The “Holy Unmercenaries” are an honored group of Orthodox Christian Saints who refused payment for good deeds, most notably for healing of body but also for other services. These Saints lived out Christ’s exhortation: “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8). The word “unmercenaries” is a transliteration of the Greek term “αναργυρων” which means “without silver”, indicating refusal of payment for services, since silver was the primary currency during the early years of the Church and most of human history since the invention of money.

This icon honors a large grouping of 20 Holy Unmercenaries from the early church.

Saint Nektarios of Aegina is a widely beloved Saint who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries AD. With a life full of tribulations, Saint Nektarios navigated the storms of life with his eyes on the One True God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was a beloved teacher and founder of Holy Trinity Monastery on Aegina and spent many of his later years teaching the monks and nuns and in theological writings. He is very often invoked by those suffering from cancer or other physical ailments.

Saint Panteleimon is one of the most well-known of the Holy Unmercenaries, born in the late 3rd Century AD. He grew up as an accomplished physician, eventually deciding to serve people in need free of charge. He performed many miracles in the name of Jesus Christ, including giving sight to a blind man. Saint Panteleimon is almost always depicted holding a medical utensil and a box, commonly used at the time to store and administer medicines, depicting his status as a healer. He is invoked by the faithful for aid in all kinds of physical ailments.