In ancient times, on the territory of Asia Minor, which today is part of Turkey, the state of Lycia was located. One of its largest and most famous cities in our time was called Patara. There, in 270, the great holy Christian church Nikolai the Miracle Worker was born, whose life and miracles became part of the Holy Tradition, sacredly preserved for many centuries.
Son prayed to God
From the life of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker, compiled shortly after his blessed assumption, which followed about 345, it appears that the parents of the future saint of God - Theophanes and Nonna - were deeply pious and pious people. For the virtues and many alms done to the poor and destitute, the Lord sent them a lad, who became an ambulance of all truly believing people and intercession before the Throne of the Most High.
They named their firstborn Nicholas, which in Greek means "conqueror of nations." This became symbolic in its own way, since in the future many nations bowed before his name, paying tribute to the great victor of human anger and hatred. Outlining the summary of the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, one can not miss the important fact that he was a child praying for God, because, having lived for many years in marriage, Theophanes and Nonna had no children, and only through their unceasing prayers did the Lord send them, finally, the long-awaited happiness.
Priesthood ordination
Pious parents eagerly responded to the proposal of their closest relative - the bishop of Patara, who advised him to consecrate his son to God. This archpastor of God, also bearing the name of Nicholas, fell to the future saint as his uncle and from an early age took upon himself the work of his spiritual nourishment. Rejoicing at the sight of the young man, estranging himself from the temptations of the vain world, he was constantly searching for fellowship with God, his uncle with his inner eye could see the future vessel of true faith in his nephew. Since that time, the fate of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is inextricably linked with the ministry of the Church.
After several years studying the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the Fathers of the Church, Bishop Nicholas ordained his ward to the priesthood. In the life of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker it is said that after the sacrament was performed, the archpastor, turning to the parishioners who filled the church, said that the Lord had revealed to them “a new sun rising above the earth.” His words were truly prophetic.
Having become a presbyter, which, according to ancient canons, corresponded to the second degree of the priesthood, Saint Nicholas worked tirelessly, fulfilling his pastoral mission. Being mortal, like all the people around him, he wholeheartedly strove to imitate ethereal forces, filling his life with fasts and prayers. Such a deep dedication allowed him to ascend to a high level of spiritual perfection and become worthy to govern the Church.
Led by Christians of Patara
An important event noted in the biography of Nicholas the Miracle Worker is the departure of his uncle to Palestine, where he went to worship the holy places. Leaving Patara for a long time, the archpastor entrusted the management of all church affairs to his nephew, since he considered him to have grown spiritually sufficiently to fulfill such a high mission.
Having become the head of the church life of the city, Saint Nicholas performed his duties as zealously as his uncle, who was then in Palestine. This stage of his earthly journey is marked by a very characteristic event, testifying to the commitment of the young presbyter to eternal values.
Soon after the departure of the bishop, the Lord called the parents of St. Nicholas to His heavenly chambers, and he became the heir to a very significant estate. However, instead of taking advantage of the benefits received and surrounding himself with comfort, he sold all the property he received and distributed the money to the poor. By this St. Nicholas exactly fulfilled the covenant of Jesus Christ given to them by all who wish to find eternal life.
Secret alms
Further setting forth a brief summary of the life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, one cannot ignore yet another episode, in its entirety, showing his readiness to come to the aid of his neighbor and to show concern for the salvation of his soul. It is known that one, formerly a very rich and respected resident of the city of Patara, suddenly went broke and fell into extreme poverty. The blows of fate that followed one after another threw him into such despair that, seeing no other way to provide himself and his three daughters with food, he set out to give them for fornication, turning his house into a nest of debauchery.
The unfortunate father was already ready for the sake of daily bread to destroy the souls of his young daughters and doom himself to eternal perdition, but the All-Merciful Lord instilled in the heart of His servant Nikolai the Wonderworker compassion for the dying family. Secretly from everyone (for Jesus Christ commanded this to do alms), he performed great beneficence. Under cover of night, St. Nicholas carried purses with gold into the man’s house, which helped him to get out of need and to marry his daughters to decent and wealthy people. This is just one example of the mercy inherent in God's saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the life of the saint many cases were described when he fed the hungry, dressed nude and redeemed insolvent debtors from their lenders.
