This
was a contemporary humble and worthy priest, spiritual father, family man and a
professor of technical education, who left himself in the hands of Christ to
use him as an instrument in the salvation of humanity. And He made him a vessel
of His Grace, granting him charisms/gifts of the Holy Spirit. Because as we
know, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." My
family had a relationship with both him, as well as his presvytera Anthi.
Fr.
Nicholas A. Pettas was born in Patras in 1941. He was of Ionian origin, the son
of a prominent family. His parents came to Patras after the great earthquakes
hit the Ionian Islands in 1928. Nicholas' father was named Andrew Petrakas or
Pettas from the city of Zakynthos on the island of Zakynthos and was a known
industrialist of soap in Patras. His mother was Sophia Panagis Tzakis from
Frangata, Kefallonia. He was the last of five children in the family. When he
was young in age his mother departed this life. She had raised him in the
admonition of the Lord, although she told him prophetically: "My little
Nicholas, I want to taste a bite from your sanctified cassock!" She said
this because an impression was made on her when he was an infant, when he
refused to suck milk from her breast on Wednesday and Friday.
Three
dedicated girls baptized Fr. Nicholas, giving him the two names Nicholas
Emmanuel. From an early age he engaged in the family business while his parents
took care that he receive an education from a private school. Facts testify
that from an early age he had living experiences of divine protection. A
striking example is this: One day his sister Helen took him to their parish
church of Saint Gerasimos in the Port of Patras, and on their return home a
tall commanding woman in black said to his sister sternly: "Take the child
and hide him in the reeds because a military tank will soon pass and press you
both to death!" Indeed, along that narrow road a German tank passed and
they were saved thanks to the intervention of the Panagia.
As
Nicholas Emmanuel grew he had as a confessor and spiritual guide the known and
venerable Archimandrite Gervasios Paraskevopoulos in Patras. During the
difficult year of the occupation, because his family was wealthy and had the
financial ability and his mother was merciful, they would gather the poor into
their home and take care of them. During the same difficult period, there would
gather in the home of Nicholas people from the circle of Fr. Gervasios and they
would have constructive intellectual discussions.
Usually
Nicholas would socialize with people who were older and wiser, but also had
great sensitivity to children. He payed particular attention to the Orphanage
of Skiagiopouleiou which was in his neighborhood. Typically, on feast days he
brought orphaned children from this institution to his home. At the same time,
he would catechize children, and many of those whom he catechized went on to be
cassock-wearers.
When
the time came, he served his military service and became a Sergeant of the
Missal Squadron in Langada, Thessaloniki. His faith and what he experienced
when he was younger he transmitted to his soldiers. Many of them he guided to
elders and spiritual fathers. Daily there were services from the Horologion
("Book of Hours") in the military camp.
During
his service in Thessaloniki, he met in the hospital AHEPA our well known elder
Paisios the Athonite. In the visits he made to the hospital to see the famous
Monk Paisios, he would bring along other soldiers. Several of them confess that
they came to know Christ and the sacramental life from the young Sergeant
Nicholas, while some became cassock-wearers.
Admirable
was the rich and diverse education of Fr. Nicholas. He combined something very
rare, both the positive and theoretical sciences. He had the following degrees:
Mechanics, Radio Technology, Foreman of Mechanical Installations, Theology,
Engineering and Technology and Education Officer of Education Training. He was
a man of many interests, a music lover, who loved reading and studied the
manuals of many sciences.
He was
appointed professor of Mechanical Engineering at the technical schools of
Nafpaktos. Later he shifted and taught in the technical schools of Patras. As a
teacher he was loving and graceful towards children. He knew how to educate
well and the psychology of children, while his actions showed him to be a fine
man. "His presence at the school was measured and with solemnity. He
inspired respect in you to such an extent even as a layman, we imagined him in
a cassock," wrote his colleague of years Mr. Haralambos L. Kontochristos.
He continues: "For us professors he was a special and rare man, a model
cleric and professor in his consistency and spirituality. Originally he caused
an impression on students that he was both a cassock-wearer and professor in
Engineering, and he would enter the factory in his cassock to teach by example.
At first they would mock him, although he acted like he didn't understand.
After the first few days there developed a strange spiritual bond between them
and he was for them a father, a teacher and a consolation. When some colleagues
troubled the children, Fr. Nicholas intervened and helped them to get their
degree. He would help children without discrimination. Even people who stated
they did not like him because he wore his cassock, would often approach him and
ask for his advice for their various issues. This is because Fr. Nicholas did
not despise or shun them, but pulled them in close because he was not afraid.
With his modesty he combined bravery, and he won the appreciation and
admiration of people one would not expect to ever respect the cassock. We often
did some administrative and personal things in secrecy from him. But Fr.
Nicholas in another way, in a deeper and more meaningful way, knew everything!
Within the immense calm that characterized him, he understood every move and,
with amazing God-given grace, understand not only what we said but even
thought."
On May
7, 1970 he married his faithful and worthy wife Anthi H. Katrimpouza from
Franga in Achaia. They were a very loving couple and acquired after much prayer
twelve children, six boys and six girls.
