Saint Nicholas in the Orthodox church calendar not one holiday is dedicated. On December 19, according to a new style, the day of the saint's death is remembered, August 11 - his birth. The people called these two holidays Nikola Winter and Nikola Autumn. On May 22, believers remember the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which took place in 1087. The Orthodox called this day Nikola Veshniy (that is, spring), or Nikola Letniy.

Life

Saint Nicholas was born in the year 258 in the city of Patara, near Lycia, on the southern coast of the Asia Minor peninsula. His parents Theophanes and Nonna were pious and righteous Christians, but for a long time were childless, about which they grieved very much and constantly prayed to God to send them a child.

The Lord heard their prayers and sent them a son, and they vowed to devote their only child to the service of God. At birth, he was given the name Nikolai, which means the winner of the nations. And he, with the blessing of God, truly became the conqueror of malice, for the good of the whole world.

Saint Nicholas showed the first miracle at his very birth, having healed his mother from a serious illness. Then the newborn, still in the font, during baptism stood on his feet for three hours, unsupported by anyone, giving this honor to the Holy Trinity. On fast days, the child spontaneously took breast milk only once, in the evenings.

From childhood, he was different from those children who played on the streets with loud screams all day. When Nikolai learned to read, he almost immediately began studying the Holy Scriptures and other spiritual books.

He spent nights in prayer, and days in righteous labors. He in every possible way avoided vain friends and idle conversations, avoided conversations with women and did not even look at them.

His uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patarsky, seeing such zeal and chastity, made the young man a reader, and then elevated him to the rank of priest.

The miracle worker led an ascetic lifestyle, that is, he even ate food only once a day in the evenings. Throughout his life, the saint deliberately deprived himself of all benefits. All his wealth, inherited from his parents, Nikolai gave to the poor and needy. Thus, he dedicated his earthly existence to serving people and God.

After a while, Nicholas the Pleasant ended up in the city of Myra, the capital of Lycia, where no one knew him. He lived like a beggar, but he attended services day after day. At the same time, the archbishop died in Mira, and the bishops at the council tried in vain to elect a new one.

Through prayers, one of the elders had a vision that the first person who would enter the church at midnight should become the archbishop. It turned out to be the humble and meek Saint Nicholas.

The new archbishop became a real protector of the poor and disadvantaged. With great love, he took care of his flock. Under the emperor Diocletian, the persecutor of Christians, Saint Nicholas was imprisoned, but even there he preached and took care of the prisoners.

Despite his great meekness of spirit and purity of heart, Saint Nicholas was a zealous and courageous soldier of the Church of Christ.

Struggling with the spirits of malice, the saint bypassed the pagan temples and temples in the city of Myra and its environs, crushing idols and turning the temples to dust.

In 325, already under Emperor Constantine, the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, among others, was invited to the First Ecumenical council in Nicaea. There Saint Nicholas not only denounced the heretical teaching of Arius, but even hit him on the cheek for blasphemy.

Those present considered this to be excessive jealousy, and the saint was defrocked and sent to the prison tower. However, soon the wonderworker was returned to the council, convinced of his correctness.

Having reached a ripe old age, Saint Nicholas died peacefully in about 351.

His honest relics were kept incorrupt in the local cathedral church and exuded a healing myrrh, from which many received healings.

In 1087, his relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bari, where they rest to this day.

Wonders

Saint Nicholas became famous for many miracles - he saved Lycia from hunger, during the outbreak of rebellion in Phrygia, he helped three imperial governors to pacify the crowd and resolve the conflict peacefully.

By prayer, he stopped the sea element. This happened during the water journey of the miracle worker to the Holy Land. The holy man predicted that a hurricane would break out, and the ship would sink, but his pleas changed the treacherous intentions of nature.

The miracle worker saved from certain death three men who, through the fault of fate, fell into a number of innocent convicts. Nicholas simply held the murder weapon, which the executioner raised over the heads of the unfortunate, and the prosecutor, realizing who was in front of him, repented of his plan.

Fragment of the icon "St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Zaraisky with his life"

He also saved the three daughters of an impoverished old man from dishonor. Three times on a dark night, he threw purses with gold coins into the old man's window, and the old man managed to marry all three daughters with a dowry to worthy people.

It is impossible to count his miracles in the same way as it is impossible to describe all of them in detail.

The miraculous icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered Orthodox images of the Saints. They turn to the divine image in prayer in various life situations, and as people say, with a sincere petition of believers, he quickly responds and comes to the aid of those in need.

history of the holiday

The exact time of the establishment of the celebration of the Nativity of Nicholas the Wonderworker is unknown. Most likely, this holiday was originally local in the Lycian Worlds of Asia Minor, where the saint served as an archbishop, and in the homeland of his parents.

Then, during the time of the Crusades, the holiday could spread throughout the entire Nicene Empire and from there come to Russia, where the saint was deeply revered from ancient times.

Presumably, this church celebration also existed among the ancient people - the Greeks, who lived in those distant times on the territory of the Russians, but so far this information has not been confirmed.

Since the ninth century, Nicholas the Pleasant was revered in Russia as the heavenly patron of sovereign power - it was believed that he especially patronized the Orthodox tsars.

It is also known that in the 13th century the tradition of celebrating his Nativity in the Russian Orthodox Church already existed; in Veliky Novgorod there was even a monastery dedicated to the Nativity of St. Nicholas.

However, during the reign of Catherine the Great, the church-wide celebration of the Nativity of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia was abolished.
The celebration was resumed several centuries later, and in honor of the feast of the Nativity of St. Nicholas, a troparion and a kontakion were compiled, which have been known since ancient times in the liturgical life of the Russian Orthodox Church.

There is also information that one of the surviving church services dedicated to this holiday was compiled during the time of Nikon's patriarchate in 1657.

The feast of the saint's birth was revived in 2004 with the blessing of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, and therefore is not yet very widely known in Russia.

Honoring the saint

The veneration of Saint Nicholas very quickly spread throughout the Christian world, both in the East and in the West. Numerous churches were dedicated to him, people turned to him in prayers, hoping for healing and help.

From folk legends that have appeared over the centuries, we learn that St. Nicholas helped the poor and the unfortunate, quietly at night throwing gold coins into the shoes left at the door and putting pies in the windows.

Around 960, the first musical work about St. Nicholas was written in the West, where a new version of the translation of the life of the saint was proposed: instead of the word "innocentes" (innocent), "pueri" (children) was used in relation to the three inhabitants of Mir, unjustly sentenced to death ...

Due to the fact that this medieval piece of music about the holy bishop had an incredible success, the tradition of venerating Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of children was born. However, even before that, sailors, prisoners, bakers and merchants had chosen him as their heavenly protector.

What they pray for

People pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker in a variety of life trials, and, as people testify, he soon responds to the prayer of believers.

They pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker for travelers (remembering how St. Nicholas by the power of prayer pacified a storm that played out at sea, which almost sank the ship on which the Miracle Worker Nicholas was).

They pray to Saint Nicholas for the safe marriage of their daughters (remembering how Saint Nicholas secretly donated money for a dowry to the daughters of a ruined man so that they could get married).

They pray to the saint for deliverance from hunger. Even during his lifetime, Nicholas the Wonderworker became famous as a pacifier of warring people, a defender of the innocent convicted and a deliverer from a vain death.

There is no strictly obligatory list of things to do in which to pray to every saint. Therefore, Saint Nicholas, like other saints, can pray for help in all difficult situations.

On August 11, you can ask Saint Nicholas for the most intimate, if, of course, you believe in God. And do not hesitate - your request will be heard by the miracle worker.

PRAYER TO NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER

With the help of this prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker and faith in the miracle that she performs, a person can heal from an incurable disease, avoid troubles, dramatically change his fate in better side, feel a surge of new strength, energy and vivacity.

Collected Wonderworker and a fair servant of Christ, Father Nicholas! To the whole world, exuding a rich world of mercy, and the inexhaustible miracles of the sea, spiritual fortresses set, and I praise thee with love, blessed Saint Nicholas: as if you had boldness in the Lord, freedom from all my troubles, yes I call to you: Hail, Nicholas, great Miracle-working, Rejoice, Nicholas, great Miracle worker, rejoice, Nikolai, great Miracle worker!

The Angel in the image, the earthly being by the nature of the manifestation of all creatures of the Creator; Having foreseen the beneficial kindness of your soul, Blessed Nicholas, teach everyone to cry out to you:

Rejoice, born in angelic garments, as clean in the flesh; Rejoice, and baptized by water and fire, for he is holy in the flesh. Rejoice, astonishing by the birth of your parents; Rejoice, manifesting the strength of the soul after Christmas. Rejoice, garden of the land of promise; rejoice, the color of the Divine planting. Rejoice, virtuous vine of Christ's grape; rejoice, miracle tree of the paradise of Jesus. Rejoice, krina of paradisiacal oblivion; rejoice, fragrance of Christ's myrrh. Rejoice, for the weeping will be driven away by you; Rejoice, for you bring joy. Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Rejoice, type of lambs and shepherds; rejoice, holy purifier of morals. Rejoice, container of great virtues; Rejoice, holy places, a clean and honest dwelling! Rejoice, all-radiant and all-beloved lamp; Rejoice, golden-colored and blameless light! Rejoice, worthy interlocutor of Angels; Rejoice, good mentor of men! Rejoice, rule of pious faith; Rejoice, the image of spiritual meekness! Rejoice, for by you we are getting rid of bodily passions; Rejoice, for we are filled with spiritual difficulties! Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Rejoice, deliverance from sorrow; rejoice, giving of grace. Rejoice, expeller of unaccountable evils; Rejoice, those who wish the good to the planter. Rejoice, quick comforter in the trouble of those who are; Rejoice, terrible punisher of those who offend. Rejoice, abyss of miracles, poured out by God; Rejoice, the law of Christ is a tablet written by God. Rejoice, strong builder of those who give it; rejoice, right standing affirmation. Rejoice, for by you all flattery is exposed; Rejoice, for through you every truth comes true. Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Rejoice, source of all healings; Rejoice, fierce helper of the suffering! Rejoice, dawn, shining in the wandering sinful night; Rejoice, non-current dew in the heat of the labor of those! Rejoice, hearth to those demanding goodness; Rejoice, prepare those who ask for abundance! Rejoice, precede the petition many times; Rejoice, renew the strength of the old gray hair! Rejoice, denouncer of many delusions from the true path; rejoice, faithful servant of the mystery of God. Rejoice, for by you we trample on envy; Rejoice, for we are correcting a well-behaved life by you. Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Rejoice, take away from eternal misery; Rejoice, give wealth incorruptible wealth! Rejoice, brilliantly infallible ones who hear righteousness; Rejoice inexhaustible drink for those who thirst for life! Rejoice, observe from rebellion and battle; Rejoice, liberate from bondage and captivity! Rejoice, more glorious intercessor in troubles; Rejoice, defender great in adversity! Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Rejoice, illumination of the Tri-solar light; Rejoice, day of the unsettled sun! Rejoice, candle, kindled by the Divine flame; Rejoice, for you have extinguished the demonic flame of wickedness! Rejoice, lightning, burning heresy; Rejoice, thunder, frightening seducers! Rejoice, true teacher of reason; Rejoice, mysterious exponent of the mind! Rejoice, for you have trampled on the worship of the creature; Rejoice, for by you we will learn to worship the Creator in the Trinity! Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Rejoice, a mirror of all the virtues; Rejoice, a strong visor of all who come to you! Rejoice, according to Bose and the Mother of God, all our hope; Rejoice, health of our bodies and salvation of our souls! Rejoice, for by you we are freed from eternal death; Rejoice, as through you we are endowed with endless lives! Rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker, rejoice, Nicholas, the great Miracle-worker!

Oh, blessed and wonderful Father Nicholas, the consolation of all those who grieve, accept our present offering, and pray the Lord for us to get rid of Gehenna, by your God-pleasing intercession, but with you we Sing: Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Collected Wonderworker and a fair servant of Christ, Father Nicholas! To the world, exuding a rich world of mercy, and the inexhaustible miracles of the sea, spiritual fortresses, and I praise thee with love, blessed Saint Nicholas: you, as if having boldness in the Lord, free me from all my troubles, and call to you: Hail, Nicholas, great Miracle-working, Rejoice, Nicholas, great Miracle worker, rejoice, Nikolai, great Miracle worker!

