The journey to monkhood begins ...

On November 7 of 1876, at Nea Moni of Chios, Anastasios' tonsure takes place and his journey to monkhood begins. As the young loyal friend of Christ, acquires the equivalent name ... Lazarus, his eyes fill with tears, tears of joy and gratitude.

He continuously runs up and down, serving tirelessly, studying diligently, truly attending mass and above all, helping everyone with his heart and soul.

During the night, he kneels in his humble cell and prays for the entire creation, for everyone and everything. After all, in every creation, colour, image, smell, sound and soil, he sees in them the plan of the Omniscient Creator.

He moves forward and prays.

Every step equates to one knot on his komboskini (rosary).

Nektarios, with Saint Markella's blessing, departs the island and heads to the center of art and literature, to Saint Dionysius Areopagitis' town, Athens. There, he completes his high school studies with diligence, always mentioning in his daily prayer, his benefactor, who now rests in Heaven.

Let's have some vocabulary...

Tonsure = κουρά

Takes place = γίνεται, συμβαίνει 

Journey to monkhood = ταξίδι προς την μοναχικότητα

Young loyal friend = νέος πιστός φίλος

Acquires (γ' ενικό πρόσωπο) = χρειάζεται (acquire = χρειάζομαι)

Equivalent = αντίστοιχος

Tears = δάκρυα

Joy = χαρά

Gratitude = ευγνωμοσύνη

Runs up down = τρέχει πάνω κάτω

Serving tirelessly = υπηρετεί ακούραστα

Diligently = επιμελώς

Truly attending mass = παρακολουθώντας πραγματικά την Λειτουργία

Above all = πάνω από όλα

Kneels = γονατίζει

Humble cell = ταπεινό κελί

Entire creation = ολόκληρη η δημιουργία

Soil = έδαφος

Omniscient Creator = Παντογνώστης Δημιουργός

Equates = ισοδυναμεί

Knot = κόμπος

Blessing = ευλογία

Departs (γ' ενικό πρόσωπο) = αναχωρεί (depart = αναχωρώ)

Heads to (γ' ενικό πρόσωπο) = κατευθύνεται προς (head to = κατευθύνομαι προς)

Literature = λογοτεχνία

Completes (γ' ενικό πρόσωπο) = ολοκληρώνει (complete = ολοκληρώνω)

Diligence = επιμέλεια

Mentioning = αναφορά (> mention = αναφέρω)

Daily prayer = καθημερινή προσευχή

Benefactor = ευεργέτης

Rests (γ' ενικό πρόσωπο) = αναπαύεται (rest = αναπαύομαι)