In ancient times, in the territory of Asia Minor, which today is part of Turkey, the state of Lycia was located. One of its largest and most famous cities in our time was called Patara. There, in the year 270, the great saint of the Christian church, Nicholas the Wonderworker, was born, whose life and miracles became part of the Holy Tradition, sacredly preserved for many centuries.
Son begged from God
From the life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, compiled shortly after his blessed Assumption, which followed around the year 345, it is clear that the parents of the future saint of God - Theophanes and Nonna - were deeply pious and pious people. For the virtues and many alms done to the poor and destitute, the Lord sent them a youth who became a quick helper to all true believers and their intercessor before the Throne of the Most High.
They named their first-born son Nicholas, which in Greek means "victor of peoples." This became symbolic in its own way, since in the future many peoples bowed before his name, paying tribute to the great winner of human malice and hatred. Outlining the summary of the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, one cannot miss the important fact that he was a child begged from God, because, having lived for many years in marriage, Feofan and Nonna did not have children, and only through their unceasing prayers did the Lord finally send them the long-awaited happiness.
Ordination to the priesthood
The pious parents eagerly responded to the proposal of their closest relative, the bishop of the city of Patara, who advised them to dedicate their son to God. This archpastor of God, who also bore the name of Nicholas, was the uncle of the future saint, and from an early age took upon himself the work of his spiritual nourishment. Rejoicing at the sight of how the lad, moving away from the temptations of the vain world, constantly sought communion with God, the uncle, with his inner eye, saw in his nephew the future vessel of the true faith. Since that time, the fate of Nicholas the Wonderworker has been inextricably linked with the service of the Church.
After several years spent studying the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the Church Fathers, Bishop Nicholas ordained his ward to the priesthood. The life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker says that after the sacrament, the archpastor, turning to the parishioners who filled the temple, said that the Lord showed them "a new sun rising over the earth." His words were truly prophetic.
Having become a presbyter, which, according to the most ancient canons, corresponded to the second degree of priesthood, he worked tirelessly, fulfilling his pastoral mission. Being a mortal, like all the people around him, he strove with all his heart to imitate incorporeal forces, filling his life with fasts and prayers. Such deep self-giving allowed him to ascend to a high level of spiritual perfection and become worthy to rule the Church.
Led by the Christians of Patara
An important event noted in the biography of Nicholas the Wonderworker is the departure of his uncle to Palestine, where he went to worship holy places. Leaving Patara for a long time, the archpastor entrusted the management of all church affairs to his nephew, since he considered him spiritually advanced enough to fulfill such a lofty mission.
Becoming at the head of the church life of the city, Saint Nicholas performed his duties with the same zeal as his uncle, who at that time was in Palestine. This stage of his earthly journey is marked by a very characteristic event, testifying to the commitment of the young presbyter to eternal values.
Soon after the departure of the bishop, the Lord called the parents of Saint Nicholas to His heavenly chambers, and he became the heir to a very significant estate. However, instead of taking advantage of the benefits received and surrounding himself with comfort, he sold all the property he received, and distributed the money to the poor. With this, St. Nicholas exactly fulfilled the covenant of Jesus Christ, given by him to all who wish to gain eternal life.
Charity done in secret
Outlining further the brief content of the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, one cannot pass by one more episode, which in its entirety shows his readiness to help his neighbor and show concern for the salvation of his soul. It is known that one, formerly a very rich and respected resident of the city of Patara, suddenly went bankrupt and fell into extreme poverty. The blows of fate that followed one after another plunged him into such despair that, seeing no other way to provide himself and his three daughters with food, he set out to give them to fornication, turning his house into a nest of debauchery.
The unfortunate father was already ready to destroy the souls of his young daughters and doom himself to eternal death, but the All-Merciful Lord instilled in the heart of His servant Nicholas the Wonderworker compassion for the perishing family. Secretly from everyone (for Jesus Christ commanded that this is how to do alms), he did a great good deed. Under the cover of night, Saint Nicholas carried purses of gold to this man's house, which helped him get out of poverty and marry his daughters to decent and wealthy people. This is just one example of the mercy inherent in the saint of God, Nicholas the Wonderworker. The life of the saint describes many cases when he fed the hungry, clothed the naked and redeemed insolvent debtors from their lenders.
Path to the holy land
After some time, Bishop Nicholas returned from Palestine, and his nephew, who deservedly gained the fame of a worthy and respected pastor, also decided to go to the holy land in order to see with his own eyes the places connected by the events described in the New Testament.
The sea voyage to the holy land was another important episode that entered the biography of Nicholas the Wonderworker, since several miracles are associated with him, glorifying his name. It is known, in particular, that at a time when the ship with the pilgrims sailed past the coast of Egypt, and the sea was almost completely calm, the saint unexpectedly announced to his companions that a storm was approaching that could destroy them. His words were met with doubt, because even the worldly-wise sailors did not see signs of impending trouble at that moment.
However, very soon the sky was covered with clouds, the wind blew and a terrible storm broke out. Waves swept over the ship, and he was ready to plunge into the depths of the sea. Then Saint Nicholas called out to the Lord and begged Him to save them from inevitable death. His words were heard, and soon the storm subsided. The grateful pilgrims glorified God and His faithful servant, who brought them salvation in such a miraculous way.
Following the description of this miracle, the life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker contains a story about the resurrection by him of a sailor who fell off the mast and crashed to death on the deck flooring. It is known that the Lord grants grace for the accomplishment of such lofty deeds only to His chosen children, and therefore the return to life of a person who until recently lay on the deck as a cold corpse is proof of his true holiness. The miracles described above, performed by Saint Nicholas on the way to the holy land, became the basis for recognizing him as the patron of travelers.
Worship of holy places
Having made a stop in Alexandria and healed many who were suffering there, the holy saint of God continued on his way and safely arrived in Palestine. In the holy city of Jerusalem, he poured out his warm prayers to the Lord, standing on the stones of Golgotha, which became witnesses of His torment on the Cross for the salvation of the human race. He also went around other places connected with the earthly life of Jesus Christ, offering prayers everywhere and glorifying God.
The book of the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker describes, in particular, how the doors of one Jerusalem church locked at night opened before him by themselves, testifying to the fact that the entrance to the temple of God is not forbidden to those for whom the Heavenly gates are open. Having stayed in the holy land for a long time, Saint Nicholas wanted to retire to the desert, and there, exhausting himself with ascetic exploits, continue serving God, but a voice from above commanded him to return to his homeland.
Acceptance of the archbishopric
Returning to Lycia, the saint of God did not settle in Patara, because there his name was surrounded by universal reverence, and he tried to avoid worldly glory. He chose the large and populous city of Mira as his place of residence, where no one knew him. However, even there his holiness did not remain hidden from people. By the will of God, St. Nicholas was soon able to take the vacant position of archbishop and head of the entire Lycian church.
Having accepted the rank of archpastor, Saint Nicholas in everything was an example for his numerous flock to follow. The doors of his house were constantly open for all those in need of help and support. Imitating the holy apostles, whose successor he was, the saint carried the word of God to people, but, in addition, he became a support in their earthly life, trying, if possible, to be useful to everyone. That is why it has become a tradition to offer prayers to Nicholas the Wonderworker for help in work and in all other worldly affairs.
Test strip of flesh and spirit
For several years, the saint peacefully tended the flock of God entrusted to him, until the enemy of the human race planted hatred for Christians in the hearts of the two impious kings Maximian and Diocletian. They issued a decree according to which all those who professed the teaching of Christ and did not want to renounce it were to be thrown into prison, and then handed over to torture and death. Among the other prisoners who suffered for their faith was Archbishop Nicholas, beloved by all. Once in prison, he endured suffering with extraordinary courage and supported those around him with his archpastoral word.
But the all-merciful Lord did not allow the wicked to commit lawlessness for a long time. The power of the ungodly kings collapsed, and Emperor Constantine I the Great, who succeeded them on the throne, made Christianity the state religion. One of his first acts was the convening of the Ecumenical Council in the city of Nicaea, at which the holy fathers of the church, among whom was the archbishop of the Lycian city of Myra, cursed the heretical teaching of the wicked Arius. The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, a brief summary of which formed the basis of this story, reproduces with all the details the scene of his fiery speech, which served as the triumph of true Christian teaching.
