St. Nikanor the Wonderworker icon

St. Nikanor the Wonderworker iconOrthodox icon of Saint Nikanor the Wonderworker of mount Kallistratos. NOTE: the name of our store in the icon is a watermark. Your icon will NOT have it. The Righteous Nikanor was born in 1491 in Thessaloniki of wealthy parents, John and Maria, who had great difficulty having children. Their faith however, displayed by their prayers and good deeds, helped them after years bear a son named Nicholas (the baptismal name of the Saint). His parents from

Orthodox icon of Saint Nikanor the Wonderworker of mount Kallistratos.

NOTE: the name of our store in the icon is a watermark. Your icon will NOT have it.

The Righteous Nikanor was born in 1491 in Thessaloniki of wealthy parents, John and Maria, who had great difficulty having children. Their faith however, displayed by their prayers and good deeds, helped them after years bear a son named Nicholas (the baptismal name of the Saint). His parents from the beginning tried raise him according to the teachings of the Gospel. When Nicholas was 20 years old, his father died, and after a short time, so did his mother.

When his parents died, the Righteous Nikanor found himself the inheritor of a great inheritance. Most especially, however, he gained the Church from his parents. One night as he was praying, he heard a heavenly voice tell him: “Go to Mount Kallistratos, to struggle well there.”

Having distributed his inheritance to the poor, he began he left for his destination together with the Righteous Dionysios of Olympus. . During the journey they roads separated, and the Righteous Nikanor alone reached Mount Kallistratos (known as Vermion Mountain, Grevena), where with much effort he built his ascetical dwelling in the Monastery that was there, and which survives to this day, in the treacherous canyon rocks, on the banks of the Aliakmona river. Besides all of this, he would routinely descend to strengthen the faithful of the surrounding towns and villages, to remain steadfast in their faith, even to end of sacrificing their lives.

One night when he was praying, he again heard a heavenly voice, which called him to go to the summit of the mountain to find the icon of the Savior, which was hidden during the time of the iconoclasts, and to built in that place a monastery. In reality, the next day, that which was said by the voice was verified, and Nikanor at that place built a church and monastery in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

The contribution of the Righteous one was invaluable, both in life and after his repose, as faith in him and the church has shone a great host of miracles up to today, especially regarding healings of plagues and diseases [Another source mentions that the Saint is a protector of shepherds and animals].