Agios Nektarios – Aegina – Passage through Syros
Saint Nektarios visited Syros in 1901 and stayed in Agia Paraskevi, in the area of Alithini. At that time, Agia Paraskevi was a monastery.
The old small church, with continuous renovations and the care of some faithful Syriots, had somehow managed to be saved from complete demolition until the mid-19th century when it fell into the hands of Psarianos Georgios Pipinis or Pipinos, a descendant of the famous comrade and collaborator of Kanaris, who had visited Syros many times.
It is noteworthy that during this period, the abbot of the monastery seems to have been Elder Dionysios, one of the last Teachers of our Race and the uncle of Papadiamantis and Moraitidis. Meanwhile, Georgios Pipinos assisted in the reconstruction of the monastery, and since then, the monastery seemed to have a splendid revival with several monks and the form of a communal monastery.
The monastery of Agia Paraskevi at that time was known in Greece, and Saint Nektarios definitely seems to have been aware of it, as he knew Elder Dionysios, who, with his impeccable behavior, had managed to attract the Syriots to the Monastery.
During this period, Saint Nektarios visited Syros and was hosted in Agia Paraskevi. We know that Saint Nektarios at that time had in mind the creation of a monastery. It is certain that he was looking for a suitable place to establish it and perhaps for an already "ready" hermitage, like that of Agia Paraskevi, to be suitable for his plans.
Another very important element emerging from the research is that Saint Nektarios had many friends, both Syriots and non-Syriots, who were on the island at that time, serving as priests. Notable is the fact that he was possibly invited by the Archbishop of Syros, Methodios, to embellish the celebration of Agia Paraskevi.
Methodios was considered the leading Hierarch of Syros and very beloved by all the residents. The commonality with Saint Nektarios, apart from being friends, was that he had also been the Director of the Ecclesiastical School and was a candidate for the Metropolitan of Athens.
Another Syriot who seems to have been a friend of Saint Nektarios was the renowned preacher Archimandrite Christoforos Desypres, who was also a student of Saint Nektarios at the Rizareios School when the Saint was the director.
Other friends and students from Syros of Saint Nektarios were Syriots Theodoros Konderis (from 1897) and Ioannis Maurikos (from 1899), Fokion Vasileiou, N. Androulidakis, D. Koronaios, St. Barbetas, and N. Nikolaou.
Therefore, it seems entirely natural for him to visit Syros, either as an invited guest or having in mind the establishment of the monastery he dreamed of.
He searches for a place to create a hermitage.
The nun Makaria (Tzourntou), his disciple, testifies that he openly discussed his preference for a Cycladic Monastery and was actively looking for it.
Syros was his hope to find this coveted corner for the realization of his monastic desire, especially since, in Syros, Elder Dionysios had created the 'splendid monastery' of Agia Paraskevi, which was almost ready to start as a monastery according to the plans of Saint Nektarios.
Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, he did not succeed.
Otherwise, Syros would have been among the most important pilgrimage sites of Christianity, similar to Tinos, Patmos, and, of course, Aegina, where Saint Nektarios eventually founded his monastery, now one of the most significant Christian pilgrimage sites globally with millions of visitors from around the world.
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