When the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is celebrated

How does Nikolai the Wonderworker help

Saint Nicholas is called a miracle worker. Such saints are especially revered for the miracles that occur through prayers to them. Since ancient times, Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered as a quick helper to sailors and other travelers, merchants, unjustly convicted children and children. In Western folk Christianity, his image was combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( Santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives gifts to children for Christmas.

Life (biography) of Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nikolai the Pleasant was born in 270 in the town of Patara, which was located in the Lycia region in Asia Minor and was a Greek colony. The parents of the future archbishop were very wealthy people, but at the same time they believed in Christ and actively helped the poor.

As the life says, the saint completely devoted himself to the faith from childhood, spent a lot of time in the church. Growing up, he became a reader, and then a priest in the church, where his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patarsky, served as the rector.

After the death of his parents, Nicholas the Wonderworker distributed all his inheritance to the poor and continued his church ministry. In the years when the attitude of the Roman emperors towards Christians became more tolerant, but the persecution nevertheless continued, he ascended the episcopal throne in Mir. Now this town is called Demre, it is located in the province of Antalya in Turkey.

The people fell in love with the new archbishop: he was kind, meek, fair, responsive - not a single request to him remained unanswered. With all this, Nicholas was remembered by his contemporaries as an implacable fighter against paganism - he destroyed idols and temples, and the defender of Christianity - denounced heretics.

During his lifetime, the saint became famous for many miracles. He saved the city of Mira from a terrible famine - with his fervent prayer to Christ. He prayed and thus helped drowning sailors on ships, led unjustly convicted people out of captivity in prisons.

Nikolai the Pleasant lived to a ripe old age and died around 345-351 - exact date unknown.

The relics of St. Nicholas

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker departed to the Lord in 345-351 - the exact date is unknown. His relics were incorruptible. At first, they rested in the cathedral church of the city of Myra in Lycia, where he served as archbishop. They streamed myrrh, and myrrh healed believers from various ailments.

Veneration of St. Nicholas in Russia

Many churches and monasteries are dedicated to Nicholas the Benefactor in Russia. In his name, Saint Patriarch Photius baptized in 866 the Kiev prince Askold, the very first Russian Christian prince. Over the grave of Askold in Kiev, St. Olga, Equal to the Apostles, built the first church of St. Nicholas on Russian soil.

In many Russian cities, the main cathedrals were named after the Archbishop Mir of Lycia. Veliky Novgorod, Zaraysk, Kiev, Smolensk, Pskov, Galich, Arkhangelsk, Tobolsk and many others. In the Moscow province, three Nikolsky monasteries were built - Nikolo-Greek (Old) - in Kitay-gorod, Nikolo-Perervinsky and Nikolo-Ugreshsky. In addition, Nikolskaya is named one of the main towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

Iconography of St. Nicholas

The iconography of St. Nicholas took shape in the 10th-11th centuries. At the same time, the most ancient icon, namely the fresco in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome, dates back to the 8th century.

There are two main iconographic types of St. Nicholas - height and waist. One of the classic examples of a full-length icon is a fresco from the Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev, painted at the beginning of the 12th century. Now it is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. In this fresco, the saint is depicted full-length, with a blessing right hand and an open Gospel in his left hand.

The icons of the half-length iconographic type depict the saint with a closed Gospel on his left hand. The oldest icon this type in the monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai dates back to the 11th century. In Russia, the earliest surviving such image belongs to the end of the 12th century. Ivan the Terrible brought it from Novgorod the Great and laid it in the Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Convent. Now this icon can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Icon painters also created the hagiographic icons of Nicholas the Ugodnik, that is, depicting various scenes from the life of the saint - sometimes up to twenty different subjects. The oldest of these icons in Russia is the Novgorod one from the Lyubon 'churchyard (XIV century) and the Kolomna one (now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).

TroparionSaint Nicholas the Wonderworker

voice 4

The rule of faith and the image of meekness, abstinence of the teacher, reveal the truth to your flock even more than things: for this sake you have acquired high humility, rich in poverty. Father Superior Nicholas, pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

Translation:

By the rule of faith, an example of meekness, abstinence as a teacher, your life has shown you to your flock. And therefore, you have acquired greatness by humility, wealth - by poverty: Father Nicholas, the hierarch, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

voice 3

In Mirekh, the holy one, the priest appeared to be: Christ's God, venerable, having fulfilled the Gospel, you laid down your soul about your people, and you saved the innocent from death; For this reason, thou art sanctified, as the great mystery of God's grace.

Translation:

In Worlds you, saint, became the performer of sacred rites: having fulfilled the gospel teaching of Christ, you laid down, saint, your soul for your people and innocent, delivered from death. Therefore, he was sanctified as a great minister of the sacraments of God's grace.

First Prayer to Nicholas the Pleasant

Oh, all-holy Nicholas, the most splendid Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper!

Help me, a sinner and sad one in this present life, pray to the Lord God for granting me forgiveness of all my sins that have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help the accursed one, pray the Lord God, all creatures of the Sourer, to save me from airy ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and forever and forever.

What you can eat on the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

December 19, according to the new style, falls on the Rozhdestvensky, or Filippov, as it is also called, fast. On this day, you can eat fish, but you cannot eat meat, eggs and other animal products.

Miracles of St. Nicholas

Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint, intercessor and prayer book for sailors and, in general, for everyone who travels. For example, as the life of the saint says, in early years traveling from Mira to Alexandria, he resurrected a sailor who, during a fierce storm, fell from the mast of the ship and, falling to the deck, crashed to death.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Word, pronounced at the all-night vigil on the feast of St. Nicholas, December 18, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznets (Moscow)

We are celebrating today the day of the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. What a strange combination of words this is: a celebration of death ... Usually, when someone is overtaken by death, we grieve and cry about it; and when the saint dies, we rejoice about it. How is this possible?

Perhaps this is only because when a sinner dies, those who remain have a heavy feeling on their hearts that the time has come for parting, at least temporarily. No matter how strong our faith is, no matter how much hope inspires us, no matter how confident we are that the God of love will never finally separate from each other those who love each other with an imperfect, earthly love - it still remains sadness and longing that we will not see the face for many years, the expressions of the eyes that glow at us with affection, we will not touch dear person with a reverent hand, we will not hear his voice, bringing his affection and love to our hearts ...

But our attitude towards the saint is not quite like that. Even those who were contemporary to the saints, already during their lifetime managed to realize that, while living in the fullness of heavenly life, the saint did not separate from the earth during his lifetime, and that when he rests in his body, he will still remain in this mystery of the Church, which unites the living and the dead. into one body, into one spirit, into one secret, eternal, Divine, conquering all life.

As they died, the saints could say as Paul said: I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith; now an eternal reward is being prepared for me, now I myself become a sacrifice ...

And this consciousness is not the head, but the consciousness of the heart, the living feeling of the heart that the saint cannot be separated from us (just as the risen Christ, who has become invisible to us, is not absent from us, just as God invisible to us is not absent), this consciousness allows us to rejoice on the day when, as the ancient Christians said, a person born into eternal life. He did not die - he was born, entered into eternity, into all the space, into the fullness of life. He is in anticipation of a new victory in life, which we all hope for: the resurrection of the dead on the last day, when all the barriers of separation have already fallen, and when we will rejoice not only about the victory of eternity, but about the fact that God has also brought the temporal back to life - but in glory, new shining glory.

One of the ancient Fathers of the Church, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons says: the glory of God is a man who has completely become Human ... The saints are such a glory to God; looking at them, we are amazed at what God can do to man.

And so, we rejoice on the day of the death of the one who was on earth heavenly man, and having entered eternity, he became a representative and a prayer book for us, not leaving us, remaining not only the same close, becoming even closer, because we become close to each other as we become close, dear, our own to the Living God, God of love. Our joy is so deep today! The Lord on earth shook Saint Nicholas like a ripe ear of corn. Now he is triumphant with God in heaven; and just as he loved the land and people, knew how to pity, sympathize, knew how to surround everyone and meet everyone with amazing affectionate, thoughtful care, so now he prays for all of us, caringly, thoughtfully.

When you read his life, you are amazed that he not only cared about the spiritual; he cared about every human need, about the most humble human needs. He knew how to rejoice with those who rejoice, he knew how to cry with those who weeping, he knew how to comfort and support those who needed consolation and support. And that is why the people, the Mirlikian flock loved him so much, and why the entire Christian people respects him so: nothing is too insignificant, to which he would not pay attention to his creative love. There is nothing on earth that would seem unworthy of his prayers and unworthy of his labors: illness, and the poor, and deprivation, and disgrace, and fear, and sin, and joy, and hope, and love - everything found a lively response in his deep human heart. And he left us the image of a man who is the radiance of God's beauty, he left us in himself, as it were, a living, acting icon a real person.

But he left it to us not only so that we would rejoice, admire, be amazed; he left us his image so that we learn from him how to live, what love to love, how to forget ourselves and remember fearlessly, sacrificially, joyfully every need of another person.

He left us an image of how to die, how to mature, how to stand before God at the last hour, giving Him his soul joyfully, as if returning to his father's house. When I was a young man, my father once told me: learn to expect death during your life as a young man anxiously awaits the arrival of his bride ... This is how Saint Nicholas waited for the hour of death, when the mortal gates will open, when all bonds fall, when his soul will fly to freedom when it will be given to him to contemplate that God, whom he worshiped with faith and love. So it is given to us to wait - to wait creatively, not to wait numb, in fear of death, but to wait with joy for that time, that meeting with God, which will make us akin not only with our Living God, with Christ who has become a man, but also with every person. because only in God are we made one ...

The Fathers of the Church Call Us to Live fear of mortals. From century to century we hear these words, and from century to century we misunderstand them. How many people live with the fear that death is about to come, and after death - judgment, and after judgment - what? Unknown. Hell? Forgiveness? .. But not about that mortal fear the fathers said. The fathers said that if we remembered that in a moment we could die, how would we hasten to do all the good that we can still do! If we thought constantly, anxiously about the fact that the person standing next to us, to whom we can now do good or evil, could die - how would we hasten to take care of him! Then there would be no need, big or small, that would exceed our ability to devote our lives to a person who is about to die.

I have already said something about my father; excuse me - I will say one more personal. My mother has been dying for three years; she knew it because I told her. And when death entered our life, it transformed life by the fact that every moment, every word, every action - because it could be the last - had to be the perfect expression of all the love, all the affection, all the reverence that was between us. And for three years there were no trifles and no big things, but there was only a triumph of quivering, reverent love, where everything merged into the great, because in one word all love can be enclosed, and in one movement all love can be expressed; and it should be like that.

The saints understood this not only in relation to one person whom they loved especially affectionately and for some small years, for which they had enough spirit. The saints knew how to live like this for whole life, from day to day, from hour to hour, in relation to each person, because in everyone they saw the image of God, a living icon, but - God! - sometimes such a defiled, so disfigured icon, which they contemplated with special pain and with special love, as we would contemplate an icon trampled into the mud before our eyes. And each of us with his sin tramples the image of God in himself into the mud.

Think about it. Think about how glorious, how wondrous death can be, if only we live life like saints. They are people like us, differing from us only in courage and burning spirit. If we lived like them! And how rich the memory of death could be for us if instead of being called, in our language, the fear of death, it would be a constant reminder that every moment is and can become a door to eternal life. Every moment, filled with all love, all humility, all delight and strength of the soul, can open up time to eternity and make our land a place where paradise is manifested, a place where God lives, a place where we are united in love, a place where everything the evil, the dead, the dark, the filthy have been defeated, transformed, become light, become purity, become Divine.

May the Lord let us ponder these images of saints, and not each other, not even ask ourselves what to do, but turn directly to them, to these saints, some of whom were at first robbers, sinners, people terrible for others, but who were able to perceive God by the greatness of their souls and grow into the measure of the age of Christ. Let's ask them ... What happened to you, Father Nicholas? What did you do, how did you reveal yourself to the power of Divine love and grace? .. And he will answer us; with his life and his prayer, he will make possible for us what seems impossible to us, because the power of God in weakness is perfected, and everything is available to us, everything is possible for us in the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. On the vocation of a Christian.

