This article contains: prayer at the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker - information taken from all over the world, the electronic network and spiritual people.

How to ask for help from Nicholas the Wonderworker? How to pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker

Not being able to go on a pilgrimage to Italy, to the relics of the righteous, you can ask him for help in any temple, at home. Before praying for his help, you should thank the saint for all the good things in life - for life itself, family, work, success, etc. A huge number of people around the world read every second thanksgiving prayer God, saints, including Nicholas the Wonderworker, which he hears. By joining it, everyone will be heard.

It is important to remember that Nicholas the Wonderworker was a man, and the miracles that he showed to the world were performed by the Lord through him. When praying, you need to turn, first of all, to Him.

Having said a prayer of thanksgiving, you can ask the righteous for help. He will hear an appeal to him and help only if the prayer is sincere in his faith. During prayer, you need to look at the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker, and mentally release your prayer into the expanses of the Universe.

How to ask Nicholas the Wonderworker for a difficult desire. Prayer to Nikolai Ugodnik changing fate

If you ask a saint about something difficult, important, about something that needs to be waited for a long time, you should read to the righteous a prayer that changes fate. You need to do this daily for 40 days. Having missed at least one day for any reason, the countdown of days must be started anew.

Having put the image of the saint on the table (it must be clean), you need to light a candle, say a prayer three times:

Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker to attract his love for marriage

Girls who wish God to give them a meeting with their betrothed and marriage read the following prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker:

Read the rest of the articles about Christmas, the life and miracles of Nicholas the Wonderworker HERE.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. Prayer to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

Saint Nicholas is one of the most revered saints in Russia. The miracles associated with his name have no boundaries. He helped people during his lifetime, and helps after death. A huge number of believers found their salvation and healing thanks to their fervent prayers offered in his honor.

Life of Saint Nicholas

Nicholas the Wonderworker was born in 234 AD in the city of Patara, which was located on the territory of the former Lycia (modern Turkey). From an early age, he never ceased to amaze his parents. So, during the baptism, still unable to walk, St. Nicholas stood for about three hours in the font on his small legs.

Theophan and Nonna's parents were rich, pious people and could not have children for a long time. Prayers did their job, and God sent them a son, whom they named Nicholas. All his life he gravitated towards religion, fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, avoiding idleness, secular life, temptations and women. His uncle, the bishop of the city of Patara, seeing such piety, advised his parents to give Nicholas to worship, which they did.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker possessed fabulous knowledge and had a good education. At the end of his studies, he went to Jerusalem to worship the holy things, after which he made a firm decision to devote his life to the Lord.

Having received the priesthood, Nicholas the Wonderworker remained in constant prayer and fasting, lived without excesses. Soon his uncle, Bishop Nicholas, entrusted him with the management of the church. After the death of his parents, he sent all the inheritance he received to help those in need. After some time, St. Nicholas decides to leave such a life and go to an unfamiliar place where he could serve people. For this, he moves to the city of Peace. Nobody knows him there, and he lives here in poverty, prayers. The hero of our story finds shelter in the house of the Lord. At this time, the bishop of this city, John, dies. To elect a worthy candidate to this throne, the clergy relied on God's will, which fell on Nicholas the Pleasant.

These times were famous for the persecution of Christians, and blessed Nicholas was their leader, ready to suffer for the faith. For this, he was captured and imprisoned along with other believing brothers. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker spent a long time in prison, until Emperor Constantine, who ascended the throne, freed all Christians. The city of Myra gladly welcomed its former shepherd.

The great saint of God lived for many years. Throughout his life, he helped people in word, deed and thought. The saint gave blessings, healed, protected and performed a great many pious deeds.

Feast of Saint Nicholas

On December 19, the Russian Orthodox Church accepts congratulations on St. Nicholas Day, because he is one of the most revered saints. It has long been considered an intercessor and comforter, an assistant in mournful deeds. Saint Nicholas patronizes travelers and sailors. After all, he was making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the sea raged and the sailors asked him to pray for their salvation. Saint Nicholas, thanks to his soulful prayer, calmed the raging sea.

Other people receive help from him, to whom he gives hope and helps in trouble. The saint did not refuse either a Christian or a pagan, confessed everyone, helped to embark on the true path.

Nikolay Ugodnik did many pious deeds. And he was always helped by uncontrollable, strong and zealous prayer to God. The saint died at the end of the 4th century after a short illness, already at a very advanced age. And his relics have been kept in the Italian city of Bari since 1087.

The Orthodox Church annually sends congratulations on St. Nicholas Day to thousands of believers on December 19, and also honors the memory of the saint of God with special chants on Thursdays.

About Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker

The prayer to St. Nicholas is the most read in Orthodoxy. After all, the Miracle Worker has been helping believers for a thousand years. Prayers to God's saint do not go unheeded. He is asked about children, travelers, marriage of daughters. They call on him when the house is hungry, to protect the innocently convicted.

There is no special list of appeals by which you can turn to the saint for help. He helps everyone in any difficult everyday situations.

You need to pray when your soul and heart want it. It is correct to pray twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. The most blessed and heartfelt prayer sounds at dawn, when everyone is still sleeping. Before going to bed, holy words soothe the soul and set you up for a good restful sleep. Do not limit yourself to prayers at home. You should at least sometimes visit the church and put a candle there to your beloved saint. There are 7 main prayers to St. Nicholas.

Akathist to Nikolay Ugodnik

Undoubtedly, prayers are strong and effective, and miracles and changes in life really happen when you read an akathist to St. Nicholas. The words contained in it favorably reflect not only on life situation, but also help to improve the financial situation, get a good position without blasphemy and money, open your own prosperous business, get married, conceive and give birth to a long-awaited child, defeat a serious illness.

They read the akathist for 40 days in a row and always standing. For this, the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker is placed in front of him, a candle is lit and a prayer begins. You should try not to miss a single day, otherwise you will have to start all over again.

But this is not a mandatory ritual, you can and should always turn to St. Nicholas:

• when visiting a church;
• at home in front of the icon;
• directly confronted with a difficult situation.

There is one case that passes from mouth to mouth. One very negligent student, having not learned the theory properly, went to take the exam and suffered a complete fiasco. Of the three tickets that were offered to him, he did not know any, as a result he was given a deuce. Frustrated, he left the office and began to pray to Nikolai Ugodnik. The saint helped him. After some time, the teacher came out and said that he mistakenly put a high mark on the statement, and he should learn the subject and come back to it. The student not only went to church and lit a candle to the saint, but also brilliantly re-passed the exam.

Holy places bearing the name of St. Nicholas

The love of the people and deeds that are impossible to forget led to the fact that a number of holy places were named in honor of Nicholas the Pleasant. These include the Church of St. Nicholas, located in Demre, in Turkey. This is a significant building of Byzantine architecture in the East. It was erected at the beginning of the VI century. At this place before the construction of the church was the temple of the goddess Artemis. The venerable age of the building, ancient wall paintings and icons, paintings, stone mosaics - all this makes the temple unique and the place amazing. Saint Nicholas was originally buried here, but fearing the robbery of the Seljuk Turks, Italian merchants stole his relics and transported them to Italy, to the city of Bali, where they are still located.

Another church named after St. Nicholas is located in Athens. The exact date of its appearance is unknown, but the temple was restored in 1938. Here, in some places, an old fresco has been preserved. All artwork were led by the famous artist Fotis Kondoglu. A piece of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker is kept in the temple.

In Russia, the church of St. Nicholas is located in Klenniki in Moscow. It has been around for several centuries. A temple was erected on the site of an old wooden church in the 15th century. It remained closed for sixty years (from 1932 to 1990). At this time, the temple was ruined and used as a warehouse for household needs. But, thanks to the efforts of believers, the church gained its second birth and shone with domes. Currently, a piece of the relics of God's saint Nicholas is kept here.

Monastery of St. Nicholas

There is also a convent of St. Nicholas. It is located on the island of Cyprus. There is a legend that tells of a terrible drought in the 4th century. At this time, the territory of the island was attacked by snakes. There were so many of them that the holy empress Helena, who was the mother of Constantine the Great, went in search of the Cross of the Lord and having found it, visited the island upon her return home. Returning to her hometown, she immediately ordered thousands of cats to be sent to Cyprus to fight poisonous reptiles, and the nuns were supposed to look after them. A small monastery was built especially for them and named after St. Nicholas, the patron saint of fishermen and sailors.