Way to the Holy Land
After some time, Bishop Nikolai returned from Palestine, and his nephew, deservedly gaining the glory of a worthy and respected shepherd, also decided to go to the holy land in order to personally witness the places associated with the events described in the New Testament.
A sea voyage to the holy land was another important episode that entered the biography of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, since several miracles that glorified his name are associated with him. It is known, in particular, that at a time when a ship with pilgrims sailed past the shores of Egypt, and the sea was almost completely calm, the saint unexpectedly announced to his companions that a storm was approaching that could destroy them. His words were met with doubt, because even seafaring sailors did not see at that moment signs of imminent disaster.
However, very soon the sky was overcast, the wind blew and a terrible storm broke out. Waves swept the ship, and he was ready to plunge into the depths of the sea. Then Saint Nicholas appealed to the Lord and prayed for Him to save them from imminent death. His words were heard, the storm soon subsided. Grateful pilgrims glorified God and His faithful servant, who so miraculously brought them salvation.
Following the description of this miracle, the life of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker contains a story about the resurrection of a sailor who fell off the mast and crashed to death on the deck floor. It is known that the grace for the accomplishment of such lofty deeds is granted by the Lord only to His chosen children, and therefore the return to life of a person who had recently been lying on the deck with a cold corpse is proof of his true holiness. The miracles described above, performed by St. Nicholas on the way to the holy land, became the basis for his recognition as a patron of travelers.
Worship of holy places
Having made a stop in Alexandria and healed many suffering there, the holy saint of God continued on his way and arrived safely in Palestine. In the holy city of Jerusalem, he poured out his warm prayers to the Lord, standing on the stones of Golgotha, who became witnesses of His cross torment to save the human race. He went around other places connected with the earthly life of Jesus Christ, offering prayers everywhere and glorifying God.
The book of the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker describes, in particular, how the doors of one Jerusalem church, which was locked for the night, opened before him, testifying that the entrance to the temple of God is unselected to someone for whom the gates of heaven are open. Having stayed in the holy land for a long time, St. Nicholas wanted to retire to the desert, and there, exhausting himself with ascetic exploits, continue to serve God, but a voice from above ordered him to return to his homeland.
The adoption of the archbishop's dignity
Returning to Lycia, the saint of God did not settle in Patara, because there his name was surrounded by universal veneration, and he tried to avoid worldly glory. He chose the large and populous city of Myra as his place of residence, where no one knew him. However, even there, his holiness did not remain hidden from the people. By the will of God, St. Nicholas was soon able to take the vacant place of the archbishop and head of the whole Lycian church.
Having taken the archpastoral dignity, Saint Nicholas in everything was an example to imitate his large flock. The doors of his house were constantly open for all who needed help and support. Imitating the holy apostles, whose successor he was, the saint carried the word of God to people, but, besides this, he became a support in their earthly life, trying, whenever possible, to be useful to everyone. That is why it has become a tradition to offer prayers to Nicholas the Wonderworker for help in work and in all other everyday affairs.
The strip of tests of the flesh and spirit
For several years, the saint peacefully grazed the flock of God entrusted to him, until the enemy of the human race settled hatred of Christians in the hearts of two wicked kings Maximian and Diocletian. They issued a decree according to which all who professed the teachings of Christ and did not want to renounce it should be put in prison, and then put to torment and death. Among other prisoners who suffered for the faith, there was also beloved Archbishop Nikolai. Once in the prison, with extraordinary courage he endured suffering and with his archpastoral word supported others.
But the all-merciful Lord did not allow the wicked to do lawlessness for a long time. The power of the godless kings collapsed, and Emperor Constantine I the Great, who replaced them on the throne, made Christianity the state religion. One of his first acts was the convening of the Ecumenical Council in the city of Nicaea, in which the heretical teachings of the ungodly Arius were cursed by the holy fathers of the church, among whom was the archbishop of the Lycian city of Mira. The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, whose brief content formed the basis of this story, with all the details reproduces the scene of his fiery speech, which served the triumph of true Christian teaching.