Word spoken at the liturgy on the feast day of St. Nicholas on December 19, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznets (Moscow)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I congratulate you on the occasion!

When we celebrate the day of such a saint as Nicholas the Wonderworker, whom not only the Russian heart, but universal Orthodoxy has perceived as one of the most perfect images of the priesthood, it is done with particular trepidation to serve the Divine Liturgy and stand before it; because before he became the fellow of the apostles, Saint Nicholas was a genuine, true layman. The Lord Himself revealed that it was him who had to be made a priest - for the purity of his life, for the feat of his love, for his love for worship and the temple, for the purity of his faith, for his meekness and humility.

All this was in him not a word, but flesh. In the troparion we sing to him that he was rule of faith, image of meekness, teacher of abstinence; all this to his flock was the deed itself, the radiance of his life, and not just a verbal sermon. And so he was still a layman. And by such a deed, such love, such purity, such meekness, he acquired for himself the highest calling of the Church - to be made a bishop, a bishop of his city; to be before the eyes of the believing people (which itself is the body of Christ, the seat of the Holy Spirit, the divine destiny), to stand among the Orthodox people like a living icon; so that it would be possible, looking at him, in his eyes to see the light of Christ's love, to see in his actions, to personally experience Christ's divine mercy.

We are all called to follow the same path. There are no two ways for a person: there is a way of holiness; the other is the path of renouncing one's Christian vocation. Not everyone reaches the height that is revealed to us in the saints; but we are all called to be so pure in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our lives, in our flesh, so that we can be, as it were, an embodied presence in the world, from century to century, from millennium to millennium, of Christ Himself.

We are called to be so completely, so completely surrendered to God, so that each of us becomes, as it were, a temple where the Holy Spirit lives and acts - both in us and through us.

We are called to be daughters and sons of our Father in Heaven; but not allegorically only, not only because He treats us as a father treats children. In Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to truly become His children, like Christ, having joined His sonship, having received the Spirit of sonship, the Spirit of God, so that our life may be hidden with Christ in God.

We cannot achieve this without difficulty. The Church Fathers tell us: spill blood and you will receive the Spirit ... We cannot ask God to dwell in us when we ourselves are not working to prepare for Him a holy, cleansed, God-consecrated temple. We cannot call Him into the depths of our sin again and again, if we do not have a firm, fiery intention, if we are not ready, when He will come down to us, when He will seek us out like a lost sheep, and wants to carry us back to our father's house, to be taken and carried away forever in His divine embrace.

To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; to be a Christian is to fight to overcome in oneself everything that is death, sin, untruth, impurity; in one word - to overcome, to conquer all that because of which Christ was crucified, killed on the Cross. Human sin killed Him - mine, and yours, and our common; and if we do not get rid of and do not get rid of sin, then we partake either by those who, with negligence, coldness, indifference, frivolity, gave Christ to be crucified, or by those who viciously wanted to destroy Him, to wipe out from the face of the earth, because His appearance, His preaching His personality was their condemnation.

To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; and yet we ourselves cannot be saved. Our vocation is so high, so great that a person on his own cannot fulfill it. I have already said that we are called to be, as it were, grafted into the humanity of Christ, like a twig is grafted onto a life-giving tree - so that the life of Christ spills in us, so that we are His body, so that we are His presence, so that our word is His in a word, our love is by His love, and our action is by His action.

I said that we must become the temple of the Holy Spirit, but more than a material temple. The material temple contains the presence of God, but is not permeated by it; and man is called to unite with God, as, according to the word of St. Maximus the Confessor, fire penetrates, penetrates iron, one thing is done with him, and one can (says Maxim) cut with fire and burn with iron, because it is no longer possible to discern where the burning is and where the fuel is. where is man and where is God.

We cannot achieve this. We cannot become sons and daughters of God just because we ourselves want it or because we ask and pray for it; we must be accepted by the Father, adopted, must become, by God's love for Christ, what Christ is for the Father: sons, daughters. How can we achieve this? The Gospel gives us the answer to this. Peter asks: Who can it be saved? - And Christ answers: The impossible for man is possible for God...

Through heroic deeds we can open our hearts; protect your mind and soul from impurity; we can direct our actions so that they are worthy of our calling and our God; we can keep our flesh clean for the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ; we can open up to God and say: Come and dwell in us... And we can know that if we ask this with a sincere heart, we want this, then God, who wants us to be saved more than we know how to want it for ourselves, is a welcome one to us. He Himself in the Gospel tells us: If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him ...

Therefore, let us be with all the strength of our human weakness, all the burning of our dull spirit, all the hope of our heart, yearning for fullness, all our faith, which cries out to God: Lord, I believe - but help my unbelief!, with all the hunger, with all the thirst of our soul and body, let us ask God to come. But at the same time, with all the forces of our soul, with all the forces of our body, we will prepare a temple for Him, worthy of His coming: purified, dedicated to Him, protected from all unrighteousness, malice and impurity. And then the Lord will come; and will do as He promised us with the Father and the Spirit, The last supper in our hearts, in our life, in our temple, in our society, and the Lord will reign forever, our God to generation and generation.

Santa Claus

In Western Christianity, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( Santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives children gifts for St. Nicholas Day, but more often for Christmas.

At the origins of the tradition of giving gifts on behalf of Santa Claus is the story of a miracle performed by Nicholas the Pleasure. As the life of the saint says, he saved the family of a poor man who lived in Patara from sin.

The poor man had three lovely daughters, and need made him think of a terrible thing - he wanted to send the girls to prostitution. The local archbishop, and Nicholas the Wonderworker was serving him, received a revelation from the Lord about what his parishioner had planned in despair. And he decided to save the family, and secretly from everyone. One night he tied the gold coins he inherited from his parents in a bundle and threw the sack to the poor man through the window. The father of the daughters discovered the gift only in the morning and thought that it was Christ himself who sent him the gift. With these funds, he married good man his eldest daughter.

Saint Nicholas rejoiced that his help had borne good fruit, and in the same way, secretly, threw the second bag of gold out the window of the poor man. With these funds, he played the wedding of the middle daughter.

The poor man was impatient to find out who his benefactor was. He did not sleep at night and waited for him to come to help his third daughter? Saint Nicholas was not long in coming. Hearing the ringing of a bundle of coins, the poor man caught up with the archbishop and recognized him as a saint. He fell at his feet and warmly thanked him for saving his family from a terrible sin.

Nikola Zimny, Nikola Osenny, Nikola Veshniy, "Nikola Wet"

On December 19 and August 11, according to the new style, Orthodox Christians remember, respectively, the death and birth of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to the season, these holidays received popular names- Nikola Zimny ​​and Nikola Osenny.

Folk traditions of celebrating the day of memory of Nikolai the Ugodnik

In Russia, Nicholas the Pleasant was revered as the "senior" among the saints. Nicola was called "merciful"; churches were built in his honor and children were named - from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century, the name Kolya was the most popular among Russian boys.

About Nikol Zimny ​​(December 19), in the huts in honor of the holiday, festive meals were organized - they baked pies with fish, brewed mash and beer. The holiday was considered "old man's", the most respected people of the village gathered together a rich table and had long conversations. And the youth indulged in winter entertainments - sledding, danced in round dances, sang songs, prepared for Christmas-time gatherings.

On Nicholas Letniy, or Veshny (May 22), the peasants staged processions of the cross - with icons and banners they went to the fields, performed prayers at the wells - they asked for rain.

This article contains: December 19 nicholas the miracle worker prayer - information taken from all over the world, electronic network and spiritual people.

December 19 - Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, fulfilling wishes

On December 19, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of travelers and seafarers. And he is one of the most revered saints in the entire Orthodox world.

After this prayer, think about your desire. It must be kind, and not harm others, otherwise it will not be fulfilled.

I wish you health

May the house be happy

And it will be calm in it!

Together we will go to church

And we will read a prayer

For relatives and children,

For friends and acquaintances!

Part 27 - December 19 - Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, fulfilling wishes

Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker

All Christians, Orthodox and Catholics, know about the miraculous effect of prayer on a person, his fate, and therefore, in difficult life situations, they turn to the Almighty for help and ask him for personal condescension to their lost soul.

Very often, with a streak of failures at work or in family matters, believers ask for help from Nicholas the Pleasant, pray and believe that they will certainly be guided on the path by the true savior and patron Nicholas the Wonderworker, whose prayers have a strong effect.

The prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pleasant) for help is one of the most read and popular prayers among believing Christians, because Saint Nicholas himself worked miracles during his lifetime.

Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint of travelers, merchants and all beggars and needy, probably due to the fact that he tamed the elements and saved the ship from a wreck, which he was on at that moment, and also protected people from death, saved the convicted, guilty without guilt - helped then, helps now.

The prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker for help will become stronger when the praying person is imbued with the words spoken, until the end he believes in the true help of Nicholas the Pleasant in his power as a Saint. Before reading the prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker for help, mentally designate a specific request and after that start praying for yourself, your loved ones or friends, not forgetting to be baptized.

Oh, all-holy Nicholas, the most splendid Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper! Help me, a sinner and sad one in this present life, pray to the Lord God for granting me forgiveness of all my sins that have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help the accursed one, pray the Lord God, all creatures of the Sourer, to save me from airy ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and forever and forever. Amen.

Fate-changing prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nicholas the Wonderworker lived in the 3rd century A.D. in the Lycian city of Myra, from childhood, Nicholas devoted himself to serving the Lord and quite early became an archbishop. His fate was unhappy - in the middle of his life, Nicholas the Wonderworker became a beggar and homeless, but he never refused patronage to those in need.

After his death, Nicholas the Wonderworker became a true Wonderworker, his holy relics healed hopelessly sick people, saved the suffering. December 19 is the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pleasant), the day of his honor.

The fate-changing prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker should be read for 40 days; if for any reason you miss at least once in the interval between these 40 days, you will have to start all over again - pray and ask Nicholas the Wonderworker to change fate.

The fate-changing prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker is very strong and 40 days long, so you should not expect that the effect of the prayer will begin from the very first day.

Changing destiny is very tempting, of course. (Although, looking in which direction). Yes, the text of the prayer is so huge, how can you not get lost while reading it?

just print yourself a piece of paper and read slowly, without rushing. so less likely to be mistaken. I always do that.

in short, nowhere I have already watched the poet will have to suffer with this and pray.

The problem is not clear to me. There is the first prayer, which is short, and read it if the text of the second is too long for you.

I think so too. St. Nicholas doesn't care how you pray, kmk. If only from the heart.

There is no need to simplify the approach to prayer and make it completely primitive. Each exists for something specific, each has its own purpose.

a woman told me in church that God knows how best for us and sees our goal. IMHO.

The pleasurable person helps everyone and everything - checked.

right to everyone and everything. what is he to you, fairy godmother? and who checked it, I wonder?

Where does so much negativity come from? You should definitely pray more often. Maybe you will throw less at people.

I still can't believe that one prayer can really change one's destiny. I'm looking for reviews, while everything is uncertain.

The man is definitely helping - it affects the fate, maybe life will not turn around sharply, but there will be improvements. IMHO.

Do you have any specific examples? Or is it just your guess?

Thank you, I was just looking for a prayer to change fate, tired of living on one salary.

Nicholas the Wonderworker should be in every home, I have two icons - in every room!

the best helper is St. Nicholas, I trust him and no one else

People of different age groups are praying to the pleasing man. This is probably the only holy Deity with universal capabilities):

Yes, Nikolai the Pleasant helps. I pray in the church at home at work, he alone I believe infinitely in his exceptional power

As for fate, it is doubtful of course, but it's worth praying for help!

and I always pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker: in grief and joy;) Maybe self-hypnosis, but after prayer it seems life begins to improve. IMHO.