The convent is still active, six nuns live there and many cats they look after. Therefore, the monastery is very often called simply cat.

Icon of St. Nicholas

Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered saints, and an icon with his face is present in every home of believers. It has long been considered a unique thing, because the icon painter tried to convey through painting inner world saint, his essence, so that a person through it can establish a connection with God.

The appearance of St. Nicholas not only helps to pray, but also protects the house, makes sure that the people living in it do not feel need, hunger, and it also brings prosperity.

The saint is depicted in:

• waist image, where the right hand blesses, and the left holds the Gospel;
• full height, right hand raised for blessing, left holds closed Gospel. In this pose, he is depicted together with other saints, depicted in full growth;
• the guise of Nikola Mozhaisky, where he holds a sword in his right hand, and a fortress in his left, as if showing that he is the protector of believers;
• life icons. Here the image of the saint is supplemented with 12, 14, 20 and 24 hallmarks, which denote events in the life of St. Nicholas;
• iconographic images. This is the Mother of God with specially chosen saints, the Nativity of St. Nicholas, the Transfer of Relics.

For each person, the appearance of St. Nicholas makes a different impression. Some see him as a savior, others as an assistant, others as a mentor. The meaning of the icon is precisely to convey a certain image of holiness, which affects people no worse than a talisman. The effectiveness will be several times stronger if you say a prayer.

Placement of icons in the house

The icon of St. Nicholas should not only be in the house, it is important and correctly positioned. The iconostasis, as a rule, is located in the east, but if the eastern corner is occupied, then the icons can be placed in any free place.

When placing the iconostasis, the following principles should be taken into account:

1. In the very center should be located the icon of the Savior (the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Savior Almighty and other images), it should also be the largest icon.
2. To the left of Jesus Christ should be the image of the Mother of God with the Child.
3. No icons should hang above the images of the Savior and the Virgin Mary, with the exception of the icon of the Trinity or the crucifix.
4. All other icons are selected based on the personal preferences of the Christian.
5. Each iconostasis should contain icons of St. Nicholas, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, George the Victorious, healer Panteleimon, Guardian Angel, as well as baptismal icons with the names of saints that a person wears.
6. It is recommended to hang icons in the kitchen or in the living room, but if it is not possible, you can place them in the bedroom as well.
7. You can not hang icons next to paintings or images of ordinary people.
8. The iconostasis should be located in the most secluded place, away from the TV, computer and other entertainment equipment.

It doesn’t matter where the icons are and how many of them are in the house, the most important thing is to pray to revered saints regularly. After all, an icon is a connection with God, through which special grace is transmitted.

The relics of St. Nicholas

The life of Saint Nicholas is full of noble deeds, therefore, most likely, God gave him many years of life, because he died at the age of 94. At the moment, his relics, or rather, the main part of them, are kept by the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, located in the Italian city of Bari. Many temples are named in honor of the Pleasant, and some of them store the rest of his relics. They have a beneficial and healing effect on people who venerate them, heal the body and soothe the soul.

In 2005, English scientists tried to recreate his image using the saint's skull. They drew attention to the fact that he had a dense build and a height of about 1 m 68 cm. He had a high forehead, his cheekbones and chin stood out sharply on his face. He had Brown eyes and swarthy skin.

Modern wonders

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker worked miracles before, and he continues to perform them to this day. So, one day a group of schoolchildren went on a hike. They began to go down the water in kayaks. The boat capsized, everyone was saved, but not immediately. The youngest member of the group had an image of St. Nicholas. According to him, it was it that helped him to escape.

Another man was out of work for a long time. He shared his problem with the priest at confession, who, in turn, offered to pray to Nikolai Ugodnik at the icon. The next day, an acquaintance offered the man a position in a firm. It would seem nonsense, but there are thousands of similar stories. Some people after prayer miraculously a previously unyielding castle opens, for others, during rain, wind and bad weather, the sun peeps sharply, still others receive healing and continue on their way.

So pray and you will be heard, ask and you will be rewarded.

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker: how do they help, what is it?

A sensational event in Moscow is the arrival of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, accompanied by special honors and the corresponding excitement around him. But not all Orthodox people know what the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are and how they can help? For those who are interested, we offer to understand with us in the material rrnews.ru

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker: how do they help?

In Orthodoxy, Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the most revered saint. Both ordinary people and scientists turn to him with requests and prayers. There are even cases when even Muslims or Buddhists addressed the saint.

Saint Nicholas, like no one else, was familiar with a variety of human misfortunes. At the same time, he always came to the aid of people in difficult situations that seemed hopeless to them. For numerous good deeds, he was nicknamed the miracle worker.

Many Christians know that one has only to pray to St. Nicholas and tell him about their illnesses or difficulties in the family, how a miracle can happen. And there is no need to talk about the miracle of touching the relics of the Saint.

Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of sailors and travelers, and also protects children. Orthodox mothers, sending their child to a kindergarten or school, ask the saint to look after him. If a difficult situation happened to the child and he began to take alcohol or drugs, then in this case they also appeal to Nicholas the Wonderworker with pleas for help.

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker: how do they help, what is it?

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are kept in Italy, in the city of Bari. Many Christians who come there on purpose talk about the miracles of healing that take place right there.

Currently, the relics of St. Nicholas are in Moscow, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. They are available for visiting from May 22 to July 12. Every day a huge queue is built to the relics. But pilgrims who managed to get to the relics say that waiting in a long line was worth it.

How should you address Nicholas the Wonderworker? What prayers?

Nicholas the Wonderworker is called: Mentor, Holy miracle worker, intercessor, saint of God. As for the prayers, here they are:

“Our mentor and great intercessor, Father Nikolai! Accept my prayer, from the bottom of my sinful heart, save me and my loved ones from evil from outside and from my unreason. Teach me how to do the right thing in this situation (…). In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

“St. Nicholas, miracle worker of Myra, help me cope with my spiritual weakness - get rid of sadness and longing, do not let me fall into the grave sin of despondency, teach me to enjoy life at any moment, faith in the mercy of the Lord and your intercession not to lose. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker - how do they help and how to worship?

One of the most important helpers for believers is Nicholas the Savior, who during his lifetime answered the requests of those in need. After his death, people pray in front of his image, and the main place of pilgrimage is the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. You can ask the saint about solving various problems.

How did they get the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?

After his death, the saint was buried in a city called Myra. At that time, wars took place on these lands and people tried to leave the cities, moving to more secluded areas in the city. The Barians decided to take advantage of this, who wanted to get the relics of the saint, since in their city he was considered the main patron. In the story concerning how the relics of Nicholas were taken out, it is indicated that in 1097 a detachment attacked the temple and stole most of the relics of the saint. According to the new style, the relic was delivered to the city of Bari on May 9th.

Where are the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?

After the abduction of the remains in the city of Mira, part of the relics remained, but they also did not remain in their homeland and were stolen. As a result, they ended up on the Lido in Venice. The bulk of the remains of the saint are in Bari. After the transportation, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were located in the local Cathedral, and after a while a temple was built, which received its name in honor of the saint. In 1989, the shrine was placed in an underground chapel in the Basilica. Every year, the clergy collect myrrh from the relics, dilute it with holy water and distribute it to pilgrims.

How do the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker help?

The saint helps people in different situations, so near his relics you can ask for many things:

1. He is the patron of wanderers and sailors, so if loved ones are on the way, then you can ask the Miracle Worker for their well-being and successful return home.
2. Worship of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker can be done in order to protect children from problems, improve their health and direct them to the righteous path.
3. The saint is an assistant in the reconciliation of warring people.
4. Lonely girls and boys turn to the Miracle Worker to help them find their soul mate and find family happiness.
5. There is a lot of evidence that the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were healed of various diseases.
6. The saint helps people who want to improve and embark on the righteous path. Relatives pray for innocently convicted people, asking for their release.

How to bow to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?

Sometimes the relics are transported to other temples so that believers in other cities can venerate the shrine. There are certain rules that apply to visiting the temple in which the relic is located. Use the following tips on how to worship the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker:

1. After a person enters the temple, he must be filled with deep faith. The relic must be approached without haste. It is important to remember that this is a holy place, so there is no need to push.
2. Before bowing to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, approaching the ark, mentally read the prayer addressed to the saint.
3. Before the shrine, bow twice in the belt, being baptized. After that, you can venerate the relics, and then step aside, and cross yourself a third time and bow.
4. Pilgrimage to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker has not stopped for a long time and people from different parts of the world come to the relic, although worship does not take a few seconds.

