Bishop Nicholas the Wonderworker. Brief life of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of the World of Lycian Wonderworker

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nicholas the Pleasant, Saint Nicholas - Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, became famous as a great saint of God. He is revered in the Orthodox, Catholic and other churches.

Life of Nicholas the Wonderworker (biography)

Saint Nicholas was born in the second half of the 3rd century in the city of Patara, a region of Lycia in Asia Minor. His parents Theophanes and Nonna were from a noble family and very wealthy, which did not prevent them from being pious Christians, merciful to the poor and zealous towards God.

They had no children until they were very old; in constant fervent prayer, they asked the Almighty to give them a son, promising to devote 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 “victorious people.”

Already in the first days of his infancy, the future Wonderworker showed that he was destined for special service to the Lord. A legend has been preserved that during baptism, when the ceremony was very long, he, unsupported by anyone, stood in the font for three hours. From the very first days, Saint Nicholas began a strict ascetic life, to which he remained faithful until the grave.

While excelling in his studies, the youth Nikolai also excelled in his pious life. He was not interested in the empty conversations of his peers: an infectious example of camaraderie leading to anything bad was alien to him.

Avoiding vain, sinful entertainment, the youth Nicholas was distinguished by exemplary chastity and avoided all unclean thoughts. He spent almost all his time reading the Holy Scriptures and performing feats of fasting and prayer. He had such love for the temple of God that he sometimes spent whole days and nights there in divine prayer and reading divine books.

The pious life of young Nicholas soon became known to all residents of the city of Patara. The bishop in this city was his uncle, also named Nikolai. Noticing that his nephew stood out among other young people for his virtues and strict ascetic life, he began to persuade his parents to give him to the service of the Lord. They readily agreed because they had made such a vow before the birth of their son. His uncle, the bishop, ordained him a presbyter.

While performing the Sacrament of the Priesthood over Saint Nicholas, the bishop, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophetically predicted to the people the great future of the Pleasant of God: “Behold, brothers, 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! He will feed well the souls of the lost, feeding them in the pastures of piety; and he will be a warm helper to everyone in trouble!”

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 God’s Providence wanted the saint’s virtuous life to direct others to the path of truth.

The uncle bishop went to Palestine, and entrusted the administration of his diocese to his nephew, the presbyter. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to fulfilling the difficult duties of episcopal administration. He did a lot of good to his flock, showing widespread charity. By that time, his parents had died, leaving him a rich inheritance, which he used all to help the poor. The following incident also testifies to his extreme humility. In Patara there lived a poor man who had three beautiful daughters. He was so poor that he had no money to marry off his daughters. What can the need of a person who is not sufficiently imbued with Christian consciousness lead to?

The unfortunate father's need led him to the terrible idea of sacrificing the honor of his daughters and extracting from their beauty the funds necessary for their dowry.

But, fortunately, in their city there was a good shepherd, St. Nicholas, who vigilantly monitored the needs of his flock. Having received a revelation from the Lord about his father’s criminal intentions, he decided to deliver him from physical poverty in order to thereby save his family from spiritual death. He planned to do a good deed in such a way that no one knew about him as a benefactor, not even the one to whom he did the good.

Taking a large bundle of gold, at midnight, when everyone was asleep and could not see it, he went up to the hut of the unfortunate father and threw the gold inside through the window, and he hastily returned home. In the morning, the father found gold, but could not know who his secret benefactor was. Deciding that God’s Providence Himself had sent him this help, he thanked the Lord and was soon able to marry off his eldest daughter.

Saint Nicholas, when he saw that his good deed had brought the proper fruit, decided to see it through to the end. One of the following nights, he also secretly threw another bag of gold through the window into the poor man's hut.

The father soon gave his second daughter in marriage, firmly hoping that the Lord would show mercy to his third daughter in the same way. But he decided at all costs to recognize his secret benefactor and adequately thank him. To do 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 hurriedly left 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.

Upon his uncle’s return from Palestine, Saint Nicholas himself gathered there. While traveling on the ship, he showed the gift of deep insight and miracles: he foretold the approaching severe storm and pacified it with the power of his prayer. Soon, here on the ship, he performed a great miracle, resurrecting a young sailor who had fallen from the mast onto the deck and died. On the way, the ship often landed on the shore. Saint Nicholas everywhere took care to heal the ailments of local residents: he healed some of incurable diseases, expelled from others the evil spirits that tormented them, and finally gave others consolation in their sorrows.

Upon his arrival in Palestine, Saint Nicholas settled near Jerusalem in the village of Beit Jala (biblical Ephrathah), which is located on the way to Bethlehem. All residents of this blessed village are Orthodox; There are two Orthodox churches there, one of which, in the name of St. Nicholas, was built on the spot where the saint once lived in a cave, which now serves as a place of worship.

There is a legend that while visiting the holy places of Palestine, Saint Nicholas wished one night to pray in the temple; approached the doors, which were locked, and the doors themselves opened by Miraculous Power so that the Chosen One of God could 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, withdraw from people and secretly strive before the Heavenly Father. But the Lord wanted such a lamp of faith not to remain hidden in the desert, but to brightly illuminate the Lycian country. And so, by will from above, the pious presbyter returned to his homeland.

