound constantly oozed blood and pus, causing unbearable pain—he would tear his undershirts from the agony. Doctors considered his condition hopeless; he was essentially dying, had even prepared his grave clothes, and was given no chance of survival.
On the morning of March 26, 1980, while in the basement office of his church, he was speaking with two women: Sofia Bourdoy (the church caretaker) and Helen Kitraki (an icon painter). Suddenly, the door opened, and an elderly, unknown man entered. He was dressed simply and appeared humble. Fr. Nektarios described him as having a gentle, radiant presence.
The stranger approached Fr. Nektarios, placed his hand on the priest’s afflicted chest (over the open wound), and said something to the effect of taking the illness upon himself or healing him through divine grace. Fr. Nektarios felt intense heat or a burning sensation, followed by immediate relief. The wound began to close and heal miraculously right then. The two women witnessed the entire event and were astonished.
After the man left (disappearing as mysteriously as he arrived), Fr. Nektarios realized this was no ordinary visitor—it was Saint Nektarios himself who had appeared to him. The cancer was completely eradicated; subsequent medical examinations (including by radiologists and oncologists) confirmed the tumors had vanished, and the wound had healed without scarring or trace of disease. Doctors were left speechless, declaring it medically inexplicable.
This miracle was publicly attested in the presence of witnesses and documented in Orthodox sources. An icon depicting the scene—Saint Nektarios embracing and healing Fr. Nektarios Vitalis, with the two women as witnesses and doctors confirming the cure—hangs in the church of Saint Nektarios at Aretaieion Hospital in Athens, among other places.
Fr. Nektarios Vitalis lived for many more decades in gratitude, serving as a spiritual father and elder, often sharing this testimony to encourage faith. He emphasized that the healing came through humble prayer, trust in God, and the saint’s intercession—not as a “magic” act but as a sign of God’s mercy.
This account is preserved on reliable Orthodox sites, including Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral (saintsophiadc.org), OrthodoxCityHermit, OrthoChristian.com, and Mystagogy (johnsanidopoulos.com), where Fr. Nektarios’ full recollection is quoted. It remains a powerful example of Saint Nektarios’ ongoing intercessory role, especially for cancer sufferers.
May Saint Nektarios intercede for all those in need of healing!