What is asked of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?

If a person managed to touch the relic, then he can ask for the most cherished, for example, healing, the birth of a child, finding a job, marriage, and so on. It is important that the reverence for the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker be accompanied by sincere prayers, and every word must be uttered from a pure heart. The clergy claim that the saint helps everyone who deserves it, but first of all, you need to pray that he will help you enter the eternal kingdom of the Lord.

How to pray to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?

When visiting the temple where the relic is located, it is imperative to read a special prayer addressed to the saint. There are several prayer texts and all of them are allowed to be used. Visiting the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker significant event in the lives of believers, so it is recommended to memorize the text. There is short prayers and one of them is shown above. After visiting the temple, it is recommended to pray in front of the image of the holy house.

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker - miracles

There are many stories that prove the power of God and the power of the relic, so great amount believers seeks to bow to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker in order to experience all the benefits.

1. When the second part of the relics was taken out of the city of Myra, the bishop placed next to them a palm branch, which had been brought from Jerusalem. After a while, people noticed that she had sprouted.
2. Pilgrims come to the shrine with terrible diagnoses, for example, many women dreamed of a child, but doctors talked about infertility, and a year after the application to the relics, women came to the temple again to baptize their babies. There are testimonies of the healing of cancer and other serious diseases.

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Name: Saint Nicholas, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nicholas the Pleasant, Saint Nicholas, Nicholas the World of Lycian, Santa Claus

Place of Birth: the city of Patara (the territory of modern Turkey)

Activity: bishop, archbishop, Orthodox saint, miracle worker

Nationality: Greek

Growth: 168 cm

Family status: single, never married

A place of death: the city of Mira, the province of Lycia (the city of Demre, modern Turkey)

Burial place: originally the city of Myra, then in 1087 65% of the relics were transferred to Italy, the city of Bari, in 1098 the other 20% of the relics were transferred to Venice on the island of Lido, the remaining 15% of the relics were scattered around the world

Revered: Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Old Eastern churches

Day of veneration (celebration): August 11 (July 29) - birth, December 19 (6) - death, May 22 (9) - transfer of relics

Patron: sailors, travelers, innocent convicts, children

This article answers the following questions about St. Nicholas the Wonderworker:

Where are the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker kept?
Transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas
Establishment of the feast of St. Nicholas
Relics of Saint Nicholas
St. Nicolas day
When does Saint Nicholas arrive?

Who is Nicholas the Wonderworker?
What does Saint Nicholas bring?
st nicholas day tradition
What helps Nicholas the Wonderworker?
Where are the relics of St. Nicholas?
Where are the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?
When is the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker?
What date is St. Nicholas Day?

Biography of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. Biography of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

It is unlikely that today there will be a person who would not have heard about one of the most revered saints in the Christian world - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

His fame is great, his icons are among the most sought after in Orthodox church shops. But with all this, few know the true biography and life of St. Nicholas.

The world knows St. Nicholas under various names: Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nicholas the Pleasant, St. Nicholas, Nicholas of Myra and even Santa Claus.

Unfortunately, practically no confirmed historical information about the biography, life and work of Nicholas the Wonderworker has come down to us, and those that have come down raise a lot of questions because of the mixing of the lives of two different saints in them - Nicholas of Myra and Nicholas of Zion of Patara.

The first and only ancient source in which the life of St. Nicholas is given is a set of manuscripts written in the 6th century and known as "The Acts of the Stratilates".

"The Acts of the Stratilates" is a dozen manuscripts, withstood five editions. It is in the very first and most ancient manuscript of the "Acts on the Stratilates" that the life of Nicholas the Pleasant is first told, and in it, unlike subsequent editions, the story about Nicholas the Wonderworker is most concise and devoid of any pomp and detail. All subsequent editions are a further revision of the first, with the addition of all sorts of new facts and miracles from the life of St. Nicholas. The most detailed and pompous is the third edition, written much later. It is interesting that until today there is no translation of "deeds" into Russian.

Thus, to this day, among a dozen different biographies of Nicholas, the most famous of them remain the Acts of the Stratilates, as well as the Life of St. Nicholas, compiled in the 10th century by Simeon Metaphrast.

Brief biography of Nicholas the Wonderworker

According to the "Acts", Nicholas lived in III-IV centuries ad. And this, perhaps, is all that we know today about the life of the saint: the exact dates of birth and death (day and year) of Nicholas the Wonderworker are unknown and are still the subject of controversy among historians. So, unfortunately, all the dates given in the literature related to the biography of Nicholas are very, very approximate and cannot be documented.

Nevertheless, relying on "acts", it is generally accepted that Nikolai was born around 270 year of our era. Nicholas's family lived in the city of Patara, on the territory of modern Turkey (now the city of Demre) on the shore mediterranean sea. At that time it was one of the richest Greek colonies Roman Empire.

Nikolay's parents were Greeks by nationality and had a good income. "Acts" called the names of the parents of Nicholas - Feofan (Epiphanius) and Nona. However, historians question this statement, believing that Feofan and Nona were the parents of another Nicholas, also an archbishop and also a miracle worker - Nicholas of Zion. According to historians, this mistake crept in due to the fact that in the VI century in the "acts" they simply mixed the biographies of two Nikolaev Wonderworkers (Nicholas of Myra and Nicholas of Zion). Be that as it may, but St. Nicholas Mir of the Lycian Wonderworker, a historical figure that really existed.

Nikolai was born when his parents were already in old age. FROM early years he received a good education, knew how to read and write, was devout and strove to study the Holy Scriptures.

When Nicholas reached his youth, his uncle, the local Bishop Nicholas of Patara, seeing the Christian zeal of his nephew, first made Nicholas a reader, and after a while elevated him to the rank of priest.

Over time, Nikolai's uncle began to trust his nephew so much that when he went on trips, he completely left the management of the diocese to him.

After the death of his parents, Nicholas inherited a large fortune, but choosing to serve God, he distributed his inheritance to needy people.

In the bishopric of the city of Patara, Nicholas served as a priest from about 280 to 307.

Nicholas was about forty years old when, after the death of the bishop of a neighboring city, he miraculously, by decision of the Holy Council, was appointed bishop of the city of Myra. Thanks to this appointment, Nicholas received a prefix to his name and became the Bishop of Mir of Lycia, from which another name of his came - Nicholas of Myra.

All the next 30 years until his death, Nikolai spent his life in this city of the World, where he died about 340 of the year.

Where is Saint Nicholas buried?

Information about the burial place of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is not replete with variety and indicates that St. Nicholas was buried in the church of "St. Nicholas" in the city of Demre (former Mira).

But for a thoughtful reader of the life of a saint, here questions begin to arise, but how was it? And before our eyes, a whole detective story is unfolding with the funeral of the Wonderworker in the church of St. Nicholas.

Tomb of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

So, when Nicholas the Wonderworker died around the year 334, the temple of "Saint Nicholas" did not yet exist, and the question naturally arises - where was the original burial of Nicholas, if the temple did not yet exist?

All sources cite evidence that the temple of "St. Nicholas" was built only in the 4th century, immediately after the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. And this automatically means that at first Nicholas the Wonderworker was buried somewhere else, and only then, after the construction of the temple was completed, his relics were transferred to the temple sarcophagus. After all, the builders could not erect a temple, trampling on the grave of a bishop.

But it turns out that there is an answer to this question - the body of Bishop Nicholas was buried in the most ordinary grave near the Church of St. Sion, in which he served for many years.

It must be said that by the time of the burial of the saint, Christianity simply did not yet have the custom of burying people within the walls of a church. This custom was legalized only in 419 at the Council of Carthage. Apparently, around the same time, a decision was made to reburial the remains of Nicholas in the hay of the new church.

The very first building over the tomb of St. Nicholas was erected in 336 by the stratilates (Roman military leaders) who arrived in Myra to honor Nicholas, about the death they did not know.

"they found the place where his honest body lay ... [and] honored Nicholas by building a portico"

Presumably it was a chapel over the tomb of the Bishop of the World of Lycian Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Church of St. Nicholas

In general, there are a lot of questions about the Church of St. Nicholas.

