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The Basilica of St. Nicholas, which houses the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, is located in Bari - one of the oldest Italian cities with a history of 3 thousand years - a place of pilgrimage for thousands of Christians.

Bari - history

Historians find it difficult to name the exact age of Bari, but suggest that already a thousand years BC. there was a settlement here.

Today ancient settlement became big city, whose population exceeds 325 thousand people. Bari is the administrative center of the region of Apulia.

In the 3rd century. BC. this part of modern Italy entered the Roman Empire as a municipality (a city whose population received partial self-government and civil rights). A theater was built here, temples were erected, but archaeological evidence of this could not be found.

The structure of the old city that exists to this day was formed in the middle of the 5th century AD, during the struggle between the Eastern Roman Empire (with its capital in Byzantium) and the Lombards. In those years, special administrative units, cathepanates, were formed, which were controlled by the leaders of provincial military detachments.

Later, the city experienced the domination of the Barbers (Arab peoples from northern Africa), the subjugation of Bevenento (a large duchy in the northeast), the siege of the Saracens, the invasion of the Venetians...

A major shock was the uprising of Melus in the struggle for independence from the Byzantines in 1009. It led to the plunder of Bari (and part of Italy) by Norman troops called to help the rebels.

Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

However, despite further vicissitudes, including the almost complete destruction of the city, the most important event in its history occurred in 1087.

The Arab fleet under the leadership of Humaid at that time made terrifying raids on Christian lands. Rhodes and Myra Lycia were plundered. In recent years, Humaid came with the intention of destroying the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, but by mistake he destroyed the wrong church. After which a terrible storm arose, destroying most ships.

Believers rightly feared for the fate of the relic. Alexios I Komnenos, who ascended the Byzantine throne, sought to preserve religious values, but the barbarians could not be stopped. By that time, the eastern part of Italy was almost completely devastated. The worlds passed to the Turks.

In 1087, Barian merchants way back from Muslim-ruled Antioch, they decided to transport the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra in Lycia. When it was not possible to redeem the shrine, a detachment of 47 people forcibly took the relic from the sarcophagus, tying up the monks guarding the church.

On May 8, merchants on ships with the most important cargo arrived home, and the very next day the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were placed in the Church of St., located not far from the shore. Stefan. Any attempts to transport the relics anywhere from the city in the future caused popular unrest, so it was decided to build a church in which they would be kept.

Bari - Cathedral
Bari - cathedral - interior

Bari - Basilica of St. Nicholas

It took almost 20 years to build the temple, which would house the Christian shrine - the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It began almost immediately after the return of the relics to the Italo-Norman lands, and lasted until 1085. Pope Urban II was present at the consecration of the church, in the crypt of which the remains of the saint were buried.

He was here again once, visiting one of key events in the history of the Christian church. In 1098, during a period of short-term rapprochement between the positions of the Pope and the Byzantine Church, a Council was convened, at which differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy were to be resolved. 180 bishops took part in the event, and a delegation from the Kyiv Metropolis was also present. However, the result of the Council turned out to be very sad - it was decided to anathematize all those who disagreed with the pope (the issue of the dispute around the dogma of the Trinity was discussed). Thus, the churches remained divided to this day.

It is worth noting that approximately 65% ​​of the saint’s relics are located in Bari. The fact is that during the theft from Myra Lycia, it was not possible to transfer the shrine from the sarcophagus to a container, so it was wrapped in a mantle. Due to haste, part of the relics remained in the city occupied by the Turks. They were only obtained during crusade, after which the Christians transported this part of the remains to the Venetian island of Lido.

Basilica of St. Nicholas
Basilica of St. Nicholas - interior

Basilica of St. Nicholas - architecture

The architecture of the temple is very original - it contains mainly rectangular elements and straight lines, which is more appropriate for castles or fortresses. The impression is enhanced by two massive towers at the edges of the facade. However, the church still had to withstand siege several times, so appearances are not entirely deceiving.

Perhaps the only external decoration can be called carvings from the 12th century. on the entrance portal. The columns supporting the portico are supported by figures of bulls, and in the lunette you can see a relief with a triumphant man on a chariot. The building's pediment is crowned with a sphinx. Perhaps the building was originally more picturesque, but during reconstructions in the XIII, XV and XVII centuries some decorations have been removed.

