Virtue and spiritual providence cannot and should not be hidden, as “and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house” (Matt.5:15).
The spiritual progress of the monk Nilus and his advancement in the virtues of the solitary life would not have gone unnoticed by the monk Makarios. So after a few years and after he had the appropriate age according to the holy canons of the Orthodox Church, his uncle invited the Bishop of the region who ordained Nilus as deacon, and then as priest in the monastery of Malevi. Thus, our Saint claimed the ministry of the priesthood, “the art of arts and science of sciences” according to Saint Grigorios the Theologian (P.G. 35, 424AB).
(translated from the book of fr. D. B., Ὁ Ἱερὸς Ναὸς Ἁγίου Νείλου Μυροβλύτου Πειραιῶς, Πειραιεὺς 2016, σελ. 25)