Let's start with the fact that when visiting this temple, the guides say that the church of "Saint Nicholas" was built on the foundation of the Hellenic (pagan) temple of Artemis and show the mosaic that belonged to the ancient temple preserved on the floor.

Interestingly, in some writings, the destruction of this, then still pagan, temple is personally attributed to Nikolai Ugodnik, raising this action almost to the rank of miracles performed by Nikolai as bishop.

But historians refute that Nicholas could have participated in the destruction of the Temple of Artemis at all and point out that the Temple of Artemis was destroyed 200 years before the birth of Nicholas by a banal earthquake that occurred in the second century.

History can surprise. And the relics of St. Nicholas were destined to rest in Christian temple built on the foundations of a pagan temple Greek goddess Artemis.

But the peace of the temple only dreamed of - the temple of "St. Nicholas" was constantly subjected to looting and destruction, and the relics of the saint themselves had no rest.

Already 100 years after the completion of construction and the transfer of the relics of Nicholas in the 5th century, the temple was destroyed by an earthquake.

It was restored in the 6th century. But the restored temple also did not stand untouched for long, in the 7th century it was again destroyed by the Arabs during the next raid.

For the next hundred years, the temple stood dilapidated, until a new temple of "St. Nicholas" was rebuilt in the 8th century.

600 years passed, and in the XIV century the temple was again destroyed. strong earthquake caused a change in the course of the local river Miros and the temple of "St. Nicholas" was buried under tons of silt and mud and disappeared from human eyes for many centuries until the 19th century. And only in the 19th century, an accident made it possible to discover the remains of the temple and start excavating it.

Excavations of the temple are also replete with detective details and intrigues.

When during Crimean War, in 1853, the Russians were in Turkey, they became interested in the church of "St. Nicholas". Soon, on behalf of Princess Anna Golitsyna, the Russians bought this land from Ottoman Empire and formed a Russian settlement there.

Excavations and restoration began on the site of the temple. Russian settlers were drawn to a permanent place of residence, to the redeemed land. The Turks did not like this, and they decided to terminate the deal, return the lands bought by the Russians, and return the settlers to Russia.

Soon the government of the Ottoman Empire canceled the deal, expelled all Russian settlers from this territory, but forgot to return the money taken for the sale. Today, when asked to return the money spent, Turkey replies that, they say, the land was bought from the Ottoman Empire, so you demand a refund from it.

The excavations of the temple by the Russians stopped in 1860, and the next excavations of the St. Nicholas Church, almost completely located in the thickness of alluvial deposits, began only 100 years later in 1956 and continued until 1989.

Today, the church of "St. Nicholas" is not a functioning temple, but is a paid museum, and only once a year on December 6, church services are held here in memory of the death of Nicholas the Wonderworker (it is believed that Nicholas died on December 6, 343).

Fortunately, by the time the temple was flooded by the river, the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were no longer in them; by this time, the relics of the saint had already been transported to Italy almost three centuries ago.

When visiting this temple of "Saint Nicholas", tourists are shown a sarcophagus, in which the relics of the saint supposedly rested.

It is interesting that pagan drawings and symbols are clearly visible on the sarcophagus, and everything shows that this sarcophagus was made back in pagan times for the burial of some important pagan.

It turns out that either this pagan sarcophagus was reused, but already for the repose of the body of the saint, or simply Nicholas simply simply could not be buried in an ancient pagan coffin. Riddles, riddles.

Another fact that deserves attention is that after the theft of the relics in 1087, in none of the chronicles of those years there is any mention of any sarcophagus, on the contrary, the Italians boasted of their intention in the church of St. Nicholas "to break her platform and carry away the sacred body." As Archimandrite Antonin Kapustin wrote in the 19th century in 1087, “Bari sailors did not see any tombs in the church.”

Transfer of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker to the Italian city of Bari and to the island of Lido

Meanwhile, the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas to Italy in the 11th century was a banal theft, however, thanks to which the relics of St. Nicholas were preserved for current generations.

And it was like that.

After the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, those who venerate the grave began to notice that after visiting the temple of "St. Nicholas" and worshiping his relics, they began to receive healing. Naturally, the news of the miraculous properties of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker spread throughout Byzantium.

The Italians could not pass by such an important shrine and wanted to get it for themselves. And in the XI century, the tomb of Nicholas the Wonderworker was plundered by Italian merchants. The tomb of the saint was robbed twice by Italian merchants - in 1087 and 1099.

Today, this abduction is usually called the feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which Christians celebrate on May 22 (9).

So, thanks to the banal looting of the grave, in the XI century most of The relics of Nicholas (almost 85 percent) ended up in two Italian cities - in the city of Bari, and on the island of Lido, where they are to this day.

Of course, calling a spade a spade, such a transfer of relics can be safely called ordinary theft. But, as they say, there is a blessing in disguise - and most historians agree that if it were not for this forced transfer of the relics of the saint, then, most likely, subsequently the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker would have been completely ruined during one of the later Ottoman raids or temple flood.

Upon his death, Nicholas the Wonderworker was buried in his hometown of Mira (now the city of Demre on the territory of modern Turkey) and his remains peacefully lain there for more than 700 years, until circumstances developed in 1087 that allowed the Italians to steal the relics of Nicholas and transport them to Italy.

In the 10th century, Christianity in Italy experienced a dawn - faith firmly entered life, new temples and shrines were built. But there was one problem - all the ancient holy relics were in the East. By this time, the glory of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker thundered throughout Italy.

It was a troubled time, the Seljuk Turks seized more and more new territories, and Italian merchants, blessed by the holy church, under the pretext of taking “and protecting” the relics of St. Nicholas, went on an expedition.

At this time, the Christians, the inhabitants of Mir, moved to a safer place, located three kilometers from the old city of Mir. In the temple itself, only a few monks remained to serve. According to legend, in 1086 Saint Nicholas:

“appeared in a vision to three people, ordering them to announce to the inhabitants of the city of Mira, who, fearing the Turks, left from here to the mountain, so that they would return to live and guard the city, or they knew that he would move to another place”

Then, in 1087, Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared in a dream to one of the priests of the city of Bar and ordered him:

“Go and tell the people and the entire church council to go and take me out of the world and lay me in this city, for I cannot stay there in an empty place. God wants it that way"

In the morning the priest told about his vision and everyone exclaimed joyfully:

“The Lord has now sent His mercy to the people and our city, for He has honored us to accept the relics of His Saint Nicholas”

To fulfill the will of the Wonderworker, the Italians, under cover of a trade mission, hastily prepared an expedition of three ships to transfer the relics of the saint. It is interesting that the names of all the participants of this expedition have survived to this day, as well as a detailed account of how it took place.

And on April 20, 1087, three merchant ships moored off the coast of modern Turkey. The sailors landed in the port of the city of Mira. Only two people were sent for reconnaissance to the temple of "St. Nicholas", who returned and reported that there were only four monks in the temple with the relics of the saint. Immediately, 47 people, armed, went to the temple. To begin with, the merchants tried to resolve the issue amicably and offered the monks 300 gold coins for taking the relics of the saint. But the monks did not accept the offer of the merchants and were going to notify the city of the danger. But the Italians did not give them this chance, they tied up the monks and in a hurry plundered the sarcophagus with the relics of the saint. Having wrapped the stolen relics in ordinary clothes, the merchants, without stopping anywhere, quickly reached the port and immediately set sail, heading for Italy. The freed monks raised the alarm, but it was too late, the Italian ship carrying the relics of the saint was already far away.

On May 8, 1087, the ships arrived safely in the city of Barii, the “good” news spread throughout the city. The next day, May 9, the relics of St. Nicholas were solemnly transferred to the Church of St. Stephen. According to eyewitnesses, the solemn transfer of the relics was accompanied by numerous miraculous healings of the sick, which aroused even greater reverence for Nicholas the Wonderworker. Exactly one year later, Pope Urban II consecrated the Church of St. Nicholas, built in honor of the saint, specifically for the storage of the relics of St. Nicholas.

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the city of Mir, grieving for the loss of the shrine, began to transfer small fragments of the relics of St. Nicholas, left over from the looting. But the fact was that during the hasty abduction, the Italian merchants did not take away all the relics, but only the largest fragments (about 80%), leaving all the small fragments of the body in the sarcophagus.

