In 1894 Nectarios became director of the Rizarios Hieratical School in Athens. This was an influential position because the offspring of many prominent Athenian families attended the school. Nectarios taught by example. When some students came to blows, Nectarios punished himself and refrained from eating for three days. When the caretakers were arguing over who would clean the washrooms, Nectarios solved the problem by cleaning them. And, finally, as he was about to enter a classroom, a penniless man approached him and asked for help; he needed shoes! Nectarios (whose life seems intricately waived with shoewear) gave him his own pair, and then proceeded to class barefoot.