Wanting to get away from the bustle of the world, Saint Nicholas went not to Patara, but to the Zion monastery, founded by his uncle, the bishop, where he was received by the brethren with great joy. He thought of staying in the quiet solitude of the monastic cell for the rest of his life. But the time came when the great Pleasant 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.

One day, while standing in prayer, he heard a voice: “Nikolai! You must enter into the service of the people if you want to receive a crown from Me!”

Holy horror seized Presbyter Nicholas: what exactly did the wonderful voice command him to do? “Nikolai! This monastery is not the field in which you can bear the fruit I expect from you. Leave here and go into the world, among people, so that My name may be glorified in you!”

Obeying this command, Saint Nicholas left the monastery and chose as his place of residence not his city of Patara, where everyone knew him and showed him honor, but the large city of Myra, the capital and metropolis of the Lycian land, where, unknown to anyone, he could more quickly escape worldly glory . He lived like a beggar, had no place to lay his head, but inevitably attended all church services. As much as the Pleasant of God humbled himself, the Lord, who humiliates the proud and exalts the humble, exalted him. Archbishop John of the entire Lycian country has died. All local bishops gathered in Myra 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 among them. The bishops fervently prayed to God, asking him to indicate the most worthy person.

A man, illuminated by an unearthly light, appeared in a vision to one of the oldest bishops and ordered that night to stand in the vestibule of the church and notice who would be the first to come to the church 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 told others about it, who, hoping for God’s mercy, intensified their prayers.

As night fell, the elder bishop stood in the vestibule of the church, awaiting the arrival of the chosen one. Saint Nicholas, getting up at midnight, came to the temple. The elder stopped him and asked about his name. He quietly and modestly answered: “I am called Nikolai, servant of your shrine, master!”

Judging by the name and deep humility of the newcomer, the elder was convinced that he was God’s chosen one. He took him by the hand and led him to the council of bishops. Everyone joyfully 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 lot of people gathered. The elder bishop, who was granted the vision, addressed everyone with the words: “Receive, brothers, your shepherd, whom the Holy Spirit has anointed for you and to whom he has entrusted the stewardship of your souls. It was not a human council, but the Judgment of God that established it. Now we have the one we were waiting for, accepted and found, the one we were looking for. Under his wise guidance, we can confidently hope to appear before the Lord on the day of His glory and judgment!”

Upon entering the administration of the Myra diocese, Saint Nicholas said to himself: “Now, Nicholas, your rank 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 his flock and for the glorification of the name of God; but he was, as always, meek and humble in spirit, kind in heart, alien to all arrogance and self-interest; he observed strict moderation and simplicity: he wore simple clothes, ate lean food once a day - in the evening. All day long the great archpastor performed works of piety and pastoral service. The doors of his house were open to everyone: he received everyone with love and cordiality, being a father to orphans, a nourisher to the poor, a comforter to those who weep, and an intercessor to the oppressed. His flock flourished.

But the days of testing were approaching. The Church of Christ was persecuted by the emperor Diocletian (285-30). Temples were destroyed, divine and liturgical books were burned; bishops and priests were imprisoned and tortured. All Christians were subjected to all sorts of insults and torments. The persecution also reached the Lycian Church.

During these difficult days, Saint Nicholas supported his flock in the faith, loudly and openly preaching the name of God, for which he was imprisoned, where he did not cease to strengthen the faith among the prisoners and confirmed them in a strong confession of the Lord, so that they would be ready to suffer for Christ.

Diocletian's successor Galerius stopped the persecution. Saint Nicholas, upon leaving prison, again occupied the See of Myra 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.

The Church of Christ suffered especially badly at the beginning of the 4th century from the heresy of Arius. (He rejected the deity of the Son of God and did not recognize Him as Consubstantial with the Father.)

Desiring to establish peace in the flock of Christ, shocked by the heresy of Ariev’s false teaching. Equal to the Apostles Emperor Constantine convened the First Ecumenical Council of 325 in Nicaea, where three hundred and eighteen bishops gathered under the chairmanship of the emperor; here the teachings of Arius and his followers were condemned.

Saints Athanasius of Alexandria and Nicholas the Wonderworker especially labored at this Council. Other saints defended Orthodoxy with the help of their enlightenment. Saint Nicholas defended the faith by faith itself - by the fact that all Christians, starting with the Apostles, believed in the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

There is a legend that during one of the council meetings, unable to tolerate 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 the wonderworker of the benefits of his episcopal rank - omophorion - and imprisoned him in a prison tower. But they were soon 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, restored him to his former rank and glorified him as the great Pleasant of God.

The local tradition of the Nicene Church not only faithfully preserves the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, but also sharply distinguishes him from among the three hundred and eighteen fathers, whom he considers all his patrons. Even Muslim Turks have deep respect for the saint: in the tower they still carefully preserve the prison where this great man was imprisoned.

Upon his return from the Council, Saint Nicholas continued his beneficial pastoral work in building the Church of Christ: he confirmed Christians in the faith, converted pagans to the true faith and admonished heretics, thereby saving them from destruction.