Archpastoral service to God and people
Returning to the Worlds, the archpastor of God continued his service, as before, zealously protecting the souls of the townspeople from the tares of heretical teachings and at the same time protecting them from the arbitrariness of unrighteous rulers. Thus, by the power given to him by God, the saint delivered from death three men condemned to execution on false charges. He also forced some governors, who were heading to Phrygia to pacify the rebellion, to keep the soldiers entrusted to them from looting and robbery, and then, when, returning to Byzantium, they became victims of malicious slander, he saved their lives.
Another clear evidence that the Lord gave Nicholas the Wonderworker the strength to command the winds and waves can be an episode also described in his life. From the pages of this book, we learn how one day a ship sailing from Egypt was caught in a storm, and the sailors in despair mentally appealed to the well-known and highly revered Archbishop of Mir of Lycia with a plea for salvation. The saint immediately appeared to them and ordered the storm to calm down. The wind immediately died down, the waves calmed down, and, standing at the helm of the ship, the saint of God helped the sailors to safely reach the shore.
Death and beginning of posthumous veneration
Having lived a long life in the Worlds and devoted himself entirely to serving God, the saint reposed in the year 345. All the archpastors of the Lycian land, accompanied by numerous clergy and laity, gathered for his burial. The body of the deceased was placed in the cathedral church and soon became myrrh-streaming, and miracles of healing began to take place around him. The rumor about them quickly spread throughout the country, and thousands of sick and crippled hurried to the burial place. Since that time, the posthumous veneration of Nicholas the Wonderworker began, quickly stepping beyond the borders of Lycia and becoming a tradition of the entire Christian world.
Transfer of relics to the city of Bari
The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker rested in the city of Myra for several centuries, but over time, Asia Minor was completely conquered by the Arabs, and many tombs of Christian saints were defiled. In 792, such a threat also hung over the tomb of Nicholas the Wonderworker, but a detachment of Janissaries sent to plunder it mistakenly opened a nearby burial.
In 1087, Italian merchants made an attempt to save the shrine from imminent desecration, and at the same time to raise the religious prestige of their city of Bari. By cunning they found out the place where the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are located and, opening the tomb, stole them. Having delivered the priceless cargo to their hometown, the merchants were greeted with general rejoicing. Since then, Bari has become one of the most visited centers of Christian pilgrimage. Today, as in many past centuries, believers from all over the world flock to it to bow to one of the most famous and revered saints.
Relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is such a significant figure in the minds of Christians around the world that the need to bow to his relics is common to people from all over the world. Since not all of them can go on a pilgrimage, the Church meets them halfway and periodically gives them the opportunity to venerate the shrine in their homeland. So, in May 2017, the ark with the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker was delivered to Moscow. This became a significant event in the religious life of all Russia.
They stayed in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker until mid-July and after that they were transferred to St. Petersburg. During their stay in the capital, 1.8 million people came to bow to the Mir Lycian saint, and about a million more believers venerated them in the city on the Neva. After that, on July 28, the precious ark returned to Italy again.
Veneration of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia
Despite the importance of such a significant event, it should be noted that in Russia itself there are many churches where the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are located, albeit in the form of fragments of an extremely small size, which, however, does not deprive them of their fertile power. This is quite understandable, since Archbishop Mir of Lycia, or, as the people call him, Nikola the Pleasant, is one of the most revered of the Orthodox Church. And, accordingly, over the centuries, maximum efforts were made to ensure that the particles of his relics became a national treasure.
It is known that the veneration of the saint spread widely in Russia as early as the 11th century, and at the same time a holiday was established in his honor, timed to coincide with the day of the transfer of honest relics from the World of Lycia to the Italian city of Bari. Currently, his memory is celebrated twice a year ─ on December 6 (19) and July 29 (August 11). Prayers to Nicholas the Wonderworker for help in work, family life and various everyday affairs are offered up by Orthodox believers both on holidays and on weekdays. The text of one of them is given in our article. It contains a request for help in "real life", that is, in all aspects of life, including the work that brings us our daily bread.
Temples were erected in honor of Nicholas the Wonderworker in many cities of the country. One of the most famous among them is the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral in St. Petersburg, built in 1762 by the architect S. I. Chevakinsky. A photo of this amazing masterpiece of Russian baroque is placed at the end of the article.
Many episodes of the life path of the saint of God have become plots of paintings that tell about his service to God, but, undoubtedly, the most complete picture of him can be obtained by reading the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, a summary of which is the basis of this article.
Nikolay Ugodnik - .
In St. Petersburg, not far from the place where the waters of the Kryukov and Ekaterininsky canals meet, a slender four-tiered bell tower shines with a gilded spire.
Behind her shine the five heads of the majestic. It is called marine not by chance. In the 18th century, here, on the southwestern outskirts of St. Petersburg, the barracks of the so-called life guards of the naval crew were built. The sailors who made up the best part of the Russian fleet lived in them. The cathedral, whose construction was completed in 1762, became the main "sea" temple of Russia. Divine services were held in it both when laying new ships, and when sending sea expeditions, and when ships returned from a long voyage.
It was in this cathedral that sailors were commemorated, for whom the waters of the sea became their grave. This is one of the few Russian Orthodox churches that has never been closed. Its traditions are still alive today. In 1989, the sailors of the sunken submarine "Komsomolets" were commemorated in St. Nicholas Cathedral, and in 2000, commemorative plaques with the names of the sailors who died on the submarine "Kursk" were installed in it. One of the icons painted in the 17th century is considered to be the main shrine of the cathedral. On it is a handsome old man with a high forehead of a sage and clear eyes. His head is covered with a miter, in his left hand is the Holy Scripture. This is Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. His name has long been firmly associated with the sea.
The life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas was born around 260 in the south of Asia Minor, in Lycia. At that time it was a distant Roman province. Today, ancient Lycia is part of Turkey. Nikolai's parents lived in the city of Patara and were quite wealthy people. From early childhood, the future saint was fascinated by Christian ideas. He studied spiritual wisdom in the largest city of Lycia - Xanth. After the death of his parents, he distributed all his inheritance to the needy and soon became the archbishop of the city (now it is the Turkish city of Demre). Despite his high rank, Nikolai wore simple clothes and showed concern for people every day.
It was said that from his bright face alone, the soul became happier and calmer. During the time of Nicholas, Christianity was banned in the Roman Empire. Often, Christians were persecuted. Nikolai did not escape them either. He spent twenty long years in prison.
The ascetic did many good deeds. The stories about some of the events of his life seem like real miracles - such is the fate of many legendary personalities. He helped the people of his city more than once. They say that once during a famine he appeared in a dream to an Italian merchant, asked to bring bread and gave him three gold coins. When the merchant woke up, he had real gold in his hand. Bread was delivered to the city.
On another occasion, Nicholas went to Constantinople to ask the emperor to reduce the exorbitant tax that was imposed on the city. To make his request more convincing, he threw his mantle over the sunbeam, and it hung on him like a rope. The emperor was surprised at the miracle and heeded the requests of the righteous man. In an effort to quickly convey the good news to the townspeople, Nicholas placed the decree in a piece of reed stem and threw it into the sea. Miraculously, this message quickly sailed to Lycia, and yet the journey to it was six days.
The righteous man had a special relationship with the sea element. One day, by prayer, he calmed a strong storm. Another time, he revived a sailor who fell to the deck from the mast and crashed to death. For the third time, at the behest of Nicholas, the right wind blew all the time in the sails of the ship, which delivered him to the shores of Lycia against the evil will of the captain. They say that Nikolai appeared more than once to people in distress at sea, pacified the waves and sometimes ruled the ship himself.
Nicholas, nicknamed the Wonderworker for many of his deeds (and in the city where he was archbishop - Mirlikiysky), lived a long life. He died in 343 and was buried in Myra. The fame of him as the patron saint of sailors spread far beyond the borders of Lycia.
Relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker
The saint died about the year 345 in the rank of Archbishop of Myra of Lycia. It was there that he was originally buried. Many centuries passed, and Muslims began to rule in the homeland of Nicholas.
Now this abduction (providential, it must be said, because thereby the shrine was saved from possible abuse of it by the Turks) is recorded in the church calendar as the feast of the Transfer of the honest relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the World of Lycia to Bari. For the relics of the saint in Bari, they built the Basilica of San Nicola, in the crypt of which the relics remain to this day. They say that the relics of the Wonderworker constantly exude miraculous oil - myrrh, which does not dry out with time.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a Russian courtyard appeared in Bari with a temple and a hotel for pilgrims. The need for it has been brewing for a long time: the pilgrims from Russia faced both domestic and religious difficulties in Italy (there was no Orthodox priest in Bari), and many of our compatriots wanted to bow to the relics of the revered saint. The courtyard was built according to the project of A. V. Shchusev with contributions from both ordinary and eminent donors. In particular, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna gave 3,000 rubles for a charitable cause, and Nicholas II - 10,000.
The Barians were not the only sailors who wanted to make St. Nicholas their personal patron. Soon after them, the Venetians sailed to the city of Mira. They also raided the church where the relics of Nicholas were once kept, and took with them everything that was left after the visit of the Barians. The inhabitants of the Venetian Republic placed their part of the relics in a church specially built on the narrow sandy island of Lido. Today, hundreds of tourists heading to Venice pass by it every day.
Saint Nicholas in Russia
St. Nicholas is the most revered Saint in the thousand-year tradition of Russian people's sense of life, for which our ordinary people have nicknamed him "Nikola - the Russian God" for centuries.
The veneration of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia is approaching the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos and even our Lord Jesus Christ himself, which is reflected in the iconography. Expressing the idea of intercession for the Christian race, mediation between a person and the Lord, St. Nicholas was depicted in the Deisis instead of St. John the Baptist, along with the Most Holy Theotokos. In Russia in the 16th-17th centuries, the name Nicholas was avoided at holy baptism, just as it is impossible to baptize in honor of Jesus Christ.
They say that Nikolai was known to the Russians even before the baptism of Russia, under Princess Olga. St. Nicholas in Russia was called differently: Intercessor, Savior and even Wet.
The last nickname appeared in the days of Kievan Rus. People told how once respectable parents were sailing home with their little son in a boat along the Dnieper from Vyshgorod. The boy's mother overcame a dream, and she dropped the child into the water. Her grief was immeasurable, and in her prayers she turned to St. Nicholas for consolation. The next day, the sexton of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv in the morning found a crying baby in the choir. He was all wet, as if taken out of water. The parents who came running to the temple recognized in it their miraculously saved child. In the following centuries, many churches were built in Russia in honor of St. Nicholas the Wet...
One of the Ryazan monasteries was called St. Nicholas Lapotny. A local legend told how an old peasant made a vow to build a temple and collected money for it by weaving and selling bast shoes. Having learned about the ascetic, Peter I ordered to buy from him at once the entire supply of woven bast shoes. With the proceeds, a church was built, and later a small monastery arose around it.
Nicholas of Myra became such a beloved saint in Russia that he is even venerated twice a year: once on December 19, on the day of the death of the righteous man, and the other on May 22, on the day when his relics were delivered to the city of Bari. The first day is called "Winter St. Nicholas", and the second - "Spring St. Nicholas".
In Muscovite Russia, the number of churches and painted icons dedicated to Nicholas the Wonderworker was not much inferior to the churches of the Most Holy Mother of God. In the Kiev Sophia Cathedral (middle of the 11th century) there is a mosaic image of St. Nicholas. About forty different works of ancient Russian literature are associated with Nicholas the Wonderworker. The saint was prayed for help "by the sea floating", because Nikolai is one of the patrons of the Russian Navy.
In the Novgorod epic, of all the saints, only St. Nicholas came to the aid of Sadko's perishing soul, for the Novgorod merchant Sadko was in distress at sea, and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was an ambulance to seafarers.
Nikola the Pleasant is “the protector from the invasion of the “adversary”, which is why the Russian soldiers prayed for him for help in military exploits, it was customary to wear scapulars with his image on his chest.
Pagans also turn to St. Nicholas in prayer, for he certainly helps everyone who prays to him, prompting them to repent and correct their life path.
Miracles with Icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker:
Many miraculous stories happened with the icons depicting the face of the saint, and many of them were connected with the waters. One of them happened in the XII century with the Novgorod prince Mstislav Svyatoslavich. As the chronicles said, he once fell into a "severe disease."
The ailing prince prayed for the recovery of both the Savior himself, and the Most Holy Theotokos, and many saints known to him, but all in vain. The disease did not recede. One night, restless in the heat, Mstislav dreamed of the image of St. Nicholas. He appeared to him “as if written on an icon” and ordered to send messengers to Kyiv in order to get an icon with his image. The next morning, the prince sent messengers to Kyiv, but their boat was stopped by a storm on Lake Ilmen. For three days and three nights they were buried from bad weather on a small island “waiting for the time when the wind subsides. On the fourth day, one of the messengers saw a round board floating in the lake. Taking it out of the water, he recognized in it the icon of St. Nicholas! When it was brought to Novgorod to Mstislav Svyatoslavich, he carried it to the church and sprinkled it with water from the washed icon. The disease immediately receded. In commemoration of the miracle, the prince "erected a beautiful stone church ... and put a wonderful icon in it."
That church - the five-domed Nikolsky Cathedral - still stands in Veliky Novgorod and remains the oldest stone building on the Trade side of the city. The miraculous icon stood there until the beginning of the 16th century. In 1502, two years before his death, Ivan III took her to Moscow. In the capital of the young Moscow state, the icon was placed in the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. During the fire of the Kremlin, which happened in 1626, she died. For Novgorod, a copy was made, which has survived to this day.
Legends about the icons of St. Nicholas
A great many icons were painted with the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia. Some of them are considered miraculous, amazing stories happened to them. Here are just two of them.
They say that in the 17th century, the icon of St. Nicholas was found on a stump in one of the forests of the Chernihiv province. Three times she was taken to the nearest church, but each time she miraculously ended up in the same place. Then, right above the stump, a wooden church was erected, which, of course, was called Nikolskaya.
In 1794, a stone building was erected in its place. The magical icon in it was not in vain reputed to be miraculous. Many people were praying before her. Among them was Maria Ivanovna Gogol. Her two newborn children died in infancy, and she asked the saint to intercede for the life of her child, who was about to be born. When Maria Ivanovna successfully recovered from the burden, she named her son Nikolai.
He became a famous Russian writer. In his first book, Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka, Nikolai Vasilievich tells the story on behalf of the deacon of St. Nicholas Church - the very one in which his mother once prayed.
Nikolay Ugodnik patron of travelers
Nikolay Ugodnik Nikolai Ugodnik was considered the patron of not only sailors, but also travelers. It is no coincidence that in many ancient Russian cities one of the passable fortress towers was called Nikolskaya and its arch was decorated with an icon. There was such an icon over the Nikolsky gates of the Kremlin. When Napoleon's troops left Moscow in 1812, the emperor ordered the gates to be blown up. Powder charges were placed in the old masonry. There was an explosion. Its strength was such that glass broke in the houses surrounding Red Square. Only the glass that covered the face of the Pleasant remained intact. The icon was not damaged, and even the candle in front of it miraculously survived.
Saint Nicholas in Dutch is Santa Claus.
This is the western brother of our Santa Claus. One of the legends about St. Nicholas tells how he helped a merchant who fell into poverty. He was ruined to the skin and was about to send his three daughters out of the house to earn a piece of bread with his beauty. To save the beauties from dishonor, Nikolai crept up to their house at night and threw three gold coins into the chimney. By an amazing chance, they hit exactly the girls' shoes, which were drying by the fireplace. The happy father bought a dowry for his daughters with this money and successfully married them off. This amazing story gave rise to the custom in Europe at Christmas to put gifts in socks and shoes for children. Our gifts under the Christmas tree are a distant greeting from St. Nicholas.
Nicholas the Wonderworker is the most revered saint of the Russian people.