On December 19, every year, the church holiday to Nicholas the Wonderworker is celebrated by the common people throughout Europe, especially children are waiting for gifts from Nicholas. The tradition is beautiful, but not everyone knows about it :)

but you can pray to Nikolai not only on December 19, but all year round? so what does that have to do with it.

madi probably thinking out loud ?! I pray to the Pleasant for the fulfillment of desires, I have one cherished desire therefore I ask the holy miracle and help every day, not paying attention to the holidays.

My daughter and I annually go to church on the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on December 19 to put a candle in front of the icon to pray, until this year we did not know about the existence of a special prayer. Thank you for the text you are doing a very necessary thing for believers!

for me this strong and most effective prayer has helped more than once

Praying for 40 days to change fate? Probably worth it. I believe Nicholas the Wonderworker, so I will dare to try myself than to listen to the Miracles of the saint from strangers.

I have the same text from my grandmother in her old prayer book.

The miracle worker has great power to help with various worldly problems. Our family, with the help of prayer, Nikolai manages not to lose heart and to live on after all the hardships that have fallen on our heads.

Is it possible to change a person's fate with prayer? Help me understand which one to choose to start life anew? I am 35 years old, neither family nor children, my husband left and went to a young neighbor, I was left without funds and without a job.

try the prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, she helped me in a similar situation, only my situation was even more deplorable than yours - three children remained in my arms. Thank God and the Pleasant One got out of poverty and found a normal job that helped raise the children to their feet. read diligently and everything will be fine.

Olga I admire women who are capable of any sacrifice for the sake of children! Rather than sitting back, it is better to go headlong into work, if there is no suitable one to go to a low-paid job (I took on two jobs) - it also helps to pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker, all the saints you believe, and to continue looking for something to your liking. IMHO.

People, did any of those present prayed to the relics of the Pleasant brought to Moscow?

Vera Ivanovna, I am answering your question, if you will. We walked with the whole family, stood in a long queue, but it was worth it. Nicholas the Wonderworker truly works miracles, the image of the icon impressed us with its grandeur so much that we have been under the impression for several days! Everybody, young and old, prayed, they asked for whatever they could ask for!

Girls Nicholas the Wonderworker is my protector and patron! How many times he saved me beyond words. I don’t know how I served his grace ?!

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Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker December 19: prayers and traditions

On December 19, the feast of the Orthodox Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is celebrated. This saint is the most famous and most mentioned, and many traditions are associated with his day that change the fate of believers.

The story of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

This saint was born in the third century, in Greece, into a wealthy family. His parents were rich, so Nikolai was able to get an education. From childhood, he showed a great interest in books, and faith in God passed to him from his parents. He prayed every day, giving all his time to reading the Bible. His uncle, being a bishop, allowed him to read prayers in the temple of God. Thus, Nicholas, known in the future as the Miracle Worker, became a clergyman.

History does not know many facts, and some of them are disputed. For example, the destruction of pagan temples is attributed to him, although this has not been proven. Also, many miracles and healings are associated with his name, and not only during life, but also after death. By the way, after the death of his parents, he distributed everything they acquired to those in need.

Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all valiant, great miracle worker, Saint of Christ, Father Nicholas!

We pray thee, awaken the hope of all Christians, the faithful protector, the hungry for the feeder, the weeping joy, the sick doctor, the steward floating on the sea, the poor and the orphan feeder and the quick helper and patron of everyone, may we live our life in a peaceful place and may we be able to see the glory of God's chosen ones in heaven , and with them ceaselessly sing the praises of the one worshiped God in the Trinity for ever and ever. Amen.

December 19 celebrates the repose of St. Nicholas and his reunification with Christ, and in general in Christianity there are several holidays a year dedicated to this great man. Every year on this day, prayers are read in all Orthodox churches. This is how Christians pay tribute to him. Nicholas the Wonderworker is revered on a par with Jesus and Mother of God, although not as many facts are known about him as about other followers of the Lord who became saints.

Traditions of the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

In the northern latitudes of Russia, since ancient times, it was customary to slaughter a small bull, specially raised for this holiday, and hold a large feast. Some of the meat was donated to temples. But this was not done everywhere, because December 19 is the day of Great Lent. In some places Nikolshchina was celebrated, a feast for several days a week before the start of Lent.

V modern world setting a lush table is not necessary. If you stick with strict fasting, you can limit yourself to reading grateful prayers and a very modest meal on this day. However, even observing the rules of fasting, you can set the table, because nowadays there are many recipes for delicious, and at the same time, quite ascetic lean dishes.

The miracle worker Nikolai is considered the protector of children and sailors, since many legends about miraculous rescues are associated with this, therefore, on December 19, it is customary to read prayers for children and for God's help when setting off on a long journey. We wish you health, goodness, strengthening your faith, and do not forget to press the buttons and

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December 19, 2015: Nicholas the Wonderworker

Content

More than one holiday is dedicated to Saint Nicholas in the Orthodox Church calendar. On December 19, according to a new style, the day of the saint's death is remembered, August 11 - his birth. The people called these two holidays Nikola Winter and Nikola Autumn. On May 22, believers remember the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which took place in 1087. In Russia, this day was named Nikola Veshniy (that is, spring), or Nikola Letny.

All these holidays are non-transitory, that is, their dates are fixed.

How does Nikolai the Wonderworker help

Saint Nicholas is called a miracle worker. Such saints are especially revered for the miracles that occur through prayers to them. Since ancient times, Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered as a quick helper to sailors and other travelers, merchants, unjustly convicted children and children. In Western folk Christianity, his image was combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( Santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives gifts to children for Christmas.

Life (biography) of Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nikolai the Pleasant was born in 270 in the town of Patara, which was located in the Lycia region in Asia Minor and was a Greek colony. The parents of the future archbishop were very wealthy people, but at the same time they believed in Christ and actively helped the poor.

As the life says, the saint completely devoted himself to the faith from childhood, spent a lot of time in the church. Growing up, he became a reader, and then a priest in the church, where his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patarsky, served as the rector.

After the death of his parents, Nicholas the Wonderworker distributed all his inheritance to the poor and continued his church ministry. In the years when the attitude of the Roman emperors towards Christians became more tolerant, but the persecution nevertheless continued, he ascended the episcopal throne in Mir. Now this town is called Demre, it is located in the province of Antalya in Turkey.

The people fell in love with the new archbishop: he was kind, meek, fair, responsive - not a single request to him remained unanswered. With all this, Nicholas was remembered by his contemporaries as an implacable fighter against paganism - he destroyed idols and temples, and the defender of Christianity - denounced heretics.

During his lifetime, the saint became famous for many miracles. He saved the city of Mira from a terrible famine - with his fervent prayer to Christ. He prayed and thus helped drowning sailors on ships, led unjustly convicted people out of captivity in prisons.

Nikolai the Pleasant lived to a ripe old age and died around 345-351 - the exact date is unknown.

The relics of St. Nicholas

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker departed to the Lord in 345-351 - the exact date is unknown. His relics were incorruptible. At first they rested in the cathedral church of the city of Myra, where he served as archbishop. They streamed myrrh, and myrrh healed believers from various ailments.

In 1087, the relics of the saint set out to desecrate and plunder the Turks - during the devastating military raids on Byzantium in Asia Minor. To save the shrine, Christians moved it to the Italian city of Bari, to the Church of St. Stephen. A year after the salvation of the relics, a basilica was erected there in the name of St. Nicholas. Now everyone can pray at the relics of the saint - the ark with them is kept in this basilica to this day.

In honor of the transfer of the relics of Nicholas the Pleasant, a special holiday has been established, which is celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church on May 22 in a new style.

Veneration of St. Nicholas in Russia

Many churches and monasteries are dedicated to Nicholas the Benefactor in Russia. In his name, Saint Patriarch Photius baptized in 866 the Kiev prince Askold, the very first Russian Christian prince. Over the grave of Askold in Kiev, St. Olga, Equal to the Apostles, built the first church of St. Nicholas on Russian soil.

In many Russian cities, the main cathedrals were named after the Archbishop Mir of Lycia. Veliky Novgorod, Zaraysk, Kiev, Smolensk, Pskov, Galich, Arkhangelsk, Tobolsk and many others. In the Moscow province, three Nikolsky monasteries were built - Nikolo-Greek (Old) - in Kitay-gorod, Nikolo-Perervinsky and Nikolo-Ugreshsky. In addition, Nikolskaya is named one of the main towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

Iconography of St. Nicholas

The iconography of St. Nicholas took shape in the 10th-11th centuries. At the same time, the most ancient icon, namely the fresco in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome, dates back to the 8th century.

There are two main iconographic types of St. Nicholas - height and waist. One of the classic examples of a full-length icon is a fresco from the Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev, painted at the beginning of the 12th century. Now it is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. In this fresco, the saint is depicted full-length, with a blessing right hand and an open Gospel in his left hand.

The icons of the half-length iconographic type depict the saint with a closed Gospel on his left hand. The oldest icon of this type in the monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai dates back to the 11th century. In Russia, the earliest surviving such image belongs to the end of the 12th century. Ivan the Terrible brought it from Novgorod the Great and laid it in the Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Convent. Now this icon can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Icon painters also created the hagiographic icons of Nicholas the Ugodnik, that is, depicting various scenes from the life of the saint - sometimes up to twenty different subjects. The oldest of these icons in Russia is the Novgorod one from the Lyubon 'churchyard (XIV century) and the Kolomna one (now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).

Troparion Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

The rule of faith and the image of meekness, abstinence of the teacher, reveal the truth to your flock even more than things: for this sake you have acquired high humility, rich in poverty. Father Superior Nicholas, pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

By the rule of faith, an example of meekness, abstinence as a teacher, your life has shown you to your flock. And therefore, you have acquired greatness by humility, wealth - by poverty: Father Nicholas, the hierarch, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

In Mirekh, the holy one, the priest appeared to be: Christ's God, venerable, having fulfilled the Gospel, you laid down your soul about your people, and you saved the innocent from death; For this reason, thou art sanctified, as the great mystery of God's grace.

In Worlds you, saint, became the performer of sacred rites: having fulfilled the gospel teaching of Christ, you laid down, saint, your soul for your people and innocent, delivered from death. Therefore, he was sanctified as a great minister of the sacraments of God's grace.

First Prayer to Nicholas the Pleasant

Oh, all-holy Nicholas, the most splendid Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper!

Help me, a sinner and sad one in this present life, pray to the Lord God for granting me forgiveness of all my sins that have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help the accursed one, pray the Lord God, all creatures of the Sourer, to save me from airy ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and forever and forever.

Second Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all valiant, great miracle worker, Saint of Christ, Father Nicholas!

We pray thee, awaken the hope of all Christians, the faithful protector, the hungry for the feeder, the weeping joy, the sick doctor, the steward floating on the sea, the poor and the orphan feeder and the quick helper and patron of everyone, may we live our life in a peaceful place and may we be able to see the glory of God's chosen ones in heaven , and with them ceaselessly sing the praises of the one God who is being thundered in the Trinity for ever and ever. Amen.

Third Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all-honorable and all-pious bishop, great Miracle-worker, Holy Hierarch of Christ, Father Nicholas, the man of God and faithful servant, the husband of desires, the chosen vessel, the strong pillar of the church, the bright lamp, the star shining and illuminating the entire universe: you are a righteous man, like a prosperous fig. in the courtyards of his Lord, living in the Worlds, thou art fragrant with peace, and exuding the ever-flowing peace of God's grace.

With your procession, holy father, the sea will be illuminated, when your many miraculous relics will march to the city of Barsky, praise the name of the Lord from east to west.

O graceful and delightful Miracle-worker, quick helper, warm intercessor, kindhearted shepherd, saving the verbal flock from all troubles, we glorify you and we magnify you, as the hope of all Christians, the source of miracles, the protector of the faithful, the wise teacher, hungry for the feeder, crying joy, naked clothes , the sick doctor, the steward floating on the sea, the captives of the liberator, the widows and orphans of the feeder and intercessor, the chastity of the keeper, the infants of the meek punisher, the old fortification, the fasting mentor, the laborers of rapture, the poor and the poor, abundant wealth.