While caring for the spiritual needs of his flock, Saint Nicholas did not neglect to satisfy their bodily needs. When a great famine occurred in Lycia, the good shepherd, in order to save the starving, created a new miracle: one merchant loaded a large ship with bread and on the eve of sailing somewhere to the west he saw St. Nicholas in a dream, who ordered him to deliver all the grain to Lycia, for he was buying he has all the cargo and gives him three gold coins as a deposit. Waking up, the merchant was very surprised to find three gold coins actually clutched in his hand. He realized that this was a command from above, brought bread to Lycia, and the starving people were saved. Here he spoke about the vision, and the citizens recognized their archbishop from his description.

Even during his lifetime, Saint Nicholas became famous as a pacifier of warring parties, a defender of the innocently condemned, and a deliverer from vain death.

During the reign of Constantine the Great, a rebellion broke out in the country of Phrygia. To pacify him, the king sent an army there under the command of three commanders: Nepotian, Urs and Erpilion. Their ships were washed up by a storm on the shores of Lycia, where they had to stand for a long time. The supplies were depleted, and they began to rob the population that resisted, and a fierce battle took place near the city of Plakomat. Having learned about this, Nicholas the Wonderworker 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. Here he was informed that during his absence from the city of Myra, the local city governor, Eustathius, innocently sentenced to death three citizens slandered by their enemies. Saint Nicholas hurried to Myra and with him three royal commanders, who were very fond of this kind bishop, who had rendered them a great service.

They arrived in Myra at the very moment of execution. The executioner is already raising his sword to behead the unfortunate, but Saint Nicholas with his imperious hand snatches the sword from him and commands the release of the innocently condemned. None of those present dared to resist him: everyone understood that the will of God was being done. The three royal commanders marveled at this, not suspecting that they themselves would soon need the miraculous intercession of the saint.

Returning to the court, they earned the honor and favor of the king, which aroused envy and enmity on the part of other courtiers, who slandered these three commanders before the king as if they were trying to seize power. Envious slanderers managed to convince the king: three commanders were imprisoned and sentenced to death. The prison guard warned them that the execution was to take place the next day. The innocently condemned began to fervently pray to God, asking for intercession through St. Nicholas. That same night, the Pleasant of God appeared in a dream to the king and imperiously demanded the release of the three commanders, threatening to rebel and deprive the king of power.

“Who are you that you dare to demand and threaten the king?”

“I am Nicholas, Archbishop of Lycia!”

Waking up, the king began to think about this dream. That same night, Saint Nicholas also appeared to the governor of the city, Evlavius, and demanded the release of the innocently convicted. The king called Evlavius to him, and having learned that he had the same vision, he ordered three commanders to be brought.

“What kind of witchcraft are you doing to give me and Eulavius visions in our sleep?” - asked the king and told them about the appearance of St. Nicholas.

“We do not do any witchcraft,” the governors answered, “but we ourselves previously witnessed how this bishop saved innocent people from the death penalty in Myra!”

The king ordered their case to be examined and, convinced of their innocence, released them.

During his life, the miracle worker provided help to people who even did not know him at all. One day, a ship sailing from Egypt to Lycia was caught in a severe storm. The sails were torn off, 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, however, none of these sailors had ever seen, but everyone knew about his miraculous intercession. The dying shipmen began to pray fervently, and then Saint Nicholas appeared at the stern at the helm, began to steer the ship and brought it safely to the harbor.

Not only believers, but also pagans turned to him, and the saint responded with his constant miraculous help to everyone who sought it. In those he saved from physical troubles, he aroused repentance for sins and a desire to improve their lives.

According to Saint Andrew of Crete, Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared to people burdened with various disasters, gave them help and saved them from death: “With his deeds and virtuous life, Saint Nicholas shone in the World, like a morning star among the clouds, like a beautiful moon in its full moon. For the Church of Christ he was a brightly shining sun, he adorned Her like a lily at a spring, and was for Her a fragrant world!”

The Lord allowed 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 Myra.

During his lifetime, Saint Nicholas was a benefactor of the human race; He did not cease to be one even after his death. The Lord granted his honest body incorruptibility and special miraculous power. His relics began - and continue to this day - to exude fragrant myrrh, which has the gift of working miracles.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker(Nicholas the Pleasant, also St. Nicholas - Archbishop of Myra in Lycia) is one of the most revered saints in the Orthodox world. He became famous as the great Pleasant of God. Believers not only of the Orthodox, but also of the Catholic and other churches pray to him.

The whole life of Saint Nicholas is service to God. From the day he was born, he showed people the light of the future glory of the great miracle worker. created the saint of God on earth and sea. He helped people in trouble, saved them from drowning, freed them from captivity and saved them from death. Nicholas the Wonderworker gave many healings for illnesses and bodily ailments. He enriched the needy in extreme poverty, served food to the hungry, and was a ready helper, prompt intercessor and defender to everyone in every need.