But, as it turned out later, this measure did not save the relics of the saint from final plunder.

Soon, other Italian merchants from Venice, knowing that the relics of the saint continue to be kept in Myra, decide to complete the work of their compatriots. And in 1099, during the first crusade, the Venetians abducted almost all the remaining relics of the saint, leaving very small fragments of the saint's body in the sarcophagus.

The stolen relics were also taken to Italy, but already to Venice, where they were placed on the island of Lido in the church of St. Nicholas.

In subsequent years, the last of the surviving smallest fragments of holy relics disappeared from Mira and spread around the world.

So, as a result of the looting of the grave, not one of the relics of the saint remained in the native church of Nicholas.

Examinations conducted in 1957 and 1987 showed that the relics located in Bari and Venice belong to one person.

Establishment of the feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas

The feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas was established by Pope Urban II, who in 1088 officially established the liturgical celebration of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas on May 9th. The Greeks and the Byzantine East did not accept this holiday, but in Russia it has become widespread and is celebrated to this day.

Where are the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker kept today?

Today, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are stored in various places and this is due to the fact that at one time the tomb with the relics of the saint was looted several times.

The bulk of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker (about 65%) are stored in the Catholic Basilica of St. Nicholas in the Italian city of Bari, under the throne of the altar of the crypt, in the floor of which a round hole was made into the tomb with the relics of St. Nicholas. Through this hole once a year, on the feast of the transfer of relics on May 9, local clergy extract the myrrh secreted by the relics of St. Nicholas.

The other 20% of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are kept in a reliquary over the altar of the Catholic church "Saint Nicholas" on the island of Lido in Venice.

The remaining 15% percent of the relics of St. Nicholas are scattered around the world and are stored in various churches and private collections. All of these 15% percent of the small fragments of the saint's relics do not have confirmation of a genetic examination for their correspondence to the relics stored in the city of Baria.

In 1992, an anthropological (important: not genetic) examination was carried out as a result, during which visual comparisons were compared for compliance with the relics of St. Nicholas, stored in Bari and in Venice. After a visual examination of the relics, scientists concluded that the parts of the skeleton belong to the same person and the Venetian part of the relics complements those parts of the skeleton that are missing in Bari.

According to some reports, part of the relics of Nicholas (fragments of the jaws and skull) are in archaeological museum Antalya.

In 2005, British anthropologists tried to reconstruct appearance Saint Nicholas. It turned out that Saint Nicholas was of a strong build, tall for that time, about 168 cm, he had a high forehead, protruding cheekbones and chin.

In 2017, Turkish archaeologists sensationally stated that the remains stored in Italy belong not to Nikolai Ugodnik at all, but to a completely different person, which allegedly proves the latest excavations, as a result of which a grave with the remains of the true St. Nicholas was found.

Miracles of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

A special place in the "acts" is given to the miracles of Nicholas the Wonderworker:

- standing in infancy during baptism in the font without anyone's support for three hours;

- taking milk only from the right breast of the mother;

- taking mother's milk on Wednesdays and Fridays only once and only in the evening, at the ninth hour;

- the salvation of the father and three girls from the fall;

- visiting the Holy places, during which the doors of all the temples opened by themselves in front of the saint at night;

- the expulsion of the devil from the ship;

- pacification by the power of prayer of the storm;

- the resurrection of a sailor who fell from the mast during a storm;

- saving three innocently convicted citizens from execution;

- salvation from death without guilt of slandered Roman military leaders;

- saving Mira's hometown from starvation;

- the myrrh-streaming of the relics of a saint is attributed to posthumous miracles.

In addition, it is customary to turn to Nicholas for help in health and healing.

There is an opinion among Christians that Nicholas the Wonderworker is the fastest responding saint to requests from those asking for help and intercession.

The Orthodox Church celebrates celebrations in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker three times a year - August 11 on his birthday, December 19, on the day of his death, and May 22 - in memory of the transfer of the saint's relics to the city of Bari.

Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered to be the prototype of the modern Santa Claus. This happened after Nicholas miraculously saved three girls from the fall - for three nights he put a bag of gold in a drying sock for each of the girls. It is from here that the tradition of Christmas gifts, which are customarily placed in a Christmas sock, began.

Santa Claus, translated from English, sounds like St. Nicholas.

What helps Nicholas the Wonderworker

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is revered as an assistant and protector of sailors and travelers, merchants, a protector of the unjustly convicted and an assistant to children.

Dates of the holidays of Nicholas the Wonderworker

Christians celebrate three holidays in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Each holiday has its own hymnography.

Orthodox and Catholics celebrate these holidays on different days - this is due to the use of different calendars by Orthodox and Catholics in services (Julian and Gregorian, respectively).

The holidays in honor of St. Nicholas are non-transitory, that is, the dates of these holidays are fixed and are celebrated on the same days every year.

The first day of the year is the day of the arrival of the relics of St. Nicholas in the Italian city of Barii - the Orthodox celebrate it on May 22, the Catholics on May 9 - "Nikola Spring".

Then Christians celebrate the birthday of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - the Orthodox celebrate on August 11, the Catholics on July 29 - "Nikola the Summer".

At the end of the year, Christians honor the day of the death of St. Nicholas the Pleasant - Orthodox celebrate December 19, Catholics celebrate December 6 - "Nikola the Winter".

What documents mention Nicholas the Wonderworker?

There are only two main documents describing the life and deeds of St. Nicholas, and the second document is based on the events described in the first source.

The first written document testifying to the life and deeds of St. Nicholas was found in the records of Presbyter Eustratius of Constantinople. This document was written 200 years after the miracle worker's death in the 6th century. Meanwhile, the records of Eustratius are nothing more than a small fragment of manuscripts called "The Acts of the Stratilates" (Praxis de stratelatis).

The time of the compilation of manuscripts called "The Acts of the Stratilates" also dates back to the 6th century. Subsequently, these manuscripts were constantly rewritten and supplemented, there are about 10 editions of the Acts of the Stratilates.

Thus, today there are no other well-known written monuments about St. Nicholas, except for the Act of the Stratilates.

The "Acts of the Stratilates" in their genre belong to intravital miracles. it tells us the earliest data about the life and deeds of St. Nicholas of Myra.

The next significant document, shedding light on the deeds and life of St. Nicholas, appeared only at the beginning of the 10th century, when Blessed Simeon Metaphrastus, on the orders of Constantine Porphyrogenic, compiled from the sources that preceded him, including the manuscripts of the Acts of the Stratilates, the full life of St. Nicholas.

But there is one thing. This, however, is due to the fact that some of the life events and deeds described in the biography of Nicholas the Wonderworker have nothing to do with him. Moreover, many of the acts of Nicholas simply completely run counter to historical dates.

In his writings, Archimandrite Antonin wrote that the ancient hagiographers in their manuscripts made an unforgivable mistake by mixing the lives of two wonderworkers with the same name Nicholas.

One of the miracle workers lived in Lycia and was the archbishop of Mount Myra in the 4th century (this is our Nicholas the Wonderworker).

Another miracle worker also lived in Lycia and his name was also Nicholas, only he lived already in the 6th century and was the rector of the Sion Monastery, the Archbishop of Pinara.

When studying documents about the life of Nikolai Pinarsky, it turned out that his parents were called Epiphanius and Nona, and he also had an uncle, and also Bishop Nikolai, who built the Zion Monastery.

Also in the life of Nikolai Pinarsky there is a story about his baptism and how but during the baptism he stood for two hours in the font.

Here is how the Monk Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) wrote:

“One can wonder how two faces, both famous, merged in the popular imagination, and then in the memory of the church, and one venerable and holy image, but the fact cannot be denied ... And so there were two St. Nicholas of Lycia.”

Miracles of Nicholas the Wonderworker ... The Resurrection of a Sailor

During one of his first sea voyages from Mira to Alexandria, where he went to study, Nicholas the Wonderworker resurrected a sailor who fell off the ship's mast and crashed to death.

Miracles of Nicholas the Pleasant ... Dowry for girls

Once Nikolai saved the whole family.

In his hometown there lived a bankrupt merchant who, due to the lack of a dowry, could not marry his daughters.

Finding nothing better to improve his plight, the merchant decides to send his adult daughters to work - to engage in prostitution.