Hear us, praying to you, and running under your roof, show your intercession for us to the Most High, and pursue your God-pleasing prayers, all that is useful for the salvation of our souls and bodies: preserve this holy abode (or this temple), every city and all, and every Christian country, and people living from every bitterness with your help:

We are, we are, as the prayer of the righteous can do a lot, advancing towards the good: for you, the righteous, according to the blessed Virgin Mary, the representative of the Imam to the All-Merciful God, and for yours, gracious father, warm intercession and intercession we humbly flow: you observe us kindly as cheerful and Shepherd, from all enemies, destruction, cowardice, hail, gladness, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, and in all our troubles and sorrows, give us a helping hand, and open the doors of God's mercy, many of our iniquities, bound by sinful bonds, and neither the will of our Creator was created nor by the preservation of his commands.

In the same way, we bow the broken and humble knee of our heart to our Creator, and we ask your fatherly intercession to Him:

Help us, the Grace of God, so that we do not perish with our iniquities, deliver us from every evil and from every thing that resists, control our mind and strengthen our heart in the right faith, in it by your intercession and intercession, neither by wounds, nor by reprimand, nor by pestilence, no anger will let me live in this age, and will save me from standing, and will vouch for the desnago with all the saints. Amen.

Fourth Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O our good shepherd and God-wise mentor, Saint Nicholas of Christ! Hear us sinners praying to you and calling your quick intercession for help; see us weak, caught everywhere, deprived of all good, and darkened in mind from cowardice; begging for help, please God, do not leave us in sinful captivity to be, let us not be our enemy for joy and not die in our crafty deeds.

Pray for us unworthy of our Companion and the Lord, to him you stand before with incorporeal faces: mercifully create our God in our present life and in the future, may he not reward us according to our deeds and according to the uncleanness of our hearts, but according to his goodness he will reward us ...

We rely on your intercession, we boast of your intercession, we call on your intercession for help, and we ask for help to your holy image, we ask for help: deliver us, the servitor of Christ, from the evils that come upon us, and tame the waves of passions and troubles that rise up against us, but for the sake of Your holy prayers will not embrace us to attack and we will not get bogged down in the abyss of sin and in the mud of our passions. Pray, to Saint Nicholas of Christ, Christ our God, may he give us a peaceful life and the remission of sins, but to our souls salvation and great mercy, now and forever, and forever and ever.

Fifth Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O great intercessor, the Bishop of God, Blessed Nicholas, who shines like a sunflower miracles, appearing to the earliest hearer, they always anticipate and save them, and deliver them, and take away all sorts of troubles, from God these miracles and gifts of grace!

Hear me unworthy, with faith thee calling and offering you prayers singing; I offer you an intercessor for intercession to Christ.

O notorious in miracles, saint heights! as if you have boldness, soon stand before the Lord, and venerate your hands with prayer to Him, stretch out for me a sinner, and from Him give me bounty of goodness, and accept me in your intercession, and save me from all troubles and evils, from the invasion of visible and invisible enemies freeing, and destroying all those slander and evil deception, and reflecting those who fight me in all my life; by my sin, ask for forgiveness, and be saved to Christ, present me and vouch for the Kingdom of Heaven for the multitude of that love of mankind, for him all glory, honor and worship are due, with his Father without beginning, and with the Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever and forever centuries.

Sixth Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Oh, all-blessed Father Nicholas, pastor and teacher of all those who come to your intercession by faith, and call you with warm prayer, soon sweep and deliver the flock of Christ from the wolves that destroy e, that is, from the invasion of the crafty Latins who are rising up against us.

Protect and preserve our country, and every country in Orthodoxy, with your holy prayers from worldly rebellion, the sword, the invasion of foreigners, from internecine and bloody warfare.

And as if you had mercy on the three men in the dungeon sitting down, and you delivered them from the tsar's anger and the beating of the sword, so have mercy and deliver the Orthodox people of Great, Small and White Russia from the pernicious Latin heresy.

As if by your intercession and help, by His own mercy and grace, Christ God, may He look with His merciful eye on people in the ignorance of existence, who have not known their right hands, much more than a young one, Latin seductions are spoken in a hedgehog to turn away from the faith may the mind of His people enlighten, may they not be tempted and will not fall away from the faith of their fathers, may the conscience, lulled by vain wisdom and ignorance, awaken, will turn it to the preservation of the holy Orthodox faith, may it remember the faith and humility of our fathers, your belly for the Orthodox faith who put, accept the prayers of the warm saints of His saints, who shone in our land, who keep us from the delusion and heresy of Latin, and who preserved us in holy Orthodoxy, will vouch for us at the terrible Judgment of His hand standing with all the saints. Amen.

What you can eat on the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

December 19, according to the new style, falls on the Rozhdestvensky, or Filippov, as it is also called, fast. On this day, you can eat fish, but you cannot eat meat, eggs and other animal products.

Miracles of St. Nicholas

Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint, intercessor and prayer book for sailors and, in general, for everyone who travels. For example, as the life of the saint says, in his youth, traveling from Mira to Alexandria, he resurrected a sailor who, during a fierce storm, fell from the mast of the ship and, falling to the deck, crashed to death.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Word, pronounced at the all-night vigil on the feast of St. Nicholas, December 18, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznets (Moscow)

We are celebrating today the day of the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. What a strange combination of words this is: a holiday about death ... Usually, when someone is overtaken by death, we grieve and cry about it; and when the saint dies, we rejoice about it. How is this possible?

Perhaps this is only because when a sinner dies, those who remain have a heavy feeling on their hearts that the time has come for parting, at least temporarily. No matter how strong our faith is, no matter how much hope inspires us, no matter how confident we are that the God of love will never finally separate from each other those who love each other with an imperfect, earthly love - it still remains sadness and longing that for many years we will not see the face, the expression of the eyes shining on us with affection, we will not touch a dear person with a reverent hand, we will not hear his voice, bringing his affection and love to our hearts ...

But our attitude towards the saint is not quite like that. Even those who were contemporary to the saints, already during their lifetime managed to realize that, while living in the fullness of heavenly life, the saint did not separate from the earth during his lifetime, and that when he rests in his body, he will still remain in this mystery of the Church, which unites the living and the dead. into one body, into one spirit, into one secret, eternal, Divine, conquering all life.

As they died, the saints could say as Paul said: I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith; now an eternal reward is being prepared for me, now I myself become a sacrifice ...

And this consciousness is not the head, but the consciousness of the heart, the living feeling of the heart that the saint cannot be separated from us (just as the risen Christ, who has become invisible to us, is not absent from us, just as God invisible to us is not absent), this consciousness allows us to rejoice on the day when, as the ancient Christians said, a person born into eternal life. He did not die - he was born, entered into eternity, into all the space, into the fullness of life. He is in anticipation of a new victory in life, which we all hope for: the resurrection of the dead on the last day, when all the barriers of separation have already fallen, and when we will rejoice not only about the victory of eternity, but about the fact that God has also brought the temporal back to life - but in glory, new shining glory.

One of the ancient Fathers of the Church, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons says: the glory of God is a man who has completely become Human ... The saints are such a glory to God; looking at them, we are amazed at what God can do to man.

And so, we rejoice on the day of the death of the one who was on earth heavenly man, and having entered eternity, he became a representative and a prayer book for us, not leaving us, remaining not only the same close, becoming even closer, because we become close to each other as we become close, dear, our own to the Living God, God of love. Our joy is so deep today! The Lord on earth shook Saint Nicholas like a ripe ear of corn. Now he is triumphant with God in heaven; and just as he loved the land and people, knew how to pity, sympathize, knew how to surround everyone and meet everyone with amazing affectionate, thoughtful care, so now he prays for all of us, caringly, thoughtfully.

When you read his life, you are amazed that he not only cared about the spiritual; he cared about every human need, about the most humble human needs. He knew how to rejoice with those who rejoice, he knew how to cry with those who weeping, he knew how to comfort and support those who needed consolation and support. And that is why the people, the Mirlikian flock loved him so much, and why the entire Christian people respects him so: nothing is too insignificant, to which he would not pay attention to his creative love. There is nothing on earth that would seem unworthy of his prayers and unworthy of his labors: illness, and the poor, and deprivation, and disgrace, and fear, and sin, and joy, and hope, and love - everything found a lively response in his deep human heart. And he left us the image of a man who is the radiance of God's beauty, he left us in himself, as it were, a living, acting icon a real person.

But he left it to us not only so that we would rejoice, admire, be amazed; he left us his image so that we learn from him how to live, what love to love, how to forget ourselves and remember fearlessly, sacrificially, joyfully every need of another person.

He left us an image of how to die, how to mature, how to stand before God at the last hour, giving Him his soul joyfully, as if returning to his father's house. When I was a young man, my father once told me: learn during your life to expect death in such a way as a young man anxiously awaits the arrival of his bride ... This is how Saint Nicholas waited for the hour of death, when the mortal gates will open, when all bonds fall, when the soul flies up him to freedom, when it will be given to him to contemplate that God, whom he worshiped with faith and love. So it is given to us to wait - to wait creatively, not to wait numb, in fear of death, but to wait with joy for that time, that meeting with God, which will make us akin not only with our Living God, with Christ who has become a man, but also with every person. because only in God are we made one ...

The Fathers of the Church Call Us to Live fear of mortals. From century to century we hear these words, and from century to century we misunderstand them. How many people live with the fear that death is about to come, and after death - judgment, and after judgment - what? Unknown. Hell? Forgiveness. But not about that mortal fear the fathers said. The fathers said that if we remembered that in a moment we could die, how would we hasten to do all the good that we can still do! If we thought constantly, anxiously about the fact that the person standing next to us, to whom we can now do good or evil, could die - how would we hasten to take care of him! Then there would be no need, big or small, that would exceed our ability to devote our lives to a person who is about to die.

I have already said something about my father; excuse me - I will say one more personal. My mother has been dying for three years; she knew it because I told her. And when death entered our life, it transformed life by the fact that every moment, every word, every action - because it could be the last - had to be the perfect expression of all the love, all the affection, all the reverence that was between us. And for three years there were no trifles and no big things, but there was only a triumph of quivering, reverent love, where everything merged into the great, because in one word all love can be enclosed, and in one movement all love can be expressed; and it should be like that.

The saints understood this not only in relation to one person whom they loved especially affectionately and for some small years, for which they had enough spirit. The saints knew how to live like this for a whole life, from day to day, from hour to hour, in relation to each person, because in everyone they saw the image of God, a living icon, but - God! - sometimes such a defiled, so disfigured icon, which they contemplated with special pain and with special love, as we would contemplate an icon trampled into the mud before our eyes. And each of us with his sin tramples the image of God in himself into the mud.

Think about it. Think about how glorious, how wondrous death can be, if only we live life like saints. They are people like us, differing from us only in courage and burning spirit. If we lived like them! And how rich the memory of death could be for us if instead of being called, in our language, the fear of death, it would be a constant reminder that every moment is and can become a door to eternal life. Every moment, filled with all love, all humility, all delight and strength of the soul, can open up time to eternity and make our land a place where paradise is manifested, a place where God lives, a place where we are united in love, a place where everything the evil, the dead, the dark, the filthy have been defeated, transformed, become light, become purity, become Divine.

May the Lord let us ponder these images of saints, and not each other, not even ask ourselves what to do, but turn directly to them, to these saints, some of whom were at first robbers, sinners, people terrible for others, but who were able to perceive God by the greatness of their souls and grow into the measure of the age of Christ. Let's ask them ... What happened to you, Father Nicholas? What did you do, how did you open up to the power of Divine love and grace. And he will answer us; with his life and his prayer, he will make possible for us what seems impossible to us, because the power of God in weakness is perfected, and everything is available to us, everything is possible for us in the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. On the vocation of a Christian. Word spoken at the liturgy on the feast day of St. Nicholas on December 19, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznets (Moscow)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I congratulate you on the occasion!

When we celebrate the day of such a saint as Nicholas the Wonderworker, whom not only the Russian heart, but universal Orthodoxy has perceived as one of the most perfect images of the priesthood, it is done with particular trepidation to serve the Divine Liturgy and stand before it; because before he became the fellow of the apostles, Saint Nicholas was a genuine, true layman. The Lord Himself revealed that it was him who had to be made a priest - for the purity of his life, for the feat of his love, for his love for worship and the temple, for the purity of his faith, for his meekness and humility.