And today he also helps those who call on him and delivers them from troubles. It is impossible to count his miracles. This great miracle worker is known to the East and West, and his miracles are known to all ends of the earth. Numerous churches and monasteries are erected in honor of St. Nicholas, and children are named after him at Baptism. Numerous miraculous works have been preserved in the Orthodox Church.

Brief biography of St. Nicholas

It is known that Nicholas the Wonderworker was born on August 11 (July 29, old style) in the second half of the 3rd century (about 270) in the city of Patara, Lycian region (Greek colony of the Roman Empire). His parents were pious Christians from a noble family. Until they were very old, they had no children and asked in prayers to the Lord for the gift of a son, promising to devote him to the service of God. Their prayer was heard and a baby was born, who was given the name Nikolai ( Greek"victorious people")

Already in the first days of his infancy, the future Wonderworker showed that he was destined for special service to the Lord. A legend has been preserved that during baptism, when the ceremony was very long, he, supported by no one, stood in the font for three hours. From childhood, Nikolai excelled in studying Scripture, praying, fasting and reading divine books.

His uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patara, rejoicing at the spiritual success and high piety of his nephew, made him a reader, and then elevated Nicholas to the rank of priest, making him his assistant. While serving the Lord, the young man was burning in spirit, and in his experience in matters of faith he was like an old man, which aroused the surprise and deep respect of the believers. Constantly working, Presbyter Nicholas showed great mercy to people, coming to the aid of those in need.

Once, having learned about the poverty of one resident of the city, Saint Nicholas saved him from a great sin. Having three adult daughters, the desperate father plotted to give them over to fornication in order to obtain the funds needed for their dowry. The saint, grieving for the dying sinner, secretly threw three bags of gold out his window at night and thereby saved the family from fall and spiritual death.

One day Saint Nicholas went to Palestine. While traveling on the ship, he showed the gift of deep miracles: with the power of his prayer he pacified a strong storm. Here on the ship he performed a great miracle, resurrecting a sailor who had fallen from the mast onto the deck and died. On the way, the ship often landed on the shore. Nicholas the Wonderworker everywhere took care to heal the ailments of local residents: he healed some of their illnesses, expelled evil spirits from others, and gave consolation to others in their sorrows.

By the will of the Lord, Saint Nicholas was elected Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. This happened after one of the bishops of the Council, which was deciding the issue of electing a new archbishop, was shown in a vision the chosen one of God. It was Nicholas the Wonderworker. Having received the rank of bishop, the saint remained the same great ascetic, presenting an image of meekness, gentleness and love for people.

But the days of testing were approaching. The Church of Christ was persecuted by the emperor Diocletian (285-30).

Wanting to establish peace in the flock of Christ, shocked by the heresy of Ariev’s false teaching, Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine convened the First Ecumenical Council of 325 in Nicaea, where three hundred and eighteen bishops gathered under the chairmanship of the emperor; here the teachings of Arius and his followers were condemned. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria and Saint Nicholas especially labored at this Council.

During his lifetime, Saint Nicholas performed many virtues. Of these, the saint received the greatest glory from his deliverance from death of three men who were unjustly condemned by the self-interested mayor. The saint boldly approached the executioner and held his sword, which was already raised above the heads of the condemned. The mayor, convicted by Nicholas the Wonderworker of untruth, repented and asked for forgiveness.

More than once the saint saved those drowning in the sea, and brought them out of captivity and imprisonment in dungeons. Through the prayers of the saint, the city of Myra was saved from severe famine. Having reached a ripe old age, Nicholas the Wonderworker peacefully departed to the Lord on December 19 (according to modern times) 342 years old. It was in the cathedral church of Myra of Lycia and exuded healing myrrh ( approx. fragrant oil), from which many received healing.

Monuments to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

Many monuments to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker have been erected around the world. Many beautiful monuments were created in Europe, for example, in the city of Bari, Italy ( see photo below), where the temple of St. Nicholas and his relics is located. Many beautiful creations in honor of the saint were erected in the cities of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Photos of some of them are presented in the photo gallery.

Days of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

December 19th(6th Art.) - the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, established in honor of his death.

22nd of May(9th according to Art. Art.) - the day of transfer to the city of Bari from Myra Lycia (happened in 1087).

11th August- Nativity Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia.

The Holy Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Nicholas not only on December 19 and May 22, but also weekly, every Thursday, with special chants. The fact is that on Thursday the Church glorifies the apostles, that is, those who especially served to spread the Light of Christ throughout the earth. It is obvious that Nicholas the Wonderworker, the most vivid of all the successors of the apostolic ministry - the saints, preaches the Lord and the Christian faith with his earthly and heavenly life.

It is worth noting that in the Orthodox Church, in addition to the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the birthdays of only three holy people are celebrated - the Most Holy Theotokos, John the Baptist and St. Nicholas.

TASS DOSSIER. On May 21, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, one of the most revered Christian saints, were brought to Moscow from Bari (Italy).

Until July 12, the relics will be in Moscow in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, then until July 28 they will be placed in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra of St. Petersburg.