Upon learning of this decision, Nikolai decides to save the unfortunate family.

At night, he secretly throws sacks of gold into the merchant's window three times. The merchant, on the received gold, restores not only his well-being, but also gives his daughters in marriage.

According to legend, one of the bags of gold thrown by Nikolai into the merchant's window falls right into the sock, left to dry.

It is thanks to this occasion that today there is a custom to put gifts for children in special socks for gifts from Santa Claus, who today is considered St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

The Miracles of Saint Nicholas…Journey to Jerusalem

During one of his journeys, St. Nicholas to the holy places in Jerusalem also had miracles.

It was so.

At the entrance to the sea, Nikolai saw that the devil was boarding the ship preparing to sail, wanting to cause a storm to sink the ship and the sailors.

Then Nikolai began to pray fervently, and with the power of his prayer to expel the devil from the ship, pacify the storm and save the sailors from inevitable death.

Other miracles took place directly in Jerusalem itself. After St. Nicholas entered the city, on the same night on Mount Zion, the locked doors of all churches opened before him by themselves, allowing Nicholas to all the holy places.

After visiting the holy places, Nicholas suddenly decides to retire to the desert, but right there, the Divine voice stops him and orders him to return home to continue his service to the Lord.

After returning home, he unexpectedly decides to join the brotherhood of the monastery of St. Zion, where he takes a dinner of silence. But again the Lord intervenes in the Fate of St. Nicholas and announces to him about another path:

“Nicholas, this is not the field on which you must bear the fruit that I expect; but turn and go into the world, and may My Name be glorified in you.”

Miracles of St. Nicholas ... The miraculous becoming of St. Nicholas the bishop of the city of Myra

While Nicholas was serving in his native city of Patara, Archbishop John dies in the neighboring city of Mira and the question arises of choosing a new bishop of the city of Mira. The day of choosing a new bishop arrives. There is no agreement in the camp of the electors. A miracle happens again - one of the bishops of the Cathedral has a vision in a dream in which the Lord points to Nicholas as a new bishop so that he can continue his ministry in the hierarchal rank. The next morning, the Council unanimously decides on the appointment of Nicholas as the bishop of the city of Peace.

Miracles of St. Nicholas ... Miraculous salvation of slandered citizens by St. Nicholas

Another of the miracles performed by St. Nicholas is the salvation from death of three unjustly condemned citizens, who were slandered by the mercenary mayor of the city.

During the execution, when the executioner had already raised the sword over the heads of the unjustly condemned, Saint Nicholas ascended the scaffold, held the raised sword with his hand and stopped the execution. The disgraced mayor fell on his face before Nicholas, repented and asked Saint Nicholas for his forgiveness.

Miracles of St. Nicholas ... Miraculous rescue of three Roman military leaders by St. Nicholas

The next miracle is the miraculous rescue of three Roman military leaders whom the emperor wanted to execute on a false denunciation.

When Nicholas saved the slandered townspeople from death, three Roman military leaders watched the failed execution. They, seeing how Nicholas stopped the execution and shamed the deceitful mayor, were imbued with faith and respect for him.

Upon returning home, they had to appear before the emperor with a report. At first, the emperor was very pleased with them, but after the envious slandered them by attributing them to a conspiracy against the emperor, he changed his favor to anger and ordered their execution.

By order of the emperor, military leaders are arrested, placed in a dungeon in order to be executed in the morning. Sitting in prison, the military leaders remember St. Nicholas and the miracle that he showed them, the day before stopping the execution of innocent citizens. Then they begin to fervently pray to Nicholas, asking him for intercession.

And the miracle was not slow to happen. On the same night, Nicholas appears in a dream to both the emperor and the prefect Ablabia. Nikolai, under pain of death, punishes the release of the slandered military leaders.

Waking up in the morning, the emperor orders a new investigation, which confirms the innocence of the slandered military leaders.

Convinced that the military leaders were slandered, the emperor pardons the condemned and gives them gifts - a golden Gospel, a golden censer adorned with stones, two lamps and orders them to transfer these gifts to St. Nicholas in the temple of the city of Myra.

The military leaders go to the city of Mira and betray gifts for the temple, warmly thanks to their intercessor Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Miracles of St. Nicholas ... Miraculous salvation by St. Nicholas of the city of Mira from hunger

Once St. Nicholas happened to save Mira's hometown from starvation. When there were very few food supplies left in the city and it seemed that there was no way to wait for help from anywhere, Nikolai creates a new miracle that saves the city.

In a dream, he appears to one of the Italian merchants, in a dream he tells him about a starving city and asks him to bring food, while promising to pay generously.

In the morning, when the merchant wakes up, he finds three gold coins clutched in his palm, which St. Nicholas sent him as an advance payment for food.

Responding to the request of the saint, the merchant immediately equipped a ship with food without delay. So Saint Nicholas saved the whole city from starvation.

Icon of Saint Nicholas

On the icons of St. Nicholas, it is customary to depict him with a miter on his head, a symbol of his bishopric.

Note

The city of Peace - Turkey, Antalya province, the modern city of Demre.

Arianism is one of the earliest currents in Christianity that asserted the non-consubstantiality of God the Father and God the Son. It existed from the 4th to the 6th centuries AD. e.

Despite the fact that St. Nicholas died 17 centuries ago, the question of where the relics of the Wonderworker are now is of concern to Orthodox believers. Researchers continue to write books about this amazing Pleaser of God.

But in the life, the miracles that are attributed to the great Bishop of Mirlikia, there are many discrepancies.

This is not surprising, because many temples and monasteries where shrines and icons were kept do not exist today.

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Biography

The birth of the future Wonderworker around 270. The family in which he was born was wealthy, lived in Lycia, in the city of Patara. Orthodox parents believed in the teachings of the Savior Christ. They saw their purpose in helping those in need.

Nicholas spent a lot of time in the church with his uncle, rector Nicholas of Patara. When he grew up, he was a reader in it, then a priest.

When his parents died, he gave his fortune to the poor, and decided to continue the church ministry. Soon he became the bishop of Mir Lycian (today Demre, Antalya in Turkey).

The new bishop fell in love with the parishioners, thanks to his responsiveness and justice. But he fought against paganism, was irreconcilable towards heretics.

Many legends have survived, and you can’t reread all the miracles that the Saint performed. For example:

1. A terrible famine began in the city of Mir. The saint began to pray fervently, the city was saved.
2. The saint always helped those at sea. Many sailors were rescued, whose ships were wrecked.
3. If in prisons there were people who did not deserve punishment, then he helped them with prayers. Somehow they got free.

Nobody can name the exact date of death. It is only known that he was a very old man. Date of death between 345 and 351. After watching the film "Wonderworker" by Arkady Mamontov, which tells about the archbishop of the World of Lycia, you can learn a lot of useful and interesting things.

relics

He was revered in many places the globe, wanted to get a piece of the remains in their temples.

After the death of the Saint, they buried him in the city of Myra. The Seljuks attacked Lycia in the 11th century. The Lycians decided to go to the mountains and take with them the remains of St. Nicholas. When the Italians from Bari, who revered the Saint, found out about this, they decided to steal the remains.

note: the history and fate of the remains of the great Pleaser of God, like his whole life, turned out to be difficult.

This happened in the year 87 of the 11th century. The Italians attacked the temple under cover of night. The robbers did not blaspheme, they did not kill the monks, but only tied them up. Thus, most of the remains were stolen. The relic was brought to Bari and a big celebration was held on May 9 (according to the new style).

Location of the remains today

At first, the local Cathedral was supposed to be chosen as the place of storage of the stolen relics. But then a temple was specially built. Two years later, in the year 89 of the 11th century, the shrine was placed in an underground chapel in the Basilica.

Every year on the same day, the clergy enter the Basilica to collect myrrh. The remains exude it. Myrrh is diluted with holy water. Pilgrims from all over the world take it with them. Consecrated oil helps in healing people.

In the city of Mira, after the abduction by the Italians, there was still a part of the relics. But they were not destined to stay at home. Soon she was kidnapped and taken to. Now the shrine is located in two tombs. That they are genuine has been proven by the anthropologist Luigi Martino.

Today, the remains of the Saint lie in two different churches of the same name:

• in Bari the main part;
• on the Lido island in Venice.

Every year pilgrims try to get into these churches to pray to the saint.