All this was in him not a word, but flesh. In the troparion we sing to him that he was rule of faith, image of meekness, teacher of abstinence; all this to his flock was the deed itself, the radiance of his life, and not just a verbal sermon. And so he was still a layman. And by such a deed, such love, such purity, such meekness, he acquired for himself the highest calling of the Church - to be made a bishop, a bishop of his city; to be before the eyes of the believing people (which itself is the body of Christ, the seat of the Holy Spirit, the divine destiny), to stand among the Orthodox people like a living icon; so that it would be possible, looking at him, in his eyes to see the light of Christ's love, to see in his actions, to personally experience Christ's divine mercy.

We are all called to follow the same path. There are no two ways for a person: there is a way of holiness; the other is the path of renouncing one's Christian vocation. Not everyone reaches the height that is revealed to us in the saints; but we are all called to be so pure in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our lives, in our flesh, so that we can be, as it were, an embodied presence in the world, from century to century, from millennium to millennium, of Christ Himself.

We are called to be so completely, so completely surrendered to God, so that each of us becomes, as it were, a temple where the Holy Spirit lives and acts - both in us and through us.

We are called to be daughters and sons of our Father in Heaven; but not allegorically only, not only because He treats us as a father treats children. In Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to truly become His children, like Christ, having joined His sonship, having received the Spirit of sonship, the Spirit of God, so that our life may be hidden with Christ in God.

We cannot achieve this without difficulty. The Church Fathers tell us: spill blood and you will receive the Spirit ... We cannot ask God to dwell in us when we ourselves are not working to prepare for Him a holy, cleansed, God-consecrated temple. We cannot call Him into the depths of our sin again and again, if we do not have a firm, fiery intention, if we are not ready, when He will come down to us, when He will seek us out like a lost sheep, and wants to carry us back to our father's house, to be taken and carried away forever in His divine embrace.

To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; to be a Christian is to fight to overcome in oneself everything that is death, sin, untruth, impurity; in one word - to overcome, to conquer all that because of which Christ was crucified, killed on the Cross. Human sin killed Him - mine, and yours, and our common; and if we do not get rid of and do not get rid of sin, then we partake either by those who, with negligence, coldness, indifference, frivolity, gave Christ to be crucified, or by those who viciously wanted to destroy Him, to wipe out from the face of the earth, because His appearance, His preaching His personality was their condemnation.

To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; and yet we ourselves cannot be saved. Our vocation is so high, so great that a person on his own cannot fulfill it. I have already said that we are called to be, as it were, grafted into the humanity of Christ, like a twig is grafted onto a life-giving tree - so that the life of Christ spills in us, so that we are His body, so that we are His presence, so that our word is His in a word, our love is by His love, and our action is by His action.

I said that we must become the temple of the Holy Spirit, but more than a material temple. The material temple contains the presence of God, but is not permeated by it; and man is called to unite with God, as, according to the word of St. Maximus the Confessor, fire penetrates, penetrates iron, one thing is done with him, and one can (says Maxim) cut with fire and burn with iron, because it is no longer possible to discern where the burning is and where the fuel is. where is man and where is God.

We cannot achieve this. We cannot become sons and daughters of God just because we ourselves want it or because we ask and pray for it; we must be accepted by the Father, adopted, must become, by God's love for Christ, what Christ is for the Father: sons, daughters. How can we achieve this? The Gospel gives us the answer to this. Peter asks: Who can it be saved? - And Christ answers: The impossible for man is possible for God...

Through heroic deeds we can open our hearts; protect your mind and soul from impurity; we can direct our actions so that they are worthy of our calling and our God; we can keep our flesh clean for the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ; we can open up to God and say: Come and dwell in us… And we can know that if we sincerely ask this, we want this, then God, who wants us to be saved more than we know how to want it for ourselves, is his goodwill. He Himself in the Gospel tells us: If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him ...

Therefore, let us be with all the strength of our human weakness, all the burning of our dull spirit, all the hope of our heart, yearning for fullness, all our faith, which cries out to God: Lord, I believe - but help my unbelief!, with all the hunger, with all the thirst of our soul and body, let us ask God to come. But at the same time, with all the forces of our soul, with all the forces of our body, we will prepare a temple for Him, worthy of His coming: purified, dedicated to Him, protected from all unrighteousness, malice and impurity. And then the Lord will come; and he will accomplish, as He has promised us, with the Father and the Spirit, the Last Supper in our hearts, in our life, in our temple, in our society, and the Lord will reign forever, our God to generation and generation.

Santa Claus

In Western Christianity, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( Santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives children gifts for St. Nicholas Day, but more often for Christmas.

At the origins of the tradition of giving gifts on behalf of Santa Claus is the story of a miracle performed by Nicholas the Pleasure. As the life of the saint says, he saved the family of a poor man who lived in Patara from sin.

The poor man had three lovely daughters, and need made him think of a terrible thing - he wanted to send the girls to prostitution. The local archbishop, and Nicholas the Wonderworker was serving him, received a revelation from the Lord about what his parishioner had planned in despair. And he decided to save the family, and secretly from everyone. One night he tied the gold coins he inherited from his parents in a bundle and threw the sack to the poor man through the window. The father of the daughters discovered the gift only in the morning and thought that it was Christ himself who sent him the gift. With these funds, he married his eldest daughter to a good man.

Saint Nicholas rejoiced that his help had borne good fruit, and in the same way, secretly, threw the second bag of gold out the window of the poor man. With these funds, he played the wedding of the middle daughter.

The poor man was impatient to find out who his benefactor was. He did not sleep at night and waited for him to come to help his third daughter? Saint Nicholas was not long in coming. Hearing the ringing of a bundle of coins, the poor man caught up with the archbishop and recognized him as a saint. He fell at his feet and warmly thanked him for saving his family from a terrible sin.

Nikola Zimny, Nikola Osenny, Nikola Veshniy, "Nikola Wet"

On December 19 and August 11, according to the new style, Orthodox Christians remember, respectively, the death and birth of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to the season, these holidays were given popular names - Nikola Winter and Nikola Osenny.

Nicholas Veshnim (that is, the spring), or Nicholas the Summer, was called the holiday of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas and the wonderworker from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which is celebrated on May 22 in a new style.

The phrase "Nikola the Wet" comes from the fact that this saint in all ages was considered the patron saint of sailors and, in general, all travelers. When the church in the name of Nicholas the Pleasant was built by sailors (often in gratitude for the miraculous salvation on the waters), the people called it "Nikola the Wet".

Folk traditions of celebrating the day of memory of Nikolai the Ugodnik

In Russia, Nicholas the Pleasant was revered as the "senior" among the saints. Simple people they called this saint the patron saint of not only sailors and travelers, but also livestock and wild animals. They also prayed to him for success in agriculture and beekeeping. Nicola was called "merciful"; churches were built in his honor and children were named - from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century, the name Kolya was the most popular among Russian boys.

About Nikol Zimny ​​(December 19), in the huts in honor of the holiday, festive meals were organized - they baked pies with fish, brewed mash and beer. The holiday was considered "old man's", the most respected people of the village gathered together a rich table and had long conversations. And the youth indulged in winter entertainments - sledding, danced in round dances, sang songs, prepared for Christmas-time gatherings.

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Saint Nicholas is the most revered saint in the Russian Orthodox Church. On the day of his memory, you can change your fate, getting rid of diseases, damage and envy of ill-wishers, if you know how to pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker correctly.

December 19, 2016 - the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. No saint is revered by the Orthodox more than he. Nicholas is considered the patron saint of travelers, serving prison sentences, captured or slaves, seriously ill and dying.

They pray to Saint Nicholas:

• about reconciliation in the family;
• the gift of wisdom in raising children;
• about salvation from disease;
• about removing damage and getting rid of ill-wishers.

How to pray to St. Nicholas correctly

Any prayer at a subtle level is a powerful energetic message, the strength of which depends only on the energy of the person asking. In order for your prayer to be heard, it is necessary to bring yourself into the necessary mental and moral state in advance. Meditation on the flame of a candle will be a good help in this: it will help you to relax and tune in to the process of communication with the saint.

In order to quickly enter the desired state, you can light incense and turn off the overhead light: the flame of a church candle, the smell of incense and twilight will have a beneficial effect on your consciousness. Concentrate on what you want to ask St. Nicholas on his day and sit in silence for a while.

Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker about changing his fate

This saint is most often addressed in their own words, sincerely revealing their souls in prayer. However, the more familiar version still remains the texts, which have already been repeated many thousands of times by the ministers of the church and praying people.

“Oh, Saint Nicholas, God's servitor, seeker of truth, before God the Intercessor! I sincerely pray to You, do not leave me without your true light, do not take away from me, unworthy, your hand, which shelters from all evil. Hear my prayer and show the right path in the darkness of my life to the true light of faith and love! Give me the strength to believe and shine with Divine radiance, see the right path and embark on it on the day of Your memory. I put my trust in You, the Miracle-worker Nicholas, and I entrust my fate into Your hands! Amen".

This prayer to St. Nicholas, read on December 19, is considered the most powerful means for changing one's life and destiny. We wish you peace in your soul and the patronage of Nicholas the Wonderworker throughout your entire life. Be happy and remember to press the buttons and

19.12.2016 03:03

Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered and beloved saints among Orthodox Christians. Prayers converted ...

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Miraculous words: prayer to St. Nicholas the miracle worker on December 19 in a full description from all sources we found.

December 19, 2015: Nicholas the Wonderworker

Content

More than one holiday is dedicated to Saint Nicholas in the Orthodox Church calendar. On December 19, according to a new style, the day of the saint's death is remembered, August 11 - his birth. The people called these two holidays Nikola Winter and Nikola Autumn. On May 22, believers remember the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which took place in 1087. In Russia, this day was named Nikola Veshniy (that is, spring), or Nikola Letny.

All these holidays are non-transitory, that is, their dates are fixed.

How does Nikolai the Wonderworker help

Saint Nicholas is called a miracle worker. Such saints are especially revered for the miracles that occur through prayers to them. Since ancient times, Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered as a quick helper to sailors and other travelers, merchants, unjustly convicted children and children. In Western folk Christianity, his image was combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( Santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives gifts to children for Christmas.

Life (biography) of Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nikolai the Pleasant was born in 270 in the town of Patara, which was located in the Lycia region in Asia Minor and was a Greek colony. The parents of the future archbishop were very wealthy people, but at the same time they believed in Christ and actively helped the poor.

As the life says, the saint completely devoted himself to the faith from childhood, spent a lot of time in the church. Growing up, he became a reader, and then a priest in the church, where his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patarsky, served as the rector.

After the death of his parents, Nicholas the Wonderworker distributed all his inheritance to the poor and continued his church ministry. In the years when the attitude of the Roman emperors towards Christians became more tolerant, but the persecution nevertheless continued, he ascended the episcopal throne in Mir. Now this town is called Demre, it is located in the province of Antalya in Turkey.

The people fell in love with the new archbishop: he was kind, meek, fair, responsive - not a single request to him remained unanswered. With all this, Nicholas was remembered by his contemporaries as an implacable fighter against paganism - he destroyed idols and temples, and the defender of Christianity - denounced heretics.

During his lifetime, the saint became famous for many miracles. He saved the city of Mira from a terrible famine - with his fervent prayer to Christ. He prayed and thus helped drowning sailors on ships, led unjustly convicted people out of captivity in prisons.

Nikolai the Pleasant lived to a ripe old age and died around 345-351 - the exact date is unknown.

The relics of St. Nicholas

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker departed to the Lord in 345-351 - the exact date is unknown. His relics were incorruptible. At first they rested in the cathedral church of the city of Myra, where he served as archbishop. They streamed myrrh, and myrrh healed believers from various ailments.

In 1087, the relics of the saint set out to desecrate and plunder the Turks - during the devastating military raids on Byzantium in Asia Minor. To save the shrine, Christians moved it to the Italian city of Bari, to the Church of St. Stephen. A year after the salvation of the relics, a basilica was erected there in the name of St. Nicholas. Now everyone can pray at the relics of the saint - the ark with them is kept in this basilica to this day.