He provides patronage and protection to those who need it and believe in his holy power.
Under his protection are all who are on the road for professional reasons - drivers, sailors, pilots and just travelers.
He protects homes from destruction and fires, and families from poverty and want. The icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker among Orthodox Christians is in one of the revered places.
Biography of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas was born in the city of Patara in Asia Minor (the territory of modern Turkey). He was the only and long-awaited child of the pious parents Theophan and Nonna. His parents begged for the birth of the future Saint, having made a vow that they would dedicate him to the Lord.
The baby began to show miracles literally from the moment of his birth. His mother, who had been seriously ill for many years, was cured in the most miraculous way after the birth of her son. During the rite of Baptism, the baby stood on its own for three hours, thereby glorifying the Most Holy Trinity.
Asceticism in his daily life always manifested itself, starting from infancy. He even took his mother's milk only on Wednesdays and Fridays after his parents read the evening prayer. From childhood, Nicholas studied the Divine Scriptures without any compulsion, and spent all his days in the temple, and spent his nights in prayer. Thus, he sought to make of himself a pious haven for the Holy Spirit.
His consciousness and thoughts were akin to youthful maximalism, and his actions were equated to an old man wise with experience. He was sincerely respected by believers. Over time, he became a priest and, before becoming the head of his flock, he decided to make a pilgrimage to holy places. During the journey, Nikolai, by the power of prayer, saved the ship that had fallen into a severe storm, and even brought a sailor who had crashed on deck back to life.
Impressed by the earthly feat of the Savior, Nicholas decided to go into the desert, but the Divine Voice that appeared to him intended him to return to his homeland and be at the head of his flock in all the coming difficult times. Shortly after his return from the Holy Land, he was elected Bishop of the World of Lycia at the Council.
In this rank, Saint Nicholas continued his ascetic activity - he conducted educational work, bringing to believers and doubters the truth about the Savior, the Holy Trinity and the ideas of Christianity. Together with his flock, showing wisdom and mercy, the Saint endured the period of the most severe persecution of Christians, which was manifested by the ruler Diocletian.
Once imprisoned, he urged to endure torture and torment for a holy cause. The Lord saved him from death during this terrible period, and after the arrival of the ruler Constantine, Saint Nicholas was able to return to his duties as a bishop in his parish. He was not only a merciful shepherd, but also a brave warrior of Christ, defending and preaching the Christian faith among the pagans.
He could often be found in pagan temples and temples, where he carried out ascetic work in the name of Christ. His skirmish with the heretic Arius during the First Ecumenical Council nearly cost him his archbishop's rank. But the Voice of God to one of the participants in the Council, that this act is pleasing to the Lord, because it magnifies the teaching of the Savior, restored the saint in his rank, and he continued his holy mission.
He not only preached the teachings of Christ, but also always took the side of the unjustly condemned. His intercession before the emperor is known for the statesmen innocently convicted on false slander. Their prayers addressed to Saint Nicholas were heard by him, and he turned to Emperor Constantine with a request for pardon.
The biography of Nicholas, nicknamed the Miracle Worker and the Pleasant, contains many cases of his mercy and kindness. It is known that he saved those drowning in the sea, starving and impoverished in cities, and rescued those imprisoned in dungeons. Saint Nicholas ended his earthly life at a ripe old age around the year 351. His relics were kept in the local Cathedral, exuding healing myrrh. Many believers came to them for healing. In the 11th century, the relics of St. Nicholas were transferred to Italy, where they are now.
Veneration of Nicholas the Wonderworker
The name of God's Pleasant and Wonderworker Nicholas is revered all over the world. Many nations consider him their patron and intercessor. In Russia, at all times, Nicholas the Wonderworker or the Pleasant was a particularly revered saint. The Russian Orthodox Church commemorates him on May 22, August 11 and December 19.
There are temples and churches in the name of St. Nicholas in every Russian city, and the icon depicting St. Nicholas is considered a powerful miraculous face that protects, protects and saves those who believe in the power of God's helper on earth, St. Nicholas the Pleasant.
- Russian peasants necessarily celebrate two days of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in a year - St. Nicholas in summer on August 11 and St. Nicholas in winter on December 19. According to the weather these days, you can predict what the weather will be like in the near future - fine or rainy. A clear day on August 11 ensures that there will be fine and dry days until the end of the harvest. If on December 19 a toboggan run was established, then real winter has come.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker was born into a family of very elderly parents Nonna and Feofan, who were very rich and decent people, but who did not have children until very old age. Their son, Saint Nicholas, was born into the world of God solely thanks to the fervent prayers of the old people to the Lord, asking to grant them a son. Thus, the very fact of the birth of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is already a miracle, and his name is translated as “victor of the people.”
The whole life of St. Nicholas was spent in Asia Minor - on the territory of modern Turkey, in the town of Patara in the Lycian region, and after growing up - in the city of Lycia.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker was born on December 19 and from childhood showed his commitment to the Lord God: he calmly stood for three hours in a baptismal font with very cool water during a long and tiring rite of baptism.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker did not grow up as an ordinary child - he was not interested in children's games or idle chatter, but he loved to read, pray and fast.
Noticing such a great zeal of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for asceticism, the parents give Nicholas to the presbyters under the supervision of the bishop's uncle. During the consecration of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker as a priest, the bishop saw the fate of his nephew and predicted a great future for him. Soon the uncle left for Palestine, and left Nicholas as a bishop in Patara.
Then St. Nicholas the Wonderworker began to do his good deeds - he gave gold to three sisters without dowries, with the help of which the first sister married. But St. Nicholas did not calm down and threw another bag of gold so that the second sister would also marry. And when he threw up the third bag of gold, their father decided to thank his benefactor and caught up with him to find out to whom he owes the happiness of his daughters.
Upon the return of his uncle from Palestine, Nicholas himself went there, and on the road by sea, he predicted and pacified a terrible storm with the power of prayer, resurrected a sailor who had died to death from the dead, healed many people from ailments who lived on the shores, to whom their ship moored, helped the poor financially . However, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker did not stay in Bethlehem, in Palestine, but returned to his homeland, where he became a monk. But God was not pleased that St. Nicholas became a monk, and he sent him not to Patara, where everyone knew and respected him, but to Lycia.
In Lycia, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was a beggar, tortured himself with trials - he did not even have a roof over his head. And yet, he did not miss a single church service. When the time came to choose a new bishop in Lycia, a Divine revelation appeared to the oldest bishop, according to which the bishops were to elect the poor St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the chosen one of the Lord.
But even after receiving such a high position, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker did not put on magnificent clothes - he continued to lead an extremely modest lifestyle and ate only once a day - in the evening. When Emperor Diocletian began the persecution of the Orthodox Church, and St. Nicholas could not stand the bullying and heresies of the imperial henchman Arius, he slapped him in the face.
For this, St. Nicholas was demoted from the bishops and even imprisoned, but soon the Wonderworker was released from prison.
When the famine came, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker performed another miracle - he ordered the bread merchant, who was far from Nicholas's native places, to bring a ship of bread here and even at such a great distance "sent" him a deposit - three gold coins.
Also, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker saved falsely slandered people from execution, and later courtiers, and for this he was not afraid to personally make a diatribe of corrupt officials of those distant times in the presence of the tsar himself - and they were pardoned.
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered a special patron of sailors and drivers, because. repeatedly rescued ships during the most severe storms. He healed the wounds and the soul, sowed the seeds of the Christian faith wherever he could. Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker died on December 6, 342 and was buried in the church of the city of Mira.
About seventeen centuries have passed since the time when Saint Nicholas, the Great Miracle Worker, the Archbishop of Myra, lived and labored on earth, the great Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra, who is now honored and glorified by the whole Christian world for his zeal for faith, a virtuous life and countless miracles performed by him until to all who resort to him with faith in his help and the mercy of God. The providence of God was pleased to send St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to earth in one of the most difficult times for Christianity.