Lives, sources

The oldest text that mentions Nicholas the Wonderworker is the “Acts of the Stratilates” (IV century). The main life of Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Greek (Orthodox) tradition was compiled by Simeon Metaphrastes in the 10th century. It, according to the assumptions of historians, could combine details of the lives of two Christian bishops who lived in Asia Minor in the 3rd-4th and 6th centuries.

In total, there are several dozen lives and descriptions of miracles performed by St. Nicholas.

Biography

Nicholas the Wonderworker (also Nicholas the Ugodnik, Nicholas of Myra), according to Christian biographies, was born in the city of Patara in the ancient Roman province of Pamphylia (now the territory of Turkey, the province of Antalya). The exact dates of his life are unknown, but he was presumably born in 270.

Nicholas's parents were Christians, and from his youth he studied the Holy Scriptures. Subsequently, his uncle, the Bishop of Patara, elevated his nephew to the rank of priest.

At the end of the 3rd century, Nicholas made a pilgrimage to Egyptian Alexandria, then to Palestine. It is believed that during one of his trips to Egypt he performed a miracle: he resurrected a sailor who had fallen from the mast. According to other legends, he saved the ship from sinking with prayer.

Around 300 he became the bishop of the city of Myra (Lycia, now Demra, Antalya province, Turkey). During the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), who persecuted Christians, Nicholas was imprisoned and later released. According to some of the lives, he participated in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325), during which he “struck on the cheek” Arius, the founder of the Arian heresy. For this he was condemned at the council, but escaped punishment. As a bishop, he became famous for his charity, intercession for those sentenced to death, etc.

He died, presumably, in 345-351. in the city of Mira. In the Orthodox Church, the saint's memory is celebrated on December 19 (6 according to the Julian calendar) and May 22 (9).

Relics

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were kept in the city of Myra in a small church. In the early 1080s. the city was captured by the Seljuk Turks, who did not touch the Greek monks who served in the church, but limited pilgrimage. In 1087, Norman pirates transported the bulk of the relics to the Italian city of Bari, where they are currently kept in the Basilica of St. Nicholas.

Part of the relics (pieces of skeleton and clothing) remaining in Myra, in 1099-1101. was taken to Venice, now located in the Church of St. Nicholas on the island of Lido. In 1957 and 1987 examinations of samples of relics stored in Bari and Venice showed that they belong to the same person. Small particles of relics are also found in dozens of Catholic and Orthodox churches in different countries of the world, in particular in the St. Danilov Monastery (Moscow), St. Nicholas Monasteries in Saratov, Staraya Ladoga (Leningrad region), Pereslavl-Zalessky (Yaroslavl region. ), Alexander Nevsky Novo-Tikhvin Convent in Yekaterinburg, etc.

Reverence

Soon after his death, Nicholas the Wonderworker began to be revered as a saint (the exact date of canonization is unknown) and remains one of the most significant Christian ascetics in the Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Ancient Eastern churches.

It is believed that after his death, his body began to exude incense, after which it became an object of pilgrimage. There are widespread reports of posthumous miracles of Nicholas of Myra, performed after prayer to his icons, etc. He is known as the intercessor of the poor, the patron of sailors and travelers. In Russia, Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered saints. Already at the end of the 11th century, the Russian church calendar celebrated not only the day of his burial in December, but also the memory of the transfer of the relics to Bari in May.

The Italian traveler Nikolai Veronsky, who visited Russia in the 16th century, noted that among the Russians, Saint Nicholas is considered the “patron of the Fatherland.” In Russia, many churches and monasteries are dedicated to the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (more - only to the Mother of God).

In the lives of people it is often mentioned that St. Nicholas gave gifts and helped poor children. In Catholic countries, since the 19th century, it has become the prototype of Santa Claus, a folklore character who gives children gifts at Christmas.

Iconography

The earliest surviving image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is on the door of a triptych kept in the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai (Egypt). In iconography, the appearance of the saint had developed by the 11th century: he is usually depicted with a short beard and a rounded forehead, in the vestments of a metropolitan, with a closed Gospel placed in his hand. The oldest image in ancient Russian art is the altar mosaic and frescoes in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv (1st half of the 11th century).

Saint Nicholas was born in the second half of the 3rd century in the city of Patara, a region of Lycia in Asia Minor. His parents Theophanes and Nona were from a noble family and very wealthy, which did not prevent them from being pious Christians, merciful to the poor and zealous towards God.

Until they were very old, they had no children: in constant fervent prayer they asked the Almighty to give them a son; promising to dedicate it 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 “victorious people.”

Already in the first days of his infancy, Saint Nicholas showed that he was destined for special service to the Lord. There is a legend that during baptism, when the ceremony was very long, he, unsupported by anyone, stood in the font for three hours.

From the very first days, Saint Nicholas began a strict ascetic life, to which he remained faithful until the grave.