How to pray

Orthodox people pray before the icon of the Holy Pleasant or at his relics. Believers have been coming from all over the world for several millennia. Whatever request Christians make, they always receive help.

Most often they appeal to the righteous to:

1. He helped children, people who are far from home and in trouble.
2. Prosperity has come to the house.
3. Daughters married well.
4. St. Pleaser is considered the patron saint of children, they pray to him for wisdom in education and help in learning.
5. The innocent prisoners were set free.
6. Patronizes sailors and travelers.

People who pray need to have pure and kind thoughts. Then the Miracle Worker helps to survive the difficult situations that have happened in life.

Holy oil should be used to draw a cross on sick places and pray. As a rule, it must be pronounced, discarding unnecessary thoughts, standing in front of the icon at home or in the Temple.

You should get up as early as possible and in silence give praise to God's Pleaser. And prayer words at night soothe, sleep easily and calmly. If there is a desire, then you can pray as much as your heart desires.

It's important to know: in Russia, a piece of the relics of the great Saint are in the Danilov Holy Trinity Monastery in Moscow. In St. Petersburg, in St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany, there is an ancient 17th-century icon of the Wonderworker with a particle of relics.

Prayer helps when a believer with a pure soul attends church, prays fervently, lives Christian life. Many parishioners know by heart the seven types of prayers dedicated to the Saint.

But you don't have to limit yourself to prayers. Many more miracles happen after reading an akathist. It contains special words that help to cope with any difficulties.

Many women were able to give birth to long-awaited children by turning to the Saint with a prayer. There are people who have been helped by reading an akathist and fervent prayers to the Wonderworker to overcome serious illnesses and terrible illnesses.

How to get to the relics

The relics of the Holy Pleaser of God are located at the address: Italy, the city of Bari, the Basilica of St. Nicholas. It was built in the 11th century. People from all over the world find every opportunity to touch the shrine. There are also believers from Russia.

As for the pilgrimage, it became active in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas was built in Bari. Bari's Old Town is three kilometers away. The new church has a wide courtyard that can accommodate big number believers from all over the world.

You can join the pilgrimage group by arriving in Bari in an organized way. If a decision is made to get to Bari on your own, then transport links are well developed here:

1. There is no direct flight connection with Italy, so you will first have to fly to some Italian city or Germany, and only then to Bari. It is easier for Europeans because there are seasonal flights.
2. Another way is by rail.
3. You can also get from the cities of Italy by bus.
4. From Croatia, Albania, there are ferries.

Take note: in Orthodox calendar three important dates. The Nativity of the Holy Saint is celebrated on August 11th. Memorial Day is considered December 19 - this is the date of death, and May 22 - the day of the transfer of holy relics. These days, all men bearing the name Nikolai are celebrating name days.

Despite the fact that Nicholas the Wonderworker lived and worked miracles many centuries ago, people continue to believe in him. Faith brings positive results. Many have experienced the miracles that the Holy Pleasure gave them.

How the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker stream myrrh, see the following video:

The beautiful town of Bari is located in a region called Apulia. This area was founded in the 5th century BC. The architecture of different centuries is still preserved in the city, which adds a special flavor to it. Another feature is that these lands have seen numerous saints. It is here that their relics are kept, Catholic cathedrals are located, and Orthodox churches are also being built. To a greater extent, this is what the city of Bari in Italy is famous for. The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker found refuge in this land. As it turned out, the saint is revered not only by Christians, but also by Catholics. Nicholas the Wonderworker is the patron saint of orphans, he saves all travelers imprisoned in captivity from sudden death, as well as serious illnesses.

The history of the appearance of the relics of the saint in Bari

Until his death, Nikolai Ugodnik served as a bishop in one of the churches in the city of Mira. Even during earthly life, this saint was considered a healer and protector of all the helpless. After his death, his relics were placed in the temple. When several Orthodox people received healing, the temple became a center of pilgrimage. But in those days the city was subjected to Muslim raids, it was a direct threat to the preservation of the integrity of the relics. It was decided to transport the remains of Nikolai Ugodnik to a safer place. Bari merchants went to Mira and managed to take the relics to the city of Bari (Italy). The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker arrived in the harbor and ended up on safe land.

in Bari

The very next day, in a solemn atmosphere, the remains were located in the church. Since that time, the celebration of the day of the transfer of relics has been held annually. This event is still remembered today. On this day, a special atmosphere reigns in the city. The residents put on a show. Several hundred people dress up and reenact the centuries-old event.

Many seek to visit St. Nicholas in Bari on this very day. The holiday is incredibly revered in Italy, in addition, it is known in Russia, Bulgaria and Serbia. To date, part of the relics is in Turkey, since during transportation the Barians could not collect the smallest remains. Also, some of the relics are in Venice, they got there during the crusade. There are several points of view regarding this event.

Salvation or theft?

So, for example, the Barians themselves and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church believe that the relics were indeed saved, at that time it was the most rational decision. But here he has a completely different opinion. Such an act is regarded as theft. As it turned out, the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are myrrh-streaming, have an incredible miraculous effect. The people who took over the transportation of the relics opened the coffin and discovered a strange phenomenon. The skeleton of Nicholas the Wonderworker was immersed in an unknown liquid, which, moreover, was fragrant. Orthodox people call this phenomenon "peace", but Catholics - "manna of St. Nicholas."

Church of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari

The construction of the temple began in 1087, it was in this year that the relics of St. Nicholas were transported to Bari (Italy). From that day on, the city became a kind of fortress of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The people living here considered the presence of relics on earth a real miracle. The construction of the temple was planned in the very center locality. Already in short time the dome of the temple flaunted over the city, which became its most striking decoration. Upon completion of construction, the temple became the real center of the majority historical events. It was within these walls that Peter of Amiens himself preached. It was also here that the crusade was announced, church gatherings were held, and a decision was made to unite the Western and Eastern churches. There is a conjecture that the church was erected on the site of the governor's palace, because of this the decoration of the temple is quite controversial.

Architecture

To date, the temple is slightly offset from the center, because the city was actively built. The monastery is located near the Adriatic Sea. The temple is beautiful building of two rooms - the lower and upper churches. In the upper temple is the tomb of the Saint.

Nicholas in Bari refers to more ancient buildings, this is evidenced by the decoration of the monastery and wall paintings. The ceiling arch of the temple is supported by 26 majestic columns, which are made of natural marble.

Shrines of the monastery

In the right corner of the temple there is a special column made of red marble and called the miraculous pillar. There is a belief that it was this column that Nicholas the Wonderworker himself brought to the temple. Pilgrims simply come to her with prayers for help and healing. The cancer is located below the floor level and is covered with special plates. A hole was made there so that the priest could carefully descend and collect the myrrh. For the same purpose, for easy collection, the tomb is set at an angle.

You can get access to this shrine if you arrive with a group of pilgrims and receive the blessing of the rector of the temple himself.

In the right corner of the monastery is the so-called treasury. It is here that everyone can thank St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari and leave gifts for the temple and the tomb. Also in this corner are miraculous icons who can be contacted with any request. One of the most valuable gifts is the icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker himself. It was this image that was donated by the Serbian king Uros III, who managed to regain his sight within these walls. In the same corner you can see the relics brought from crusades. The relics of the apostles Thomas and Jacob are kept here, as well as the most holy shrine - a thorn from the crown of Jesus.

In the upper temple there is a majestic statue in honor of St. Nicholas. For safety, the statue was covered glass dome. Under it, parishioners put notes with requests. Every year on May 9, the statue is taken to the city with a solemn procession. The feast of the transfer of relics is considered one of the most important in the city. Not only Catholic services, but also Orthodox services are held in Bari (Italy). The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker strive to see everything.

Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari

Nikolai Ugodnik is one of the most revered saints of Russia. Russian Orthodoxy together with Nicholas II made several attempts to restore the church in Mir. Unfortunately, all these attempts were unsuccessful. Based on this, it was decided to create a Russian court on the territory of Bari (Italy). Thanks to this, the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker became available to Russian pilgrims. Money for this construction was collected by the whole country. A special fee was established, which could be paid on the feast of St. Nicholas. The biggest contribution was made royal family, thanks to this, the necessary building was erected.

