Nectarios Explained

Nectarios
Pronunciation:	Nek-tá-ree-os
Gender:	Male
Meaning:	"Of nectar"
Origin:	Greece

Nectarios, Nektarios or Nectarius (Νεκτάριος) is a Greek male given name encountered in Greece and Cyprus. It means "of nectar". Although its etymology refers to the word νέκταρ (néktar, an ancient Greek word meaning "overcoming death", a honey miraculous beverage of Olympian Gods),^[1] the name Nectarios was never used in ancient Greece. It can be first seen no later than 300 AD as a Christian name, mainly of monks and bishops, in 20th century it became renowned in the Orthodox world by the lives of Saint Nectarios of Aegina and Venerable Nectarios of Optina.

A Greek diminutive form of this name is Nektary. The feminine version of this name is Nectaria or Nektaria.

In the Orthodox Christian Church

• St. Nectarios of Aegina (1846 - 1920), Metropolitan of Pentapolis, beloved saint and spiritual father of Modern Greece.
• St. Nectarius of Optina (ca. 1854 - 1928), one of the last elder and spiritual father of Optina Monastery before the revolution of 1917, well known and beloved in Russia, and also abroad after Russian emigration.^[2]
• St. Nectarius of Auvergne (Nectaire, Nectarius of Limagne) (d. ~300 AD), martyr at Auvergne
• St. Nectarius of Constantinople (d. 398), Archbishop of Constantinople
• St. Nectarius of Jerusalem (1605 - 1680), Patriarch of Jerusalem
• Nectarius of Autun, bishop of Autun (ca. 550 AD)
• Nectarius of Vienne, bishop of Vienne (ca. 445 AD)
• Nectarius of Digne, bishop of Digne, 5th century
• Father Nectarios Yangson, Guardian of the Wonderworking Iveron Icon, and beloved spiritual guide in America.

Other

• Nektarios Alexandrou, a Cypriot footballer, midfielder of the APOEL club and the Cyprus national team .
• Nektarios Tavernarakis, well known scientist in the fields of biology, cell biology, ageing, and neurodegeneration.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Definition of Nektar. Merriam-Webster.
2. Venerable Nectarius of Optina. OCA - Lives of the Saints.