Under the blessing of St. Nicholas

The name of Nicholas Archbishop of Myra is familiar to all Christians on the planet. He is called a miracle worker, a saint, a rule of faith and an image of meekness, and even a ruler of the sea for his special patronage of sailors. Nicholas created countless miracles and does not stop doing them to this day. Nicholas is our beloved and most popular saint, third after God and the Most Holy Theotokos, as the chronicle writes about him. Nicholas is even called the Russian God. So what kind of person was this? Who lived six centuries before the formation of the Russian state, but to whom thousands of temples and chapels are dedicated in the Russian Church.i

Our future saint was born around 260 AD in the city of Patara, a fairly large city in the Roman province of Lycia. Now this is the well-known Turkish province of Antalya to all of us. According to legend, the house of Nikolai’s parents was located on this site. In those days, Patara was a fairly large port city. The Apostle Paul came here on one of his missionary journeys.

The Lord and the Lord are pleased that a child will be born pure before God, and he will be born pure and name him Nikola. In Patara there was a friendly Christian community in which the boy Niko was very loved. That was Nikolai's name in childhood. He was apparently Greek by nationality. His full name in Greek is Nikolaus. Niko spent his childhood in these places. In Lycia, as in the entire Roman Empire, paganism reigned at that time, but the Christian gospel had already reached these places. And after school, Niko decided to become a priest. Nicholas's parents were strong Christians themselves. So they held their son. As a boy, he grew up serious, collected, and prayed a lot. The akathist to the saint says that from his very birth he had special spiritual strength. Nicholas was ordained a reader, then ordained a deacon, and then a priest.

Nikolai's father was a wealthy shipowner and left a large inheritance, which Nikolai spent on feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and ransoming debtors. But he helped not only the disadvantaged.

One of Nikolai’s first high-profile good deeds was helping his noble neighbors. These were good people, and as a child Nikolai hung out with their three lovely daughters. The neighbors lived in grand style, but one day the head of the family went bankrupt and all that was left was the mansion. The noisy evenings stopped, the gentlemen disappeared and despondency reigned in the family. Of course, it was possible to sell the huge house, buy simpler housing on the outskirts and do modest work. But the loss of social status and high material level is not easy to survive. Often a person becomes despondent, embittered and even loses his mind. This is exactly what happened to the head of the family. Until recently, the unfortunate father madly loved his daughters and was ready to lay down his life for the honor of each of them. And now he decides to turn his house into a brothel, where his daughters will serve clients.

In the 4th century, such an act did not shock anyone; people were generally sold into slavery for debts, but still it was an extreme step. Neither relatives nor friends could dissuade the unfortunate man. He was not touched by the tears of his daughters who prayed in vain to all known gods. And one day they turned to Him, to the true God. He heard them and helped. Nikolai learned about his neighbor’s plans and that same night threw him a bag with fifty denarii. This was quite a large amount. By comparison, Roman legionnaires, whose salaries were the highest in the Empire, received one denarius per day. A neighbor used Nikolai's money to marry off his eldest daughter. When Nikolai threw another bag and arranged the fate of the middle daughter. The neighbor, perked up, believed in God and now knew for sure that the third daughter would also be blessed. And so it happened. One night, a tight bag flew through the window and hit the floor with a metallic clang. The neighbor did not sleep; like a young man, he jumped out of the garden window and rushed after his benefactor. He caught up with Nikolai, recognized him, and with tears threw himself at his feet. The former arrogant and proud man warmly thanked his savior, who was old enough to be his son. The story of helping three girls became known and very popular throughout the Christian world.

The custom of giving New Year's gifts dates back to this story. This tradition originated in Europe in the 16th century. Santa Claus brings gifts. He is Saint Nicholas. From Europe, Santa Claus in the form of Father Frost came to Russia. It is true that Santa Claus is not credited with Mediterranean but Lapland origin. And Veliko Ustyugskoye is for Russian Grandfather Frost. But I think St. Nicholas is not offended by us for this.

One day Nicholas was on business in the regional center of Lycia in Myra.

All the unusual behavior of the child showed his parents that he would become a great saint of God, so they paid special attention to his upbringing and tried, first of all, to instill in their son the truths of Christianity and direct him to a righteous life. The youth soon comprehended, thanks to his rich talents and guided by the Holy Spirit, book wisdom. While excelling in his studies, the youth Nikolai also excelled in his pious life. He was not interested in the empty conversations of his peers: an infectious example of camaraderie leading to anything bad was alien to him.

The pious life of young Nicholas soon became known to all residents of the city of Patara. The bishop in this city was his uncle, also named Nikolai. Noticing that his nephew stood out among other young people for his virtues and strict ascetic life, he began to persuade his parents to give him to serve the Lord. They readily agreed because they had made such a vow before the birth of their son. His uncle, the bishop, ordained him a presbyter.

Icon from the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari (Italy). Image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker during his lifetime,

which, according to the church, was written on the basis of a lifetime image of the Saint.

This icon is a gift from the Serbian king Stefan Uros III, made by him in 1327 as a token of gratitude for the miraculous return of his sight to the Saint. It is believed that this icon was painted based on the lifetime image of St. Nicholas the Pleasant.

The miraculous return of sight to Tsarevich Stefan

The most common iconographic image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

In the icon, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker holds the Gospel in his hands. This is a reminder for Christian believers that Nicholas the Wonderworker does not forget about them and, while staying in the Heavenly Abodes, continues, through the prayers of believers, to do good and give parting words to people, contemplating human life from above. On icons, Nicholas the Wonderworker is most often depicted from the waist up.