Archpastoral service to God and people
Returning to the Worlds, the archpastor of God continued his ministry, as before, zealously protecting the souls of the townspeople from the tares of heretical teachings and at the same time protecting them from the arbitrariness of unrighteous rulers. Thus, by the power given to him by God, the saint delivered three men who were sentenced to death on false charges from death. He also forced some governors, who were heading to Phrygia to pacify the rebellion, to restrain the soldiers entrusted to them from looting and robbery, and then, when they returned to Byzantium, they became victims of vicious slander and saved their lives.
Another vivid evidence that the Lord gave Nikolai the Miracle Worker the power to command the winds and waves, can serve as an episode, also described in his life. From the pages of this book we learn how once a ship sailing from Egypt was caught in a storm, and the sailors mentally called out to the well-known and highly respected Archbishop Mir Lycian with a plea for salvation. The saint immediately appeared to them and ordered the storm to calm down. The wind immediately abated, the waves subsided, and, standing at the helm of the ship, the saint of God helped the sailors to safely reach the shore.
The death and commencement of posthumous veneration
After living a long life in the Worlds and devoting himself to the service of God, the saint was discharged in 345. All the archpastors of the Lycian land, accompanied by numerous clergy and laity, gathered at his burial. The body of the deceased was placed in the cathedral church and was soon pacified, and miracles of healing began to take place around him. Rumors about them quickly spread throughout the country, and thousands of sick and crippled hurried to the place of burial. Since that time, the posthumous worship of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker began, quickly stepping outside Lycia and becoming a tradition of the entire Christian world.
Relocation of the relics to the city of Bari
For several centuries, the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker rested in the city of Mira, but over time, Asia Minor was completely conquered by the Arabs, and many tombs of Christian saints were desecrated. In 792, such a threat hung over the grave of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, but a group of Janissaries sent to plunder it erroneously opened a neighboring burial ground.
In 1087, Italian merchants attempted to save the shrine from imminent desecration, and at the same time raise the religious prestige of their city of Bari. By cunning they recognized the place where the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were located and, opening the tomb, abducted them. Delivering priceless cargo to their hometown, merchants were greeted with universal glee. Since then, Bari has become one of the most visited Christian pilgrimage centers. Today, as over the past centuries, believers from all over the world seek to bow to one of the most famous and revered saints.
The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Saint Nicholas the Miracle Worker is such a significant figure in the consciousness of Christians around the world that the need to bow to his relics is peculiar to people of different countries. Since far from all of them can go on a pilgrimage, the Church goes to meet them and periodically provides an opportunity to join the shrine in their homeland. So, in May 2017, the ark with the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker was delivered to Moscow. This was a significant event in the religious life of all of Russia.
In the cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker remained until mid-July and after that they were transported to St. Petersburg. During their stay in the capital, 1.8 million people came to worship Peace to the Lycian saint, and about another million believers worshiped them in the city on the Neva. After this, on July 28, the precious ark returned to Italy.
The veneration of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia
Despite the importance of such a significant event, it should be noted that in Russia itself there are many churches where the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are located, albeit in the form of fragments of extremely small size, which, however, does not deprive them of grace. This is understandable, since Archbishop Mir Lycian, or, as he is popularly called, Nikola Ugodnik, is one of the most revered saints of the Russian Orthodox Church. And, accordingly, over the centuries, maximum efforts have been made to ensure that the particles of his relics become a national treasure.
It is known that veneration of the saint was widely spread in Russia as far back as the 11th century, and at that time a holiday was set up in his honor, dedicated to the day of the transfer of honest relics from the Lycian world to the Italian city of Bari. Currently, his memory is celebrated twice a year ─ December 6 (19) and July 29 (August 11). Prayers to Nicholas the Wonderworker for help in work, family life and various everyday affairs are offered by Orthodox believers both on holidays and on weekdays. The text of one of them is given in our article. It contains a request for help in a “real life”, that is, in all aspects of life, including work that brings us daily bread.
In many cities of the country, churches were erected in honor of Nicholas the Wonderworker. One of the most famous among them is the St. Nicholas Epiphany Cathedral in St. Petersburg, built in 1762 by the architect S. I. Chevakinsky. A photo of this amazing masterpiece of Russian baroque is placed at the end of the article.
Many episodes of the life course of the saint of God became the subjects of paintings depicting his service to God, but, undoubtedly, the most complete picture of him can be obtained by reading the life of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the summary of which is the basis of this article.