In honor of the transfer of the relics of Nicholas the Pleasant, a special holiday has been established, which is celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church on May 22 in a new style.

Veneration of St. Nicholas in Russia

Many churches and monasteries are dedicated to Nicholas the Benefactor in Russia. In his name, Saint Patriarch Photius baptized in 866 the Kiev prince Askold, the very first Russian Christian prince. Over the grave of Askold in Kiev, St. Olga, Equal to the Apostles, built the first church of St. Nicholas on Russian soil.

In many Russian cities, the main cathedrals were named after the Archbishop Mir of Lycia. Veliky Novgorod, Zaraysk, Kiev, Smolensk, Pskov, Galich, Arkhangelsk, Tobolsk and many others. In the Moscow province, three Nikolsky monasteries were built - Nikolo-Greek (Old) - in Kitay-gorod, Nikolo-Perervinsky and Nikolo-Ugreshsky. In addition, Nikolskaya is named one of the main towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

Iconography of St. Nicholas

The iconography of St. Nicholas took shape in the 10th-11th centuries. At the same time, the most ancient icon, namely the fresco in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome, dates back to the 8th century.

There are two main iconographic types of St. Nicholas - height and waist. One of the classic examples of a full-length icon is a fresco from the Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev, painted at the beginning of the 12th century. Now it is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. In this fresco, the saint is depicted full-length, with a blessing right hand and an open Gospel in his left hand.

The icons of the half-length iconographic type depict the saint with a closed Gospel on his left hand. The oldest icon of this type in the monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai dates back to the 11th century. In Russia, the earliest surviving such image belongs to the end of the 12th century. Ivan the Terrible brought it from Novgorod the Great and laid it in the Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Convent. Now this icon can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Icon painters also created the hagiographic icons of Nicholas the Ugodnik, that is, depicting various scenes from the life of the saint - sometimes up to twenty different subjects. The oldest of these icons in Russia is the Novgorod one from the Lyubon 'churchyard (XIV century) and the Kolomna one (now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).

Troparion Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

The rule of faith and the image of meekness, abstinence of the teacher, reveal the truth to your flock even more than things: for this sake you have acquired high humility, rich in poverty. Father Superior Nicholas, pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

By the rule of faith, an example of meekness, abstinence as a teacher, your life has shown you to your flock. And therefore, you have acquired greatness by humility, wealth - by poverty: Father Nicholas, the hierarch, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

In Mirekh, the holy one, the priest appeared to be: Christ's God, venerable, having fulfilled the Gospel, you laid down your soul about your people, and you saved the innocent from death; For this reason, thou art sanctified, as the great mystery of God's grace.

In Worlds you, saint, became the performer of sacred rites: having fulfilled the gospel teaching of Christ, you laid down, saint, your soul for your people and innocent, delivered from death. Therefore, he was sanctified as a great minister of the sacraments of God's grace.

First Prayer to Nicholas the Pleasant

Oh, all-holy Nicholas, the most splendid Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper!

Help me, a sinner and sad one in this present life, pray to the Lord God for granting me forgiveness of all my sins that have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help the accursed one, pray the Lord God, all creatures of the Sourer, to save me from airy ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and forever and forever.

Second Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all valiant, great miracle worker, Saint of Christ, Father Nicholas!

We pray thee, awaken the hope of all Christians, the faithful protector, the hungry for the feeder, the weeping joy, the sick doctor, the steward floating on the sea, the poor and the orphan feeder and the quick helper and patron of everyone, may we live our life in a peaceful place and may we be able to see the glory of God's chosen ones in heaven , and with them ceaselessly sing the praises of the one God who is being thundered in the Trinity for ever and ever. Amen.

Third Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all-honorable and all-pious bishop, great Miracle-worker, Holy Hierarch of Christ, Father Nicholas, the man of God and faithful servant, the husband of desires, the chosen vessel, the strong pillar of the church, the bright lamp, the star shining and illuminating the entire universe: you are a righteous man, like a prosperous fig. in the courtyards of his Lord, living in the Worlds, thou art fragrant with peace, and exuding the ever-flowing peace of God's grace.

With your procession, holy father, the sea will be illuminated, when your many miraculous relics will march to the city of Barsky, praise the name of the Lord from east to west.

O graceful and delightful Miracle-worker, quick helper, warm intercessor, kindhearted shepherd, saving the verbal flock from all troubles, we glorify you and we magnify you, as the hope of all Christians, the source of miracles, the protector of the faithful, the wise teacher, hungry for the feeder, crying joy, naked clothes , the sick doctor, the steward floating on the sea, the captives of the liberator, the widows and orphans of the feeder and intercessor, the chastity of the keeper, the infants of the meek punisher, the old fortification, the fasting mentor, the laborers of rapture, the poor and the poor, abundant wealth.

Hear us, praying to you, and running under your roof, show your intercession for us to the Most High, and pursue your God-pleasing prayers, all that is useful for the salvation of our souls and bodies: preserve this holy abode (or this temple), every city and all, and every Christian country, and people living from every bitterness with your help:

We are, we are, as the prayer of the righteous can do a lot, advancing towards the good: for you, the righteous, according to the blessed Virgin Mary, the representative of the Imam to the All-Merciful God, and for yours, gracious father, warm intercession and intercession we humbly flow: you observe us kindly as cheerful and Shepherd, from all enemies, destruction, cowardice, hail, gladness, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, and in all our troubles and sorrows, give us a helping hand, and open the doors of God's mercy, many of our iniquities, bound by sinful bonds, and neither the will of our Creator was created nor by the preservation of his commands.

In the same way, we bow the broken and humble knee of our heart to our Creator, and we ask your fatherly intercession to Him:

Help us, the Grace of God, so that we do not perish with our iniquities, deliver us from every evil and from every thing that resists, control our mind and strengthen our heart in the right faith, in it by your intercession and intercession, neither by wounds, nor by reprimand, nor by pestilence, no anger will let me live in this age, and will save me from standing, and will vouch for the desnago with all the saints. Amen.

Fourth Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O our good shepherd and God-wise mentor, Saint Nicholas of Christ! Hear us sinners praying to you and calling your quick intercession for help; see us weak, caught everywhere, deprived of all good, and darkened in mind from cowardice; begging for help, please God, do not leave us in sinful captivity to be, let us not be our enemy for joy and not die in our crafty deeds.

Pray for us unworthy of our Companion and the Lord, to him you stand before with incorporeal faces: mercifully create our God in our present life and in the future, may he not reward us according to our deeds and according to the uncleanness of our hearts, but according to his goodness he will reward us ...

We rely on your intercession, we boast of your intercession, we call on your intercession for help, and we ask for help to your holy image, we ask for help: deliver us, the servitor of Christ, from the evils that come upon us, and tame the waves of passions and troubles that rise up against us, but for the sake of Your holy prayers will not embrace us to attack and we will not get bogged down in the abyss of sin and in the mud of our passions. Pray, to Saint Nicholas of Christ, Christ our God, may he give us a peaceful life and the remission of sins, but to our souls salvation and great mercy, now and forever, and forever and ever.

Fifth Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O great intercessor, the Bishop of God, Blessed Nicholas, who shines like a sunflower miracles, appearing to the earliest hearer, they always anticipate and save them, and deliver them, and take away all sorts of troubles, from God these miracles and gifts of grace!

Hear me unworthy, with faith thee calling and offering you prayers singing; I offer you an intercessor for intercession to Christ.

O notorious in miracles, saint heights! as if you have boldness, soon stand before the Lord, and venerate your hands with prayer to Him, stretch out for me a sinner, and from Him give me bounty of goodness, and accept me in your intercession, and save me from all troubles and evils, from the invasion of visible and invisible enemies freeing, and destroying all those slander and evil deception, and reflecting those who fight me in all my life; by my sin, ask for forgiveness, and be saved to Christ, present me and vouch for the Kingdom of Heaven for the multitude of that love of mankind, for him all glory, honor and worship are due, with his Father without beginning, and with the Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever and forever centuries.

Sixth Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Oh, all-blessed Father Nicholas, pastor and teacher of all those who come to your intercession by faith, and call you with warm prayer, soon sweep and deliver the flock of Christ from the wolves that destroy e, that is, from the invasion of the crafty Latins who are rising up against us.

Protect and preserve our country, and every country in Orthodoxy, with your holy prayers from worldly rebellion, the sword, the invasion of foreigners, from internecine and bloody warfare.

And as if you had mercy on the three men in the dungeon sitting down, and you delivered them from the tsar's anger and the beating of the sword, so have mercy and deliver the Orthodox people of Great, Small and White Russia from the pernicious Latin heresy.

As if by your intercession and help, by His own mercy and grace, Christ God, may He look with His merciful eye on people in the ignorance of existence, who have not known their right hands, much more than a young one, Latin seductions are spoken in a hedgehog to turn away from the faith may the mind of His people enlighten, may they not be tempted and will not fall away from the faith of their fathers, may the conscience, lulled by vain wisdom and ignorance, awaken, will turn it to the preservation of the holy Orthodox faith, may it remember the faith and humility of our fathers, your belly for the Orthodox faith who put, accept the prayers of the warm saints of His saints, who shone in our land, who keep us from the delusion and heresy of Latin, and who preserved us in holy Orthodoxy, will vouch for us at the terrible Judgment of His hand standing with all the saints. Amen.

What you can eat on the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

December 19, according to the new style, falls on the Rozhdestvensky, or Filippov, as it is also called, fast. On this day, you can eat fish, but you cannot eat meat, eggs and other animal products.

Miracles of St. Nicholas

Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint, intercessor and prayer book for sailors and, in general, for everyone who travels. For example, as the life of the saint says, in his youth, traveling from Mira to Alexandria, he resurrected a sailor who, during a fierce storm, fell from the mast of the ship and, falling to the deck, crashed to death.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Word, pronounced at the all-night vigil on the feast of St. Nicholas, December 18, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznets (Moscow)

We are celebrating today the day of the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. What a strange combination of words this is: a holiday about death ... Usually, when someone is overtaken by death, we grieve and cry about it; and when the saint dies, we rejoice about it. How is this possible?

Perhaps this is only because when a sinner dies, those who remain have a heavy feeling on their hearts that the time has come for parting, at least temporarily. No matter how strong our faith is, no matter how much hope inspires us, no matter how confident we are that the God of love will never finally separate from each other those who love each other with an imperfect, earthly love - it still remains sadness and longing that for many years we will not see the face, the expression of the eyes shining on us with affection, we will not touch a dear person with a reverent hand, we will not hear his voice, bringing his affection and love to our hearts ...

But our attitude towards the saint is not quite like that. Even those who were contemporary to the saints, already during their lifetime managed to realize that, while living in the fullness of heavenly life, the saint did not separate from the earth during his lifetime, and that when he rests in his body, he will still remain in this mystery of the Church, which unites the living and the dead. into one body, into one spirit, into one secret, eternal, Divine, conquering all life.

As they died, the saints could say as Paul said: I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith; now an eternal reward is being prepared for me, now I myself become a sacrifice ...

And this consciousness is not the head, but the consciousness of the heart, the living feeling of the heart that the saint cannot be separated from us (just as the risen Christ, who has become invisible to us, is not absent from us, just as God invisible to us is not absent), this consciousness allows us to rejoice on the day when, as the ancient Christians said, a person born into eternal life. He did not die - he was born, entered into eternity, into all the space, into the fullness of life. He is in anticipation of a new victory in life, which we all hope for: the resurrection of the dead on the last day, when all the barriers of separation have already fallen, and when we will rejoice not only about the victory of eternity, but about the fact that God has also brought the temporal back to life - but in glory, new shining glory.

One of the ancient Fathers of the Church, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons says: the glory of God is a man who has completely become Human ... The saints are such a glory to God; looking at them, we are amazed at what God can do to man.

And so, we rejoice on the day of the death of the one who was on earth heavenly man, and having entered eternity, he became a representative and a prayer book for us, not leaving us, remaining not only the same close, becoming even closer, because we become close to each other as we become close, dear, our own to the Living God, God of love. Our joy is so deep today! The Lord on earth shook Saint Nicholas like a ripe ear of corn. Now he is triumphant with God in heaven; and just as he loved the land and people, knew how to pity, sympathize, knew how to surround everyone and meet everyone with amazing affectionate, thoughtful care, so now he prays for all of us, caringly, thoughtfully.