Sometimes the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted in the upper left corner, and the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted on the right with the omophorion given to Nicholas in her hands.

Rescue of a drowned child

There lived a husband and wife in Kyiv who had an only son - still a baby. These pious people had special faith in Saint Nicholas and the martyrs Boris and Gleb. One day they were returning after a holiday from Vyshgorod, where the holy relics of the holy martyrs were located. While sailing along the Dnieper on a boat, the wife, holding the baby in her arms, dozed off and dropped the child into the water. It is impossible to imagine the grief of the poor parents.

In their complaints, they turned with complaint and reproach, especially to St. Nicholas. Soon the unfortunate people came to their senses and decided that, apparently,

Appearance of St. Nicholas to Novgorod Prince Mstislav

The Novgorod chronicles brought to us “The story of the wondrous discovery of the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas by the Archbishop of Myra, miracles about it will be performed in Veliky Novgorod and the creation of a church in the name of this miracle worker on the Trade Side, in the Yaroslavl courtyard.”

“The Tale of the Marvelous Finding of the Icon of St. Nicholas” came to us in manuscripts of the 17th - 18th centuries. It reports that in the summer of 6621 (1113) Grand Duke Mstislav (baptized George) Svyatoslavich happened to fall into a severe illness, he prayed for the Savior, the Most Holy Theotokos, to get rid of his illness and called on many saints for help, and finally called for a quick assistant and quick listener of the great wonderworker Nicholas. At that time, the Legend indicates, it was already known that the relics of St. Nicholas were transferred from Mir to Bari, where many sick people were healed. It was also known about the miracle of saving a drowned baby, who was found alive in front of the icon of St. Nicholas in Kyiv.

One night the saint appeared to the prince in a dream (“in vestments, as written on the icon”), and ordered him to be sent to Kyiv, where “on the floor” (in the choir) there is an icon of St. Nicholas, “round board”, bless the water from it (apparently the water from washing the icon) and “sprinkle” it with it for healing. At the same time, the saint showed the “measure” of this image and commanded to always remember the icon with its image. Having woken up, the prince sent an embassy to Kyiv, headed by his “boyar butler.” However, the boat was stopped by a storm on Lake Ilmen. The envoys had to wait it out for three days and three nights in a certain quiet place: “From a storm of wind, I arrived at a certain island, waiting for time until the wind would subside.” On the fourth day, the cook, wanting to scoop up water for cooking, saw a round board floating in the water. "Bolyarin", taking the board, recognized in it the icon of St. Nicholas, in the same measure as the measure given to him from the prince. The icon was taken out of the water, taken in a boat to Novgorod and solemnly greeted there: “having sung an honest prayer service, carried it into the boat and returned to Veliky Novgorod with great joy.” Brought to the prince

St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Conquering evil forces at sea

Stopping the execution of three innocent people

During his lifetime the saint performed many miracles. Of these, the saint gained the greatest fame for his deliverance from the death of three husbands, unjustly condemned by the self-interested mayor. The saint boldly approached the executioner and held his sword, which was already raised above the heads of the condemned. The mayor, convicted by Saint Nicholas of untruth, repented and asked him for forgiveness. Three military leaders sent by Emperor Constantine to Phrygia were present. They did not yet suspect that they would soon also have to seek the intercession of St. Nicholas, since they had been undeservedly slandered before the emperor and doomed to death.

Appearing in a dream to Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, Saint Nicholas called on him to release the military leaders unjustly condemned to death, who, while in prison, prayerfully called on the saint for help. He performed many other miracles, laboring in his ministry for many years. Through the prayers of the saint, the city of Myra was saved from severe famine. Appearing in a dream to an Italian merchant and leaving him three gold coins as a pledge, which he found in his hand, waking up the next morning, he asked him to sail to Myra and sell the grain there. More than once the saint saved those drowning in the sea, brought them out of captivity and imprisonment in dungeons. Even during his lifetime, the saint performed many miracles. Of these, the saint gained the greatest fame for his deliverance from the death of three husbands, unjustly condemned by the self-interested mayor. The saint boldly approached the executioner and held his sword, which was already raised above the heads of the condemned. The mayor, convicted by Saint Nicholas of untruth, repented and asked him for forgiveness. Three military leaders sent by Emperor Constantine to Phrygia were present. They did not yet suspect that they would soon also have to seek the intercession of St. Nicholas, since they had been undeservedly slandered before the emperor and doomed to death.

Healing the Blind

Appearance to a merchant asking for help to the hungry

Healing the sick

From Emperor Constantine

The life of St. Nicholas the Pleasant contains a hitherto unknown miracle, which was not previously included in the biography of the saint. "The Act of Tax" Alexander Bugaevsky

Release of military commanders

Appearance to a clergyman with a request to transfer the relics

In 1087, according to church sources, Saint Nicholas appeared in a dream to a priest in the city of Bari. The dreamer conveyed the Saint’s desire to his fellow citizens, who transported the Saint’s relics from the captured city to Italy, saving them from destruction.