Persecution of Christians under Emperor Valerian
The 3rd century was a time of decisive struggle between paganism and Christianity. The Roman emperors, considering Christianity to be the death of the Roman Empire, tried to suppress it by all available means. A Christian was considered a criminal of the laws, an enemy of the Roman gods and Caesar, the most dangerous enemy for the Roman Empire, an ulcer of society, which they tried in every possible way to exterminate. Zealous pagans raised cruel persecutions against Christians, during which they forced them to renounce Christ, worship idols and the image of Caesar, and burn incense before them. If they did not agree to this, then they were thrown into dungeons and subjected to the most painful tortures - tormented by hunger and thirst, beaten with rods, ropes and iron rods, burned their bodies with fire. If, after all this, they remained unshakable in the Christian faith, then they were betrayed to no less painful death - they were drowned in rivers, given to be torn to pieces by wild animals, burned in ovens or on fires.
It is impossible to enumerate all the cruel torments to which irritated pagans subjected innocent Christians! One of the heaviest persecutions against Christians was the persecution undertaken by the Roman emperor Valerian (253-260). In 258, he issued an edict that prescribed terrible measures against Christians. According to this edict, bishops, presbyters, and deacons were put to death with swords; senators and judges were deprived of their property, and if they remained Christians then, they were also executed; noble women, after taking away their property, were sent into exile, all other Christians, chained, were sentenced to hard labor. This persecution fell with particular force on the pastors of the Church, and many of them sealed their faith with martyrdom. Then St. Cyprian in Carthage fell under the axe, and St. Lawrence in Rome was burned on an iron grate. Valerian personally ordered the execution of the high priest Stephen, Bishop of Rome (Comm. 15 July/2 August).
Valerian was punished according to his deserts for the torment that Christians suffered from him. During the war with the Persians, he was captured and until his death served as a stand for Sapory, the king of Persia, when he mounted a horse, and after death they took off his skin and the king placed it between his trophies.
But all the efforts of the spirit of malice to shake the Church, which, according to the word of her Divine Founder, the gates of hell will never be able to shake (cf. Matt. 16:18), proved to be in vain. At the very time when the martyr's blood of the pastors of the Church, which turned out to be the fruitful seed of Christianity, was shed, the Lord was pleased to give the Church in their place a new zealous defender and champion of the faith of Christ, St. a preacher, a man of God, a chosen vessel, a pillar and affirmation of the Church, a representative and comforter of all those who mourn (services to St. Nicholas on December 6 and May 9).
Birth of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas was born in the second half of the 3rd century (c. 270) in the city of Patara, a region of Lycia in Asia Minor (the territory of modern Turkey).
His parents Theophan and Nonna were from a noble family and very prosperous, which did not prevent them from being pious Christians, merciful to the poor and zealous to God. Until extreme old age they had no children; in unceasing fervent prayer they asked the Almighty to give them a son, promising to dedicate him to the service of God. Their prayer was heard: the Lord gave them a son, who at holy baptism received the name Nicholas, which means in Greek - "the conquering people."
Already in the first days of his infancy, Saint Nicholas showed that he was destined for a special service to the Lord. There is a legend that during baptism, when the rite was very long, he, supported by no one, stood in the font for three hours. From the very first days, Saint Nicholas began a strict ascetic life, to which he remained faithful to the grave.
All the unusual behavior of the child showed his parents that he would become a great Pleaser of God, so they paid special attention to his upbringing and tried, first of all, to inspire the son of the truth of Christianity and direct him to a righteous life. The lad soon comprehended, thanks to rich gifts, guided by the Holy Spirit, the wisdom of the book. Successful in his studies, the lad Nicholas also succeeded in a pious life. He was not interested in the empty conversations of his peers: a contagious example of camaraderie, leading to something bad, was alien to him. Avoiding vain sinful entertainments, the lad Nikolai was distinguished by exemplary chastity and avoided all unclean thoughts. Almost all the time he spent in reading the Holy Scriptures, in the exploits of fasting and prayer. He had such a love for the temple of God that he sometimes spent whole days and nights there in divine prayer and reading divine books.
The appointment of Saint Nicholas to the presbyter.
The pious life of young Nicholas soon became known to all the inhabitants of the city of Patara. The bishop in this city was his uncle, also named Nicholas. Noticing that his nephew stood out among other young people for virtues and a strict ascetic life, he began to persuade his parents to give him to serve the Lord. They willingly agreed, because even before the birth of their son they made such a vow. His uncle bishop consecrated him a presbyter.
During the celebration of the Sacrament of the priesthood over St. Nicholas, the bishop, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophetically predicted to the people the great future of the Pleasant of God: “Behold, brethren, I see a new sun rising over the ends of the earth, which will be a consolation for all the sad. Blessed is the flock that is worthy to have such a shepherd! Well he will shepherd the souls of the erring, nourishing them in the pastures of piety; and to all who are in trouble, will be a warm helper!”
Having accepted the priesthood, Saint Nicholas began to lead an even more strict ascetic life. Out of deep humility, he performed his spiritual exploits in private. But it was pleasing to the Providence of God that the virtuous life of the saint should guide others on the path of truth.
The bishop's uncle went to Palestine, and entrusted the administration of his diocese to his nephew, the presbyter. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to the difficult duties of episcopal administration. He did a lot of good for his flock, showing wide charity. By that time, his parents had died, leaving him a rich inheritance, which he used to help the poor. The following incident testifies, moreover, to his extreme humility.
Deliverance of the three daughters of an impoverished rich man from dishonor
In Patara there lived a poor man who had three beautiful daughters. He was so poor that he had nothing to marry his daughters to. The need of the unfortunate father led to the terrible thought of sacrificing the honor of his daughters and extracting from their beauty the means necessary for their dowry. But, fortunately, in their city there was a good shepherd, St. Nicholas, who vigilantly followed the needs of his flock. Having received a revelation from the Lord about his father's criminal intent, he decided to save him from bodily poverty, in order thereby to save his family from spiritual death. He planned to do good deeds in such a way that no one would know about him as a benefactor, not even the one to whom he did good. Taking a large bundle of gold, at midnight, when everyone was sleeping and could not see him, he went to the hut of the unfortunate father and threw gold through the window, and he hurriedly returned home. In the morning, my father found gold, but he could not know who his secret benefactor was. Deciding that the Providence of God Himself sent him this help, he thanked the Lord and was soon able to marry his eldest daughter. Saint Nicholas, when he saw that his beneficence bore the proper fruit, decided to bring it to the end. One of the following nights, he also secretly threw another sack of gold through the window into the poor man's hut. The father soon married off the second daughter, firmly hoping that the Lord would show mercy to the third daughter in the same way. But he decided at all costs to recognize his secret benefactor and worthily thank him. For this, he did not sleep at night, waiting for his arrival. He did not have to wait long: soon the good shepherd of Christ came for the third time. Hearing the sound of falling gold, the father hurried out of the house and caught up with his secret benefactor. Recognizing Saint Nicholas in him, he fell at his feet, kissed them and thanked him as a liberator from spiritual death.
Journey of Saint Nicholas to Palestine. Miraculous storm control. Resurrection of the dead.
Upon the return of his uncle from Palestine, Saint Nicholas himself gathered there.
On the way on the ship, he showed the gift of deep insight and wonderworking. When the ship was approaching Egypt, the Pleasant of God, foreseeing the trouble, announced to the shipbuilders that in a very short time great excitement and a strong storm would begin: he even saw how an unclean spirit boarded the ship and tried to sink it along with people. And indeed, the sky was suddenly covered with clouds, a terrible wind blew, with which the ship began to be thrown like a piece of wood. The navigators were horrified and saw the only means to their salvation in the help of the Holy Pleaser, to whom they turned with a prayer for their salvation. “If you, holy father, do not help us with your prayer to the Lord,” they told him, “then we will perish in the abyss of the sea.” Saint Nicholas reassured them and advised them to place their hope in the mercy of God. Meanwhile, he himself, kneeling down, turned with fervent prayer to the Lord. The prayer of the righteous was immediately heard. Sea excitement ceased, silence came; along with this, the sadness and despair of the sailors gave way to unexpected joy for their miraculous salvation and gratitude to the Lord and His holy Saint, who so miraculously saw the sea waves, and then no less miraculously tamed it with his prayers to the Lord.
