We shouldn’t think, judge, and act, having faith in our way of seeing things—but on God.

A certain couple couldn’t have a baby and went to the tomb of Saint Nektarios with the hope that the saint would give them a baby.

They arrived at the Saint’s feast when there were at his tomb a lot of priests, deacons and, of course, many pilgrims. The couple tried to reach Saint Nektarios’ tomb, but they couldn’t make it. While they were struggling unsuccesfully to reach it, a half-burned small piece of coal fell from the deacon’s censer, while he was incensing the tomb and the icon of the saint.

With a lot of faith, the woman took the small piece of coal, ate it and, indeed, after a short time, she became pregnant.

The couple was very joyful; however, their joy turned to sorrow after the baby was born: he had a malformation in his hand. One of the newborn’s hands was turned towards his body and all the fingers were tied together, forming a closed fist.

They tried to raise the child with love but, unfortunately, they didn’t have the necessary patience to deal with their child’s malformation.

So, they went back to Aegina and the Saint’s monastery and, in anger, threw their child onto the Saint’s tomb, saying, “If you gave him in this shape, we don’t want him!”

However, when the child fell onto the Saint’s tomb, he opened his hand. And in his hand was a small piece of coal.

In the photos are candid moments from a Divine Liturgy at the chapel of Saint Nektarios, Vatopedi monastery.

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