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Nestor (Savchuk)

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Hieromonk '''Nestor (Savchuk)''' was a martyr for the Orthodox Faith in Zharky, Russia. His body was found on [[December 31]], 1993.
==Early Lifelife==
Nestor was born in Crimea (now in present-day Ukraine) in 1960. As a young man, he concentrated on developing his wrestling, boxing and martial arts abilities. He was always distant from his family, had a keen awareness and stood out above his peers. Neither he nor his family knew at the time, but two of his great-uncles served at Pochayiv Lavra (Monastery), one as a married [[priest]] and the other as a revered [[monk]].
Nestor went to the bus stop with some important documents. As was his custom, he tucked in his long hair and his beard, to keep a low profile. Three drunken youths approached him to taunt him with such lines as "Show me your [[cross]]" while grabbing under his jacket at approximately where the cross would be. Wanting to avoid defiling the cross, Hmk Nestor deflected their hands, and the youths attacked him. Using his previously-gotten skills in martial arts, Hmk Nestor dodged their punches; however, his concentration lapsed as he remembered his unguarded documents, and he was hit in the eye. The police arrived soon after, and Hmk Nestor told them to let the youths go. A month later Andrew, the youth that had hit Hmk Nestor, came to his house to apologise. After a long conversation, Andrew decided to join the hieromonk and follow his strict way of life.
===A Visit to Abkhazia===
At one point, Hmk Nestor traveled to Abkhazia, Georgia, to help the suffering and to evangelise. Here, the desire for martyrdom was born. Hmk Nestor desired to stay in Abkhazia, but his spiritual father told him to return to Zharky, asking if "a mother (would) abandon her own children to raise another's children". His return to Zharky meant only further hardship and persecution, both for his church that was robbed many times and caught fire, and personally, where he met envy and strife, particularly from those to whom he gave most.

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