Shortly after this, St. Nicholas performed another miracle. One of the sailors climbed to the top of the mast; going down, he slipped and, falling on the deck, hurt himself to death. The joy of the sailors was replaced by sadness. They bent over the lifeless body of their comrade. But before the navigators turned to St. Nicholas with a request for help, he himself prayed to the Lord, Who, as before, heeded the prayer of His Saint. The dead youth resurrected and stood up in front of everyone, as if awakened from a deep sleep. The navigators who were present at the miraculous resurrection were imbued with even greater respect for their wonderful companion.
The ship, guarded by the prayers of the saint, continued sailing and landed safely on the shores of the large trading city of Alexandria, in Egypt.
While the navigators were stocking up on food and other supplies necessary for sea voyage, St. Nicholas took care of healing the ailments of the local residents: he healed some of incurable diseases, from others he expelled the unclean spirit that tormented them, and finally gave some consolation in their spiritual sorrows. Having sailed from the coast of Alexandria, the ship safely reached the Holy Land.
stay in Palestine. Homecoming.
Upon arrival in Palestine, St. Nicholas settled not far from Jerusalem in the village of Beit Jala (biblical Ephrafa), which is on the way to Bethlehem. All the inhabitants of this blessed village are Orthodox; there are two Orthodox churches, of which one, in the name of St. Nicholas, was built on the site where the saint once lived in a cave, which now serves as a place of worship. Jerusalem itself was then inhabited by pagans and was closed to Christians.
On the site of the second temple, where the Lord so often preached, stood the temple of Capitoline Jupiter. Encrusted with Divine blood, Golgotha, having entered the city, was insulted and disgraced by the statue of Venus. The tomb of the Lord, covered with earth and paved with stone, served as a footstool for Jupiter's temple. During the second destruction and restoration of the city, only a small church and several houses on Mount Zion survived - a church formed from that house of the meal, where our Lord established the Sacrament of Communion, and then the apostles on the day of Pentecost received the Holy Spirit. Only this high church in the name of the apostles could console the pious presbyter with its ancient shrine. A legend has been preserved that when at night Saint Nicholas wanted to pray to the Lord in the church, which was locked, then the church doors, by the will of God, themselves dissolved before the chosen Pleasant of God, who thus got the opportunity to enter the temple and fulfill the pious desire of his soul.
Inflamed with love for the Divine Lover of mankind, Saint Nicholas had the desire to remain forever in Palestine, to withdraw from people and secretly strive before the Heavenly Father. But the Lord was pleased that such a lamp of faith should not remain under a bushel in the desert, but brightly illuminate the Lycian country.
And so, by the will of above, the pious presbyter decided to return to his homeland, and for this he made arrangements with the shipbuilders, who undertook to take him there. During the voyage, the Pleasant of God had to experience that human malice, the struggle and victory over which was predicted in his very name. Instead of sailing to Lycia, as was promised to St. Nicholas, the evil sailors, taking advantage of a fair wind, headed in a completely different direction from Lycia. Noticing this evil intent, the Pleasant of God fell at the feet of the shipbuilders, begging to be sent to his native Lycia, but the hard-hearted shipbuilders remained adamant in their criminal intention, unaware of what Divine wrath they were subjected to for their malicious act. Then Saint Nicholas turned to the Lord with an ardent prayer for mercy, which was soon heard. Suddenly an extremely strong wind arose, turning the ship and quickly carrying it to the shores of Lycia. Arriving against their will in Lycia, the sailors were very afraid of punishment for their evil intent, but the traveler, offended by them, out of his mildness, did not even make a single reproach to them: on the contrary, he blessed them and sent them home in peace.
Wanting to get away from the bustle of the world, St. Nicholas went not to Patara, but to the Sion monastery, founded by his uncle the bishop, where he was received by the brethren with great joy. In the quiet solitude of a monastic cell, he thought of staying for the rest of his life.
But the time came when the great Pleasure of God had to act as the supreme leader of the Lycian Church in order to enlighten people with the light of the gospel teaching and his virtuous life.
Establishment of St. Nicholas Archbishop of Myra.
Once, while standing in prayer, he heard a voice: “Nicholas! You must enter into the service of the people if you want to receive a crown from Me!” Sacred horror seized Presbyter Nicholas: what exactly does the miraculous voice command him to do? “Nikolai! This abode is not a field where you can bear the fruit I expect from you. Get out of here and go into the world, to people, so that My name may be glorified in you!”
In obedience to this command, Saint Nicholas withdrew from the monastery and chose not his city of Patara, where everyone knew him and paid him honors, but the large city of Myra, the capital and metropolis of the Lycian land, where, unknown to anyone, he could rather avoid worldly glory. . He lived like a beggar, had nowhere to lay his head, but inevitably attended all church services.
As much as the Pleaser of God humbled himself, so the Lord, who humiliates the proud and exalts the humble, exalted him. The archbishop of the entire Lycian country, John, died. All the local bishops gathered in Mir to elect a new archbishop. Much was proposed for the election of intelligent and honest people, but there was no general agreement. The Lord promised a more worthy husband to occupy this position than those who were in their midst.
The bishops fervently prayed to God, asking him to indicate the most worthy person. A man, illumined by an unearthly light, appeared in a vision to one of the oldest bishops, and ordered that night to stand in the porch of the temple and notice who would be the first to come to the temple for the morning service: this is the man pleasing to the Lord, whom the bishops should appoint as their archbishop; his name was also revealed - Nikolai. Having received this divine revelation, the elder bishop informed others about it, who, in the expectation of God's mercy, intensified their prayers. With the onset of night, the elder bishop stood in the porch of the temple, waiting for the arrival of the chosen one. Saint Nicholas, having risen from midnight, came to the church. The elder stopped him and asked for his name. He quietly and modestly answered: “I am called Nicholas, the servant of your shrine, lord!” By the name and deep humility of the arrival, the elder was convinced that he was the chosen one of God. He took him by the hand and led him to the cathedral of bishops. Everyone gladly accepted him and placed him in the middle of the temple. Despite the night time, the news of the miraculous election spread throughout the city; a multitude of people gathered. The elder bishop, who was granted a vision, turned to everyone with the words: “Receive, brethren, your shepherd, whom the Holy Spirit has anointed for you and to whom he entrusted the management of your souls. Not a human cathedral, but the Court of God set him up. Now we have the one we were waiting for, accepted and found, the one we were looking for. Under his wise guidance, we can boldly hope to stand before the Lord in the day of His glory and judgment!”
Upon entering the administration of the Myrliki diocese, St. Nicholas said to himself: “Now, Nicholas, your dignity and your position require you to live entirely not for yourself, but for others!”
Now he did not hide his good deeds for the good of the flock and for the glorification of the name of God; but he was, as always, meek and humble in spirit, gentle in heart, a stranger to any arrogance and self-interest; observed strict moderation and simplicity: he wore simple clothes, ate fast food once a day - in the evening. All day long the great archpastor did deeds of piety and pastoral ministry. The doors of his house were open to everyone: he received everyone with love and cordiality, being a father for orphans, a feeder for the poor, a comforter for those who cry, an intercessor for the oppressed. His flock prospered.
Confession of St. Nicholas during the persecution of Diocletian.
But the days of trials were coming. The Church of Christ was persecuted by the emperor Diocletian (285-330).
This persecution was all the more terrible because it began after a long calm, which the Church of Christ had previously rejoiced at. The successors of Valerian, who started the persecution of Christians in the middle of the 3rd century, often succeeding each other, were forced by all means to take care either of their fragile power, or of repulsing the barbarians who attacked the Roman Empire from everywhere. They had no time to think about the persecution of Christians. Having achieved supreme power, Diocletian in the first half of his reign (285-304) was engaged in the organization of a world empire and not only left the universal Church alone, but even apparently favored Christians. Christians began to surround the emperor in the positions of the highest dignitaries of the state, and by conscientious performance of their duties and devotion, they further strengthened Diocletian's favorable view of Christianity. Taking advantage of the favor of the emperor and his higher dignitaries, the church primates zealously took care to attract the erring pagans into the bosom of the true Church, to build majestic cathedrals and churches to accommodate crowded Christian meetings. This rapid spread of Christianity irritated the hardened pagans to such an extent that they decided to suppress it. As an instrument of their goal, they chose the co-ruler Diocletian, Galerius, “who had all the vices and all the passions of paganism,” who, with requests and false slander, persuaded the old Diocletian, first to remove Christians from the court and army, then to deprive them of public service and destroy churches, and, finally, to open, widespread and fierce persecution of them.
