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[[Image:Planas5hNicholasPlanas.JPG|thumb|right|holy relics Icon of Papa-Nicholas Planas in the church of Panagitsa, Paleo Faliro, Athens]]The holy saint '''Papa-Nicholas (Planas)''' of Athens (1851-1932) was officially [[glorification|glorified]] as a [[saint]] by the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] of [[Constantinople]] in 1992. He was born in 1851 on the island of Naxos in Greece and is often referred to as '''Papa-Nicholas''' . His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[March 2]] , except when it falls during [[Great Lent]] period; then it is celebrated on the first Sunday following March 2. As a local saint of [[Metropolis of Paronaxia|Paronaxia]], he is also celebrated on the first Sunday of September, as part of the celebration of the island's five key saints at the Church of St. [[Nikodemus of the Holy Mountain]] on the island of Naxos in Greece.

Papa-Nicholas was married and the father of one child. He was married at 17, but his wife died only a few years later , and so he spent the rest of his life in celibacy with , his only aspiration being to serve the Church. He was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] on [[July 28]], 1879, at the [[Church of the Transfiguration (Plaka, Greece)|Church of the Transfiguration]] in Plaka, Greece, and a [[priest]] on [[March 2]], 1884, at the Church of the Holy Prophet Elisha.

His focus, for over 50 years, was to serve daily the [[Divine Liturgy]], vigils, and other services. He never missed a Liturgy and spent most of his time in the very small church of [[Church of St. John the Hunter (Athens, Greece)|Church of St. John the Hunter]] in Athens, Greece. The [[parish]] initially contained only eight families. He never refused to commemorate and pray for anyone when he served, and he carried in his pockets slips of paper containing thousands of names whom he would pray for during the [[proskomedia]] and the Liturgy.

[[Image:Planas5h.JPG|thumb|right|Holy relics of Papa Nicholas Planas in Athens]]Numerous stories are told of his being lifted in [[prayer ]] and that of the [[altaracolyte]] servers would see s seing him raised off the ground in front of the altar during the Liturgy. While he would begin Liturgy at eight in the morning, he typically would not finish until two or three in the afternoon. When he was not able to serve at the church of St. John, he would always serve elsewhere.

He was famously absentminded absent-minded and was also well known for giving to the poor anything that anyone might give him. He was not an educated man but was considered immensely enlightened, who was an example of great holiness and humility—examples of [[theosis]].

Papa-Nicholas is recognized as a saint by the official Orthodox Church, as well as by many Old Calendarists. While he blessed the headquarters of the newly-founded Old Calendarist “Religious Community of Genuine Orthodox Christians” in Athens in 1926 and never personally accepted the liturgical calendar reform, he also never ceased commemorating his bishop over the issue. When notified of his non-compliance, his humility and simplicity prevented any action being taken against him. He reposed in February of 1932 and a . A new St. John the Hunter Church has been built, which contains his [[relics]], has now been built.