As a
family man and professor, Nicholas continued his rigorous spiritual life. At
school, according to witnesses, he was a worthy successor of the treatment of
parents to children. He was interested in students obtaining scientific
knowledge, but also spiritual and moral that they may be useful to society and
make proper families. Sometime
between the birth of their two children, Panagiotis and Maria, there began to be
inflamed within him more than ever the flame that prompted him to become a
priest. He confided this to his spiritual father to see where it would lead.
Revealing
are the words of the late Metropolitan of Patras, Nikodemos Valindras,
regarding the person of Fr. Nicholas, who on the 8th of April in 1979 ordained
him Deacon and on the 15th of April the same year ordained him a Presbyter,
giving him the name Nicholas. He said: "I have performed many ordinations,
but what I felt at this ordination is something unique." This Hierarch
said that at these two ordinations he felt like he was experiencing a Pentecost
and he understood that Fr. Nicholas was indeed a recipient of God's mercy. The
Metropolitan concluded his words saying: "Fr. Nicholas, I feel like I have
obtained mercy from the grace of the Holy Spirit as I placed my hands on your
head to convey to you the grace of the priesthood. Remember me and do a
memorial for me, please, both in this life and in the next, when the Lord calls
you." 
Other
times, as Fr. Stephanos Anagnostopoulos says in a book, when he ate at the
family table, he suddenly stood up and would leave hungry. He took his car and
went to a certain house where a couple was squabbling vigorously. Then he would
enter and smooth things out and reconcile them. There are many testimonies from
people who testify that Fr. Nicholas foretold trials, sicknesses, and other
things that occurred depending on the case, and he would give the appropriate
advice. However, whatever he revealed he did so for salvific purposes. Many
facts reveal he had the gift of clairvoyance, says Fr. Haralambos
Panoutsakopoulous from Patras in his personal website.
He
loved prayer very much and longed for asceticism. A building on a construction
site near his home he made into a hermitage with many icons, an oil lamp and
his stole. For Fr. Nicholas this was a place of prayer and ascetcism. There he
often held confessions and had many visitations and appearances from the
Panagia and other Saints.
Many
times he experienced revelations during the Divine Liturgy which are difficult
to describe and report here. What is sure is that he experienced states of
Grace. According to the testimony of the distinguished Fr. Anthony Roumeliotis
from Patras, during most Divine Liturgies he saw on the Holy Altar, at the
moment of the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the Lord Himself. And when he
confessed with discernment these experiences, he considered himself unworthy of
such visions. Moreover, after the bloodless sacrifice he could not come out
immediately from the Holy Sanctuary.
Fr.
Stephanos Anagnostopoulos says that Fr. Nicholas had revelations during the
Divine Liturgy, and often was "removed" because he passed through the
Heavens. This was the occasion for other clergy and chanters to misunderstand
him, thinking that he had become a "fool" or had a mental problem.
Not a few times was he deprecated and people had a critical and demeaning
attitude towards him, even from people in the church environment. However,
there are many who believe that after his death they received signs from Fr.
Nicholas and felt the Lord had shut their intellect, because they would not be
able to withstand these things or did not have the spirituality to understand.
Even
the unfair loss of his first child, Sophia, in 1992 on the day of her feast due
to a traffic accident, he saw during the proskomidi as he liturgized. He
confessed himself that he saw before his eyes the loss of his child.
He was
informed of his repose by St. Basil the Great, as he celebrated the Divine
Liturgy in honor of the new year 2000. He was informed that in three days he
would be in a heavenly state, and so it happened.
After
the repose of Fr. Nicholas, a crowd of faithful gathered to bid their farewell,
considering him an authentic cleric, a great struggler and a man of God. His
body was flexible and maintained its natural temperature, while his face showed
gladness. There are testimonies that after his repose people invoked him and he
helped them with miraculous signs and healings.
Noteworthy
is that fact that Fr. Nicholas had foretold that he would first depart for the
next life and after his presvytera on a designated year and date, and that the
children would be more hurt for the loss of their mother. Also, during her
repose they will understand more about her spiritual height. Indeed, Fr.
Nicholas departed on 4 January 2000 and his presvytera Anthi on 6 December
2012, twelve years after the repose of Fr. Nicholas.
According
to the testimonies of spiritual fathers, and as recorded by Fr. Stephanos
Anagnostopoulos, seven months before the repose of the presvytera, although
confined to bed with severe problems of
movement and breathing, she heard heavenly Liturgies and angelic chants, and
with these she heard the voice of her reposed husband, who prepared her saying:
"My Presvytera Anthoula, because you are undergoing much torment like the
much-suffering Job, it is the decision of our Christ that this year on my feast
(that of St. Nicholas on December 6th) I will take you to the heavens to
rest!" These words were verified on the December 6th that just passed when
she reposed. The most-revered presvytera Anthi departed during the
"Wisdom, arise!" at the Gospel reading of Matins, on the morning of
the feast of Saint Nicholas, when she was in intensive care at the General
Hospital of Athens.