Temples were destroyed, divine and liturgical books were burned in the squares; Bishops and priests were imprisoned and tortured. All Christians were subjected to all sorts of offenses and torments. Anyone who wanted to offend Christians was allowed: some were beaten with sticks, others with rods, others with scourges, those with whips, these with whips. Christian blood flowed in torrents.
This persecution, which began in Nicomedia, where up to twenty thousand Christians were burned in the church on the very day of Pascha, swept through many areas like a deadly storm and reached the Church of Myra, whose primate at that time was St. Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas in these difficult days supported his flock in faith, loudly and openly preaching the name of God. For this, he was persecuted and, along with many other Christians, was imprisoned. Here he spent a lot of time, patiently enduring hunger, thirst and tightness, not even allowing the thought of renouncing Jesus Christ! In prison, the saint did not cease to care for the Christians imprisoned with him. Here he fed the hungry with the word of God, watered the thirsty with the waters of piety. Thus, he restored their faith in Christ God and confirmed them in a strong confession of Him before the tormentors, so that they could suffer for Christ to the end. Thanks to his guidance, many of the prisoners remained firm in the faith of Christ to the end.
Convinced that cruelty towards Christians did not lead to the desired results - the destruction of Christianity, the emperor Galerius (Diocletian had already abdicated by this time) began to weaken the persecution. In 311, Galerius, tormented by a terrible illness sent to him by the Lord as a punishment for his cruelty and dissolute life, openly “showed his indulgence to Christians, allowing them to remain Christians again and build houses for their meetings”, where they “should pray for such indulgence” his God in health" of their former persecutor.
Saint Nicholas, upon leaving the dungeon, again occupied the See of Mirliki and with even greater zeal devoted himself to the fulfillment of his high duties. He became famous especially for his zeal for the establishment of the Orthodox faith and the eradication of paganism and heresies.
I Ecumenical Council
In 325 St. Nicholas was a participant in the First Ecumenical Council. Many of St. Nicholas' contemporaries, indulging in philosophies, became the perpetrators of heresies that for a long time tore apart the Church of Christ. Especially strongly at the beginning of the 4th century, the Church suffered from the heresy of Arius, who rejected the Divinity of the Son of God and did not recognize Him as consubstantial with God the Father.
Shaken by the heresy of Aryan's false doctrine, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine convened the First Ecumenical Council of 325 in Nicaea, the main city of Bethany, where 318 bishops gathered under the chairmanship of the emperor. At this Council, which lasted about two months, the Creed was introduced into general church use, later supplemented and completed at the Second Ecumenical Council, which was held in Constantinople in 381 after the Nativity of Christ. Meletius was condemned, who appropriated the rights of a bishop, being himself a violator of church rules. Finally, at this Council the teachings of Arius and his followers were rejected and solemnly anathematized. St. Nicholas and St. Athanasius of Alexandria, who was then still a deacon and who suffered from them all his life for zealous opposition to heretics, struggled most in refuting the ungodly Aryan Teachings. Other saints defended Orthodoxy using their enlightenment, with the help of theological arguments. Saint Nicholas, on the other hand, defended the faith by faith itself - by the fact that all Christians, beginning with the Apostles, believed in the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
There is a legend that during one of the conciliar sessions, unable to endure the blasphemy of Arius, Saint Nicholas struck this heretic on the cheek. The Fathers of the Council considered such an act an excess of jealousy, deprived Saint Nicholas of the advantage of his episcopal rank - omophorion and imprisoned him in a prison tower. But soon they were convinced that Saint Nicholas was right, especially since many of them had a vision when, before their eyes, our Lord Jesus Christ gave Saint Nicholas the Gospel, and the Most Holy Theotokos placed an omophorion on him. They freed him from prison, returned him to his former dignity and glorified him as a great Pleasure of God.
The local tradition of the Nicaean Church not only faithfully preserves the memory of St. Nicholas, but also sharply distinguishes him from among the three hundred and eighteen fathers, whom he considers all of his patrons. Even Muslim Turks have a deep respect for the saint: in the tower they still carefully keep the dungeon where this great man was imprisoned.
Upon his return from the Council, Saint Nicholas continued his beneficent pastoral work in organizing the Church of Christ: he confirmed Christians in the faith, converted pagans to the true faith, and admonished heretics, thereby saving them from death.
Saint Nicholas miraculously saves the inhabitants of the city of Mira from starvation.
A severe famine opened up in the Lycian country. Food supplies were scarce in the Worlds, and many of the townspeople were in dire need of them. A little more time in this sad state of affairs, and a great national disaster would have occurred. But the miraculous help given by St. Nicholas in time did not bring the city and the country to this misfortune. It happened in the following way.
One merchant, loading his ship with bread in Italy, before sailing, saw in a dream the Wonderworker Nicholas, who ordered him to take bread for sale to Lycia and handed him three gold coins as a deposit. Immediately waking up, the merchant, to his amazement, actually saw in his hand the gold coins handed to him in a dream by the saint. After that, he considered it his duty to fulfill the will of the holy man who appeared to him in a dream, and sailed to Myra, where he sold his bread, at the same time telling about his wonderful vision. The citizens of Mir, recognizing in the husband who appeared to the merchant their archpastor Saint Nicholas, offered their most ardent gratitude to the Lord and His holy Pleasant, who so miraculously nourished them during the famine.
Getting rid of the execution of three innocently convicted citizens of the city of Mira
Even during his lifetime, St. Nicholas became famous as the appeaser of the warring, the defender of the innocently condemned and the deliverer from vain death.
In the reign of Constantine the Great, a rebellion broke out in the country of Phrygia (which lay north of Lycia). To eliminate him, King Constantine sent an army under the command of three governors - Nepotian, Urs and Erpilion. The latter sailed with an army on ships from Constantinople and, due to strong sea excitement, did not sail to Phrygia, they stopped in Lycia, near the Adriatic bepera, where there was a city. The excitement at sea did not subside, and they had to stop here for a long time. Meanwhile, the troops began to run out of supplies. Therefore, warriors often went to 6ereg and, using force, offended the inhabitants, taking supplies from them. The inhabitants resented such violence, and in the area called Plakomat, a fierce and bloody battle took place between the soldiers and the inhabitants. Having learned about this, Saint Nicholas personally arrived there, stopped the hostility, then, together with three governors, went to Phrygia, where with a kind word and exhortation, without the use of military force, he pacified the rebellion.
Having pacified those who were at odds in one place, the holy Pleaser of God almost simultaneously appeared as a defender of the innocently condemned in another. While he was in Plakomat, some of the townspeople came to him from Mir, asking him for intercession for their three innocent fellow citizens, whom the mayor of the world, Eustathius, bribed by the envious of these people, condemned to death. At the same time, they added that this injustice would not have happened, and Eustathius would not have decided on such an unlawful act if the revered archpastor had been in the city.
Hearing about this unjust act of the secular city governor Eustathius, Saint Nicholas immediately hurried to Myra in order to have time to release those illegally sentenced to death, and asked three royal governors to follow him as well. They arrived in the Worlds at the very moment of execution. The executioner had already raised his sword to behead the unfortunate, but Saint Nicholas snatched the sword from him with an authoritative hand, threw it on the ground and freed the innocently condemned. None of those present dared to stop him: everyone was sure that everything he did, he did according to the will of God. The three men freed from their bonds, who had already seen themselves at the gates of death, wept tears of joy, and the people loudly praised the Pleasure of God for his intercession.
Returning to the court, they earned the honor and favor of the king, which caused envy and enmity on the part of other courtiers, who slandered these three governors before the king, as if they were trying to seize power. Envious slanderers managed to convince the king: three governors were imprisoned and sentenced to death. The prison guard warned them that the execution should take place the next day. The innocently condemned began to fervently pray to God, asking for intercession through St. Nicholas. On the same night, the Pleasant of God appeared in a dream to the king and imperiously demanded the release of three governors, threatening to revolt and deprive the king of power.