The temple has three naves 39 m long, a shorter transept - 31.5 m. All naves end with apses, about which practically nothing is said from the outside - they are hidden by straight walls with false arcades. During the renovation of the building in the last century, the interior lost most of baroque elements, retaining only the vaulted wooden ceiling of the transept, decorated by the artist Carlo de Rosa. The central image here is dedicated to God the Father, around whom the patriarchs are located.

Basilica of St. Nicholas - relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Basilica of the Saint - worship

Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - pilgrimage

However, the value for pilgrims is not hidden in the history and architecture of the building. Century after century, believers come here to venerate the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Such high attention to the church in Bari is due to the fact that St. Nicholas is one of the most revered saints for both Catholics and Orthodox. Considered the patron saint of sailors and travelers, he is known for a number of miracles and deeds.

So, even in his youth, he resurrected one sailor and saved another on the way from Alexandria. Later, Nikolai saved from shame three girls who had beauty, but lived in poor family, who was unable to collect her dowry. According to legend, the saint threw a bag of gold through the window of their house, which fell into a stocking hung in front of the fireplace to dry. Since then, the tradition of hanging stockings for Santa Claus began.

Historical documents claim that Orthodox Christians are also frequent guests in the church. Peter Tolstoy, Boris Sheremetyev, the son of Peter the Great Alexey, Vasily Barsky, etc. visited here.

In Russia, until the 20th century, Nicholas the Wonderworker was considered one of the most revered saints. The number of churches dedicated to him was second only to the number of churches in the name of the Mother of God.

However, due to disputes between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, Russians had the opportunity to approach the relics only during a pilgrimage or tourist trip to Bari.

It is worth noting that the Roman Catholic Church, despite disagreements, strongly promotes pilgrimages from Russia.

The Basilica of St. Nicholas is open daily from 7:30 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 19:30. The entrance is free.
Official website of the basilica: http://www.basilicasannicola.it

The relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are being transported to Russia

But in 2017, thanks to agreements between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis reached in Havana, for the first time in 930 years the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker will leave the Temple in Bari - the shrine will be temporarily brought to Russia.

“The holy relics will be delivered to Moscow on May 21 by charter flight, they will be accompanied by a delegation of the Roman- catholic church“- said priest Alexey Dikarev, an employee of the Secretariat for Inter-Christian Relations. “Not all the relics will be brought to Russia, but only part of them.”

According to Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the bringing of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to Russia is a special event for the Russian Orthodox Church, where this saint is so deeply revered.
- The relics are hidden, that is, they are walled up underground; however, some of the relics were brought out of hiding especially for this event,” said Bishop Hilarion at a special briefing dedicated to the historical event.

First, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker will be exhibited in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and in July they will be transported to St. Petersburg. The place where the relics will be placed in St. Petersburg is still being determined.
By agreement of the parties, the relics will leave Russia on July 28.

May 21 The relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were delivered to Moscow

More details about the visit on the News page
On the afternoon of May 21, 2017, the relics of St. Nicholas were delivered by special flight from Italy to Moscow Vnukovo airport, from where a motorcade will take them to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

Believers will have access to the relics according to the following schedule:

May 22 from 14:00 to 21:00 Moscow time,
from May 23 to July 12 daily from 8:00 to 21:00 Moscow time.
The queue will form from the Crimean Bridge, the nearest metro station is Park Kultury on the Circle and Sokolnicheskaya lines.

The organizers warned that the queue could extend to the Frunzenskaya or Vorobyovy Gory metro stations.
For the convenience of pilgrims, so-called “gateways” will be installed along the entire length of the queue. There will be food points there, ambulances and buses where you can rest. Police officers and volunteers will be on duty throughout the line, distributing the flow of people, distributing water and providing all necessary assistance.

The organizers emphasize that access to the relics will be provided only on a first-come, first-served basis, without special passes or the possibility of access by vehicle. The only exception will be made for pilgrims with musculoskeletal disorders and infants.

The line of people wishing to see the Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker stretched to the Crimean Bridge

Reportedly news agencies The queue to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were delivered the day before, stretched from the Crimean Bridge. The queue formed early in the morning almost immediately after the metro opened. Due to the accumulation large quantity A police cordon was set up around Prechistenskaya Embankment.
Many of those interested brought folding chairs with them to withstand the several-hour wait. The Kropotkinskaya metro station, closest to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, currently has only one exit.