When you read his life, you are amazed that he not only cared about the spiritual; he cared about every human need, about the most humble human needs. He knew how to rejoice with those who rejoice, he knew how to cry with those who weeping, he knew how to comfort and support those who needed consolation and support. And that is why the people, the Mirlikian flock loved him so much, and why the entire Christian people respects him so: nothing is too insignificant, to which he would not pay attention to his creative love. There is nothing on earth that would seem unworthy of his prayers and unworthy of his labors: illness, and the poor, and deprivation, and disgrace, and fear, and sin, and joy, and hope, and love - everything found a lively response in his deep human heart. And he left us the image of a man who is the radiance of God's beauty, he left us in himself, as it were, a living, acting icon a real person.

But he left it to us not only so that we would rejoice, admire, be amazed; he left us his image so that we learn from him how to live, what love to love, how to forget ourselves and remember fearlessly, sacrificially, joyfully every need of another person.

He left us an image of how to die, how to mature, how to stand before God at the last hour, giving Him his soul joyfully, as if returning to his father's house. When I was a young man, my father once told me: learn during your life to expect death in such a way as a young man anxiously awaits the arrival of his bride ... This is how Saint Nicholas waited for the hour of death, when the mortal gates will open, when all bonds fall, when the soul flies up him to freedom, when it will be given to him to contemplate that God, whom he worshiped with faith and love. So it is given to us to wait - to wait creatively, not to wait numb, in fear of death, but to wait with joy for that time, that meeting with God, which will make us akin not only with our Living God, with Christ who has become a man, but also with every person. because only in God are we made one ...

The Fathers of the Church Call Us to Live fear of mortals. From century to century we hear these words, and from century to century we misunderstand them. How many people live with the fear that death is about to come, and after death - judgment, and after judgment - what? Unknown. Hell? Forgiveness. But not about that mortal fear the fathers said. The fathers said that if we remembered that in a moment we could die, how would we hasten to do all the good that we can still do! If we thought constantly, anxiously about the fact that the person standing next to us, to whom we can now do good or evil, could die - how would we hasten to take care of him! Then there would be no need, big or small, that would exceed our ability to devote our lives to a person who is about to die.

I have already said something about my father; excuse me - I will say one more personal. My mother has been dying for three years; she knew it because I told her. And when death entered our life, it transformed life by the fact that every moment, every word, every action - because it could be the last - had to be the perfect expression of all the love, all the affection, all the reverence that was between us. And for three years there were no trifles and no big things, but there was only a triumph of quivering, reverent love, where everything merged into the great, because in one word all love can be enclosed, and in one movement all love can be expressed; and it should be like that.

The saints understood this not only in relation to one person whom they loved especially affectionately and for some small years, for which they had enough spirit. The saints knew how to live like this for a whole life, from day to day, from hour to hour, in relation to each person, because in everyone they saw the image of God, a living icon, but - God! - sometimes such a defiled, so disfigured icon, which they contemplated with special pain and with special love, as we would contemplate an icon trampled into the mud before our eyes. And each of us with his sin tramples the image of God in himself into the mud.

Think about it. Think about how glorious, how wondrous death can be, if only we live life like saints. They are people like us, differing from us only in courage and burning spirit. If we lived like them! And how rich the memory of death could be for us if instead of being called, in our language, the fear of death, it would be a constant reminder that every moment is and can become a door to eternal life. Every moment, filled with all love, all humility, all delight and strength of the soul, can open up time to eternity and make our land a place where paradise is manifested, a place where God lives, a place where we are united in love, a place where everything the evil, the dead, the dark, the filthy have been defeated, transformed, become light, become purity, become Divine.

May the Lord let us ponder these images of saints, and not each other, not even ask ourselves what to do, but turn directly to them, to these saints, some of whom were at first robbers, sinners, people terrible for others, but who were able to perceive God by the greatness of their souls and grow into the measure of the age of Christ. Let's ask them ... What happened to you, Father Nicholas? What did you do, how did you open up to the power of Divine love and grace. And he will answer us; with his life and his prayer, he will make possible for us what seems impossible to us, because the power of God in weakness is perfected, and everything is available to us, everything is possible for us in the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. On the vocation of a Christian. Word spoken at the liturgy on the feast day of St. Nicholas on December 19, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznets (Moscow)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I congratulate you on the occasion!

When we celebrate the day of such a saint as Nicholas the Wonderworker, whom not only the Russian heart, but universal Orthodoxy has perceived as one of the most perfect images of the priesthood, it is done with particular trepidation to serve the Divine Liturgy and stand before it; because before he became the fellow of the apostles, Saint Nicholas was a genuine, true layman. The Lord Himself revealed that it was him who had to be made a priest - for the purity of his life, for the feat of his love, for his love for worship and the temple, for the purity of his faith, for his meekness and humility.

All this was in him not a word, but flesh. In the troparion we sing to him that he was rule of faith, image of meekness, teacher of abstinence; all this to his flock was the deed itself, the radiance of his life, and not just a verbal sermon. And so he was still a layman. And by such a deed, such love, such purity, such meekness, he acquired for himself the highest calling of the Church - to be made a bishop, a bishop of his city; to be before the eyes of the believing people (which itself is the body of Christ, the seat of the Holy Spirit, the divine destiny), to stand among the Orthodox people like a living icon; so that it would be possible, looking at him, in his eyes to see the light of Christ's love, to see in his actions, to personally experience Christ's divine mercy.

We are all called to follow the same path. There are no two ways for a person: there is a way of holiness; the other is the path of renouncing one's Christian vocation. Not everyone reaches the height that is revealed to us in the saints; but we are all called to be so pure in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our lives, in our flesh, so that we can be, as it were, an embodied presence in the world, from century to century, from millennium to millennium, of Christ Himself.

We are called to be so completely, so completely surrendered to God, so that each of us becomes, as it were, a temple where the Holy Spirit lives and acts - both in us and through us.

We are called to be daughters and sons of our Father in Heaven; but not allegorically only, not only because He treats us as a father treats children. In Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to truly become His children, like Christ, having joined His sonship, having received the Spirit of sonship, the Spirit of God, so that our life may be hidden with Christ in God.

We cannot achieve this without difficulty. The Church Fathers tell us: spill blood and you will receive the Spirit ... We cannot ask God to dwell in us when we ourselves are not working to prepare for Him a holy, cleansed, God-consecrated temple. We cannot call Him into the depths of our sin again and again, if we do not have a firm, fiery intention, if we are not ready, when He will come down to us, when He will seek us out like a lost sheep, and wants to carry us back to our father's house, to be taken and carried away forever in His divine embrace.

To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; to be a Christian is to fight to overcome in oneself everything that is death, sin, untruth, impurity; in one word - to overcome, to conquer all that because of which Christ was crucified, killed on the Cross. Human sin killed Him - mine, and yours, and our common; and if we do not get rid of and do not get rid of sin, then we partake either by those who, with negligence, coldness, indifference, frivolity, gave Christ to be crucified, or by those who viciously wanted to destroy Him, to wipe out from the face of the earth, because His appearance, His preaching His personality was their condemnation.

To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; and yet we ourselves cannot be saved. Our vocation is so high, so great that a person on his own cannot fulfill it. I have already said that we are called to be, as it were, grafted into the humanity of Christ, like a twig is grafted onto a life-giving tree - so that the life of Christ spills in us, so that we are His body, so that we are His presence, so that our word is His in a word, our love is by His love, and our action is by His action.

I said that we must become the temple of the Holy Spirit, but more than a material temple. The material temple contains the presence of God, but is not permeated by it; and man is called to unite with God, as, according to the word of St. Maximus the Confessor, fire penetrates, penetrates iron, one thing is done with him, and one can (says Maxim) cut with fire and burn with iron, because it is no longer possible to discern where the burning is and where the fuel is. where is man and where is God.

We cannot achieve this. We cannot become sons and daughters of God just because we ourselves want it or because we ask and pray for it; we must be accepted by the Father, adopted, must become, by God's love for Christ, what Christ is for the Father: sons, daughters. How can we achieve this? The Gospel gives us the answer to this. Peter asks: Who can it be saved? - And Christ answers: The impossible for man is possible for God...

Through heroic deeds we can open our hearts; protect your mind and soul from impurity; we can direct our actions so that they are worthy of our calling and our God; we can keep our flesh clean for the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ; we can open up to God and say: Come and dwell in us… And we can know that if we sincerely ask this, we want this, then God, who wants us to be saved more than we know how to want it for ourselves, is his goodwill. He Himself in the Gospel tells us: If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him ...

Therefore, let us be with all the strength of our human weakness, all the burning of our dull spirit, all the hope of our heart, yearning for fullness, all our faith, which cries out to God: Lord, I believe - but help my unbelief!, with all the hunger, with all the thirst of our soul and body, let us ask God to come. But at the same time, with all the forces of our soul, with all the forces of our body, we will prepare a temple for Him, worthy of His coming: purified, dedicated to Him, protected from all unrighteousness, malice and impurity. And then the Lord will come; and he will accomplish, as He has promised us, with the Father and the Spirit, the Last Supper in our hearts, in our life, in our temple, in our society, and the Lord will reign forever, our God to generation and generation.

Santa Claus

In Western Christianity, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( Santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives children gifts for St. Nicholas Day, but more often for Christmas.

At the origins of the tradition of giving gifts on behalf of Santa Claus is the story of a miracle performed by Nicholas the Pleasure. As the life of the saint says, he saved the family of a poor man who lived in Patara from sin.

The poor man had three lovely daughters, and need made him think of a terrible thing - he wanted to send the girls to prostitution. The local archbishop, and Nicholas the Wonderworker was serving him, received a revelation from the Lord about what his parishioner had planned in despair. And he decided to save the family, and secretly from everyone. One night he tied the gold coins he inherited from his parents in a bundle and threw the sack to the poor man through the window. The father of the daughters discovered the gift only in the morning and thought that it was Christ himself who sent him the gift. With these funds, he married his eldest daughter to a good man.

Saint Nicholas rejoiced that his help had borne good fruit, and in the same way, secretly, threw the second bag of gold out the window of the poor man. With these funds, he played the wedding of the middle daughter.

The poor man was impatient to find out who his benefactor was. He did not sleep at night and waited for him to come to help his third daughter? Saint Nicholas was not long in coming. Hearing the ringing of a bundle of coins, the poor man caught up with the archbishop and recognized him as a saint. He fell at his feet and warmly thanked him for saving his family from a terrible sin.

Nikola Zimny, Nikola Osenny, Nikola Veshniy, "Nikola Wet"

On December 19 and August 11, according to the new style, Orthodox Christians remember, respectively, the death and birth of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to the season, these holidays were given popular names - Nikola Winter and Nikola Osenny.

Nicholas Veshnim (that is, the spring), or Nicholas the Summer, was called the holiday of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas and the wonderworker from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which is celebrated on May 22 in a new style.

The phrase "Nikola the Wet" comes from the fact that this saint in all ages was considered the patron saint of sailors and, in general, all travelers. When the church in the name of Nicholas the Pleasant was built by sailors (often in gratitude for the miraculous salvation on the waters), the people called it "Nikola the Wet".

Folk traditions of celebrating the day of memory of Nikolai the Ugodnik

In Russia, Nicholas the Pleasant was revered as the "senior" among the saints. Ordinary people called this saint the patron saint of not only sailors and travelers, but also livestock and wild animals. They also prayed to him for success in agriculture and beekeeping. Nicola was called "merciful"; churches were built in his honor and children were named - from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century, the name Kolya was the most popular among Russian boys.

About Nikol Zimny ​​(December 19), in the huts in honor of the holiday, festive meals were organized - they baked pies with fish, brewed mash and beer. The holiday was considered "old man's", the most respected people of the village gathered together a rich table and had long conversations. And the youth indulged in winter entertainments - sledding, danced in round dances, sang songs, prepared for Christmas-time gatherings.

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