Already in 1914 a shelter for Russian pilgrims was opened. The building is designed for 30 people, but there were times when more people settled here. Unfortunately, in 1937 the building passed into the possession of. But already in 2009, the building was again transferred to the ownership of Russia.

Pilgrimage to Bari to Nicholas the Wonderworker

According to historians, the pilgrimage of Orthodox people to these places began in the 15th century. In the 19th century, representatives of the royal family and other cultural and political figures were frequent guests here. Russian Empire. Throughout all these centuries, people have observed a huge number of miracles that really were a reality. Because of this, believers come here every day. You must visit this temple at least once in your life. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Italy (the city of Bari) gives special favor to his guests. Many amazing stories are told by pilgrims from all over the world about miraculous changes after visiting this monastery. Some found health, others found love. But the main gift that Saint Nicholas can give is faith.

The relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia!

May 22 - the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Great holiday for all Orthodox. It is also called Nikolin's day and the holiday of St. Nicholas the Pleasant.

On the evening of May 21, a particle of relics was delivered from Italy to Russia for the first time. one of the most revered saints - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In Christianity, he is the patron of travelers, prisoners and orphans, in the West - the patron of almost all sectors of society, but mostly children. In Russia, many temples and monasteries are named after him, and his icons stand in houses. The relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were kept for 930 years in the Italian city of Bari in the Basilica of St. Nicholas, a Romanesque church of the 12th century. As Patriarch Kirill noted, this is a unique event, since during the entire stay of the relics of St. Nicholas in Bari, they never left the city. The transfer of part of the relics became possible after the meeting of Cyril with Pope Francis on February 12, 2016.

May 22 at 14.00 in the main Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow(St. Volkhonka, 15, metro station Kropotkinskaya) access to the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was opened. Already on Monday morning, the queue of those wishing to bow to the shrine reached more than one and a half kilometers in length. Moscow is ready to accept any number of pilgrims, and the queue, if necessary, can increase to 5 kilometers. More than two thousand law enforcement officers will be responsible for the safety of parishioners. In addition, for convenience, 11 food and recreation points for visitors are located near the temple.

On May 22, access to the relics will be from 14.00 to 21.00, and on the following days - from 8.00 to 21.00. The queue for visiting is formed from the Crimean bridge. Volunteers in light green vests stand all the way from the Park Kultury metro station to the embankment.

Part of the relics is stored in a noble metals the ark, which is covered with protective glass. It is believed that the rib of the saint is in the ark. May 22 to July 12 particles of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker will be available for worship in Moscow, then - from 13 to 28 July they will stay in Petersburg. For their accommodation, the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra is being considered. After that, the relics will return to Italy.

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In the Italian city of Bari, the precious casket was kept for 930 years in the basement of the Basilica of St. Nicholas under a marble slab. Every year, the feast of St. Nicholas is splendidly celebrated here with a folk procession, during which a statue from the basilica is carried through the streets. See a photo report from the ceremony of handing over the shrine in Moscow. The post also includes pictures from social media.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker: history, traditions and whom he helps

Orthodox Christians greatly revere God's Pleasant, and they commemorate Him twice a year - on December 19 and May 22. “There are many historical figures in life that the world remembers. But, probably, there is not a single person in the world who would not know about the feat of St. Nicholas,” said Bishop Pavel, Metropolitan of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl.

Saint Nicholas was born in the city of Patara, in the second half of the 3rd century, in the family of the pious people Theophan and Nonna. The mother was very ill, but with the birth of her son, who himself stood in the font during baptism for some time, unsupported by anyone, she received healing.

His life is amazing from the day he was born. From childhood he led an ascetic life. He was not interested in entertainment, empty talk or games with peers. He studied spiritual literature, spent time in fasting and prayer. Seeing such virtues, his uncle, who was Bishop of Patara, took him to be a reader, and then a little later elevated him to the priesthood.


From a young age, Nicholas was characterized by great mercy, he always tried to help everyone who turned to him for help, and did it with great love. By this he won the love and gratitude of all the inhabitants of the city.

A case is known when Nicholas set off on a journey to Palestine by ship and, seeing the approach of a storm, stopped it with his prayer. He resurrected a sailor who fell from the mast and crashed. And upon arrival in Palestine, having settled not far from Jerusalem, he wanted to pray at night in the temple. Arriving, he saw a lock on the doors, but suddenly the doors opened of their own accord, letting him into the temple.

After visiting Jerusalem, he wanted to stay in the desert, in the Zion monastery, but he heard a voice that another place of service awaited him, where he should be useful. And he went to Myra, where he lived very modestly, attending all church services.
And when it was necessary to elect a new bishop of the Lycian country, the assembled bishops, who did not come to a consensus on the candidacy, fervently prayed to God to reveal this man to them.

And the oldest in the vision was told: whoever first enters the temple for the morning service, this is this man, whose name is Nicholas. St. Nicholas, who got up very early, came to the temple first, and the elder turned to him with a request to tell him his name. After the elder learned the name, there was no doubt. So he was elected to the chair of the World. To this day, this city exists, although all the cities were destroyed by the Turks, and that temple, albeit in a dilapidated form, testifies to the mercy of God.

Nicholas the Wonderworker: miracles

Much can be said about his miraculous help. When there was a famine in Lycia, one merchant, loading a ship with bread and food to sail somewhere to the west, saw in a dream St. Nicholas, who told him to bring food to Lycia, and he would buy cargo from him, and gave him a deposit three coins. Imagine the merchant's surprise when, waking up, he saw three coins in his hand. Taking food to Lycia, he thus saved the inhabitants from starvation.

Even during the life of the Saint, there are cases when he reconciled the warring parties, acted as a defender of the innocently condemned, and saved from death.

It is known that sailors have repeatedly turned and turn to the Saint during a storm, asking for intercession. The pagans also turn to him.

“And he hears everyone and helps everyone! When the Lord called St. Nicholas to eternity, he rewarded him with other gifts that exist to this day. People know about it, widows and orphans pray to him, and he helps. The country is praying from hunger, cold… He is a quick helper, he secretly showed God’s mercy to everyone, with his deep faith, and therefore the Lord gave him such grace and strength,” Vladyka explained.

In 1097 Saint Nicholas appeared in a dream to a priest from the city of Bari, commanding him to transfer his relics from Mira to Bari.
What happened on May 22, 1097: the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were transferred from the World of Lycian to Bari (Bargrad).

“It was probably not by chance that the relics of the Saint were transferred, but by God's providence. The Greeks, the Byzantines failed to save this treasure, it is taken from us for our unholy life, and the Lord makes people understand this. If St. Nicholas did not want to, then his relics would have been in the Worlds until that time, but he could not endure such a cold-blooded attitude and, probably, in order for the relics to be preserved, they were transported to Bari, where until today hundreds of thousands, millions of people come to worship.

Maybe not so much for worship as for help. One abbess, when she needs something, simply turns to St. Nicholas. I have already noticed that if she reads the Akathist to St. Nicholas, then something is needed. And he, hearing her requests, helps, by God's mercy. Therefore, I would like to ask everyone who is in heresy, in schism - look at this great teacher of piety, a Christian, and follow his good example if you want to be saved. Because the heresy is Arian, it has filled the world to this day, and today what the seven Ecumenical Councils recognized as heresy is spreading, unfortunately, by our people and taking root through sects and schisms,” the Metropolitan stated with regret.

Prayer to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all-holy Nicholas, the Lord's most beautiful servant, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper! Help me, a sinner and a dull one, in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me the remission of all my sins, having sinned from my youth, in all my life, deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me, the damned one, implore the Lord God, all creatures of the Sodetel, to deliver me from air ordeals and eternal torment, may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and your merciful intercession, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.
Nicholas the Wonderworker is addressed with a variety of requests:

* about healing
* about the patronage of the family hearth
* for children
* about help in poverty and need
* about assistance in various trips
* about help in all difficult circumstances
* about the most cherished hopes.

If it rains today, then it's good luck. There is such a sign in folk calendar associated with St. Nicholas Day. It often comes true. It is believed that Nikolin's day on May 22 is, although it is also a calendar spring, but a symbol of the onset of summer, which means the summer will be warm.

On Nikolin's Day, May 22, it is customary to cook special food: bake pancakes and cook duck soup. Be sure to leave a piece of pancake and throw it out the window to the birds. Birds should peck crumbs, then luck will definitely come to you.