“Who are you that you dare to demand and threaten the king?”
“I am Nicholas, Archbishop of the Lycian World!”
Waking up, the king began to think about this dream. On the same night, St. Nicholas also appeared to the head of the city, Eulavius, and demanded the release of the innocently condemned.
The king called Eulavius to him, and learning that he had the same vision, he ordered three commanders to be brought.
“What witchcraft are you doing to give me and Eulavius visions in a dream?” - asked the king and told them about the appearance of St. Nicholas.
“We don’t do any witchcraft,” the governors answered, “but we ourselves had previously witnessed how this bishop saved innocent people in the Worlds from the death penalty!”
The king ordered to consider their case and, convinced of their innocence, released them.
Miraculous help to shipbuilders sailing from Egypt
The saint during his life helped people, even those who did not know him at all. Once a ship sailing from Egypt to Lycia was caught in a violent storm. The sails were torn off on it, the masts were broken, the waves were ready to swallow the ship, doomed to inevitable death. No human power could prevent it. One hope is to ask for help from St. Nicholas, whom, it is true, none of these sailors had ever seen, but everyone knew about his miraculous intercession.
The dying shipbuilders began to pray fervently, and then Saint Nicholas appeared at the stern at the helm, began to steer the ship. By the will of the saint of God, the wind died down, and silence fell on the sea. So strong was the faith of St. Nicholas, that faith about which the Lord Himself said: He who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do (John 14:12); by faith he commanded the sea and the wind, and they obeyed him. As the sea calmed down, the image of St. Nicholas disappeared. Taking advantage of a quiet fair wind, the sailors safely reached Mir and, moved by a feeling of deep gratitude to the saint who had saved them from inevitable death, considered it their duty to personally thank him here. They met him when he was going to church, and falling at the feet of their savior, they brought the most sincere gratitude. The wondrous Pleaser of God, who saved them from bodily misfortune and death, wanted to deliver them from spiritual death in his mercy. With his perspicacious spirit, he penetrated into the souls of shipbuilders and saw that they were infected with the filth of fornication, which so removes a person from God and His holy commandments. Therefore, the saint took care of the paternal admonition to turn them away from this sin and thereby save them from eternal death. “Look at yourselves,” he told them, “and correct your hearts and minds to please God. If it is possible to hide something from people, and even if one can be reputed to be virtuous in grave sins, then nothing can be hidden from God. It is necessary to strictly preserve spiritual and bodily purity, since, according to the teachings of the Apostle Paul, you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you (1 Cor. 3, 16). Having given the sailors soul-saving advice to avoid shameful sin in the future, the saint of the Lord, with a blessing, let them go home.
Not only believers turned to him, but also pagans, and the saint responded with his unfailing miraculous help to all who sought it. In those saved by him from bodily troubles, he aroused repentance for sins and a desire to improve their lives.
Blessed death of Saint Nicholas
According to St. Andrew of Crete, St. Nicholas appeared to people burdened with various disasters, gave them help and saved them from death: “With his deeds and virtuous life, St. Nicholas shone in the Worlds, like a morning star among the clouds, like a beautiful month in his full moon. For the Church of Christ, he was a brightly shining sun, adorned Her like a lily at a spring, was for Her a fragrant world!”
The Lord vouchsafed His great Saint to live to a ripe old age. But the time came when he, too, had to repay the common debt of human nature.
After a short illness, he died peacefully on December 6, 342, and was buried in the cathedral church of the city of Mira.
During his lifetime, St. Nicholas was a benefactor of the human race; he did not cease to be them even after his death. The Lord vouchsafed his honest body of incorruption and special miraculous power. His relics began - and continue to this day - to exude a fragrant myrrh, which has the gift of miracles. To those who are anointed with it with faith in the saint of God, it still communicates healing from all diseases, not only of the body, but also of the soul, also driving away unclean spirits, which the saint so often defeated during his life. Remarkable is the fate of the city of Mira and the cathedral church where St. Nicholas was buried. Due to the frequent invasions of the Saracens, which especially intensified in the 11th century, when many cities of the Christian East were devastated by sword and fire, Myra and, together with them, the Church of Sion, which served as the cathedral church of St. Nicholas, the Archbishop of Myra, gradually fell into decay. The further desolation of Mir and the Mirlikian temple was facilitated by the fact that at the end of the 11th century the relics of St. Nicholas - their greatest shrine - were transferred to the Italian city of Bar.
History of relics
More than 700 years have passed since the death of the Pleasant of God. The city of Myra and the entire Lycian country were destroyed by the Saracens. The ruins of the temple with the tomb of the saint were in ruins and were guarded only by a few pious monks.
In 1087 Saint Nicholas appeared in a dream to an Apulian priest in the city of Bari (in southern Italy) and commanded that his relics be transferred to that city.
The presbyters and noble citizens equipped three ships for this purpose and under the guise of merchants set off. This precaution was needed in order to lull the vigilance of the Venetians, who, having learned about the preparations of the inhabitants of Bari, had the intention of getting ahead of them and bringing the relics of the saint to their city.
The Baryans, by a circuitous route, through Egypt and Palestine, entering the ports and trading like simple merchants, finally arrived in the Lycian land. The sent scouts reported that there were no guards at the tomb and that only four old monks were guarding it. The baryans came to Myra, where, not knowing the exact location of the tomb, they tried to bribe the monks by offering them three hundred gold coins, but in view of their refusal, they used force: they tied the monks and, under the threat of torture, forced one faint-hearted person to show them the location of the tomb.
The wonderfully preserved white marble tomb was opened. It turned out to be filled to the brim with a fragrant world, in which the relics of the saint were immersed. Unable to take a large and heavy tomb, the baryans transferred the relics to the prepared ark and set off on their way back.
The journey lasted twenty days, and on May 9, 1087, they arrived in Bari. A solemn meeting was arranged for the Great Shrine with the participation of numerous clergy and the entire population. At first, the relics of the saint were placed in the church of St. Eustathius.
Many miracles happened from them. Two years later, the lower part (crypt) of the new temple was completed and consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas, deliberately built to store his relics, where they were solemnly transferred by Pope Urban II on October 1, 1089.
The service to the saint, performed on the day of the transfer of his relics from the World of Lycia to Bargrad - May 9/22 - was compiled in 1097 by the Russian Orthodox monk of the Caves monastery Gregory and the Russian Metropolitan Ephraim.
The Holy Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Nicholas not only December 6 Art. Art. and May 9 Art. Art., but also weekly, every Thursday, special chants.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia
Troparion, tone 4:
The rule of faith and the image of meekness, the abstinence of the teacher, reveal thee to your flock, the truth of things: for this sake, you acquired high humility, rich in poverty, father priest Nicholas, pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 3:
In Mirech, the holy clergyman appeared to you: having fulfilled the reverend Gospel of Christ, you laid down your soul about your people, and you saved the innocent from death: for this you were sanctified, like a great mystery of God's grace.
To turn sadness into joy
A film by Arkady Mamontov THE WONDER WORKER
Movie Information
Name: WONDER WORKER
Released: 2007
Genre: Documentary
Director: Tatiana Chubakova
About movie:
The documentary film by Arkady Mamontov - "The Miracle Worker" tells about the great Christian saint - the Archbishop of Myra of Lycia, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The patron saint of all travelers is especially loved and revered in Russia. His name is surrounded by many legends and legends. Meanwhile, few people know about the real story of his life ...
The Life and Spiritual Feat of Saint Nicholas.
Why do the Orthodox call it “the rule of faith and the image of meekness”.
Why Saint Nicholas, who was born in the Byzantine Empire in the 3rd century, is so revered in Russia in the 21st century.
How did the relics of the saint get to Italy.
Russian pilgrims in the city of Bari.
The miracle of the outflow of the world (fragrant oil) from the relics of the saint.
Cases of healing and miraculous help through prayers to the saint.
Modern researchers - about St. Nicholas.
Exclusive shooting in Italy, Turkey, Russia.