Meeting of the holy relics of St. Nicholas in Bar-grad

Zoya's standing
One of the most amazing events happened in the city of Kuibyshev in 1956. On New Year's Eve, the girl Zoya did not wait for her groom. All her friends were dancing, and she was the only one who didn’t have a partner. Then she took the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and began to dance with it. To the exclamations of her friends, she replied: “If there is a God, let Him punish me!” And suddenly the girl seemed to be petrified - she froze in place with the icon of the saint pressed to her chest, and no one could move her. The girl did not move, but her heart continued to beat. When this story reached the authorities, the house was blocked off, and police were posted around. On the day of the Annunciation, some old man begged the guards to let him through to the girl. Entering the house, he asked Zoya: “Well, are you tired of standing?” The guards looked into the room, the old man was no longer there. Zoya stayed until Easter - four months.

Saint Nicholas, who appeared in the form of an old man, saved people from death. A pilot who had fallen in the Barents Sea was rescued by an old man who suddenly appeared on a boat. Later he recognized the savior on the icon of “St. Nicholas, to whom his mother prayed throughout the war for help for her son.” The pilot carried it with him like a sewn-in medallion. After praying to St. Nicholas, the driver of the sinking car got out of the car, and a large fish helped him get to the shore.

An elder approaches the tanker for whom the mother prays to St. Nicholas and hands over a horseshoe on her behalf so that the man hangs it in the tank as a talisman. He was never wounded during the war. The tanker recognized the stranger on the icon when he returned home.

During the war, a boy carrying out orders for partisans, in the ruins of a church, “accidentally found, as he thought, a beautiful picture in a golden frame. An elderly man of advanced age with clear eyes and a stern gaze looked at him from it.” Later, a fascist shot at the boy. Waking up, the child pulled out an icon from his bosom and saw that the saint was holding a bullet in his hand.

One of the most revered saints in Rus'. Born in 258 in ancient Lycia, which was part of Asia Minor. At baptism he received the Christian name Nikolai, which means “conqueror of the people.” He was elected bishop of the port city of Mir, which is why it is called Mir-Lycian.

He became famous as a great saint (helper) of God. Mercy for the suffering (mourning for a dying sinner, at night he secretly threw bags of gold into his window and thereby saved him from spiritual destruction), miracles shown by him during his life (he pacified the raging sea waves with prayer, and then, through his prayer, the broken one was restored to health a ship's sailor who fell from the mast, he miraculously saved three husbands from death, unjustly condemned by a selfish boss, miraculously saved the city of Mir from hunger), and now inspire believers to turn to St. Nicholas with prayers for help.

Nikolai Ugodnik worked miracles during his lifetime, but many miracles happened and are happening after his death. He helps sailors, travelers, children and those in prison. He helps everyone who turns to him for help.

They pray to Nicholas the Pleasant for well-being on the journey, from storms and drowning at sea, for healing from various ailments, for the protection of the family hearth, for help in various troubles, from sadness and despondency, for children, to get their daughters married, for help in poverty and need, about intercession for widows and orphans, about compassion for the defenseless, in captivity among enemies.

Saint Nicholas (translated into Dutch as Santa Claus) must, while no one sees him, enter the house and leave a bag of gifts under the tree.

For a long time, Nikolai Ugodnik has been considered the patron saint of children.

In the Netherlands there is a belief that on Christmas night St. Nicholas rides around on a white horse and gives gifts to good children. A similar belief exists in other European countries. All the children on Christmas evening are full of impatient anticipation that “good grandfather St. Nicholas” will give them something.

Saint Nicholas - patron saint of sailors

During the voyage of Saint Nicholas to Palestine to the holy places, a terrible storm broke out, threatening to sink the ship. The sailors were horrified and turned to the holy saint with a prayer. “If you, holy father, do not help us with your prayer to the Lord,” they told him, “then we will perish in the depths of the sea.”

The holy righteous man, kneeling down, turned to God with fervent prayer, and the storm miraculously subsided, the lives of the sailors were saved.

ST. NICHOLAS - PATRON OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY

Since ancient times, Russian warriors considered the Saint their special heavenly intercessor, along with other holy champions of the Russian land. This is evidenced by the cross-vests that have survived to this day, worn by our warrior-ancestors under their armor, on which there was an image of St. Nicholas.

The Streltsy guard in ancient Moscow, during roll call, proclaimed in the third voice: “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, pray to God for us!”

The basis of the belief in the patronage of the Wonderworker to Russian weapons is also conveyed by the stanza of the spiritual verse
folk singers:

"Nikola is a famous name,
Victory is the same name,
Hagaryan wins,
Comforts Christians."

When Napoleon left the Kremlin in 1812, he decided to blow up the Nikolsky Gate with a huge amount of gunpowder. The force of the explosion was terrible: stones and logs flew to the sides, walls shook, glass in the windows burst. Only the image of St. Nicholas above the St. Nicholas Gate and even the glass that covered the face of the Pleasant did not suffer any damage. And the candle in front of his face survived.