Half a million people venerated the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Moscow

The number of believers who venerated the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the capital’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior exceeded half a million people. The press secretary of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', priest Alexander Volkov, told Interfax about this.

“The length of the queue reaches an average of three kilometers,” he noted. From 18 to 48 thousand people come to the temple per day. To get to the relics, people wait about nine hours.

The shrine will be available to believers until July 12. The next day, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which did not leave Italian city Bari is 930 years old and will be taken to St. Petersburg for Christian worship. They will stay there until July 28.

On May 30, the head of the synodal information department of the church, Vladimir Legoyda, called the queue to the relics of St. Nicholas “a small feat.” For many, he said, this pilgrimage will be the first step on the path to faith.

Send your friends a ray of light from sunny Italy :)

The city of Bari, the second most important city in southern Italy after Naples, is located on the heel of the Italian boot. Bari is the capital of the Apulia region, a major seaport and transport hub.

But if Bari had been just another port city, it would not have gained fame far beyond the borders of Italy and would not have become a place of pilgrimage for thousands of Christian believers. Exactly here are the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker- one of the most revered saints among both Orthodox and Catholics.

The content of the article:

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1. Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker: how his relics came to the city of Bari

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is the patron saint of sailors, children, merchants, travelers and unmarried girls. Born into a family of wealthy Christians, he always led a modest lifestyle, distributing the wealth inherited from his parents to all those in need.

There is a well-known story how Nikolai helped three poor girls. The father, who had fallen into poverty and did not have the money to collect a dowry and marry off his daughters, decided to send them to a brothel. Having learned about this, Nikolai threw a bag of gold to the distressed family. So a dowry was found for eldest daughter, and she was saved from sin and shame.After some time, Saint Nicholas threw in money for his second daughter, which allowed her to get married safely.

But the third bag of gold from the Saint, according to legend, landed in a stocking youngest daughter which hung on the fireplace. This is where the tradition of hanging out socks in anticipation of gifts came from. Thus, the image of St. Nicholas and his very name were transformed over time into Santa Claus - Father Frost of the Western world, who on Christmas night rewards children with gifts for exemplary behavior.

Immediately after his death, Nicholas’s body began to flow myrrh (a phenomenon in Christianity associated with the appearance of oily, fragrant moisture (myrrh) on the saint’s relics), and pilgrims flocked to the city of Myra to venerate them.

How did the relics of St. Nicholas get to Bari? The city of Myra was the capital of Lycia, a country in the south of Asia Minor ( modern Türkiye). Gradually, Christian Lycia was conquered by the Turks professing Islam, so the idea of ​​​​transferring the relics suggested itself.

The people of Bari were passionate about increasing their religious significance hometown, and the relics of the revered saint were best suited for these purposes. Under the guise of saving the relics from the warlike Turks, they used cunning to steal most of them from the Church of St. Nicholas in Myra in Lycia. And what was left was later taken out by the Venetians during the First Crusade (a church was built in honor of the saint on Lido Island).

When the Barians returned home, the city had not yet made a decision where to bury the relics. The bulls transporting the sarcophagus suddenly stopped at the place where the Basilica of St. Nicholas now stands. This was taken as a sign from above.

Knowing from their own experience how relatively easy it is to steal relics, the residents of Bari first built a crypt, where the remains of the saint were buried under a huge slab. And today it is possible to touch the holy relics only through this slab.

2. Basilica of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari

This unique place, which tries on Orthodox and Catholics thanks to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

The crypt also contains the so-called “miraculous column” of the 11th-13th centuries. Legend has it that the column was caught by St. Nicholas in the waters of the Tiber and transported to the port of Myra. And after the theft of the sarcophagus with the relics of the saint, she followed her owner and miraculously appeared in Bari in 1098. It was installed in the crypt in place of the only missing column.

There is a legend that the column helps unmarried women meet your love and get married. In the Middle Ages, it was necessary to walk around the column three times and rub it. Now the “emaciated” column has been fenced off with glass and bars, so you won’t be able to get around it, but you can still make a wish and touch the column.

In 1969, as a sign of respect, friendship and deep unity with Orthodox believers, Russians were granted the right to celebrate the Orthodox Liturgy in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas.

On the territory of the basilica you can see the sculpture of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker by Zurab Tsereteli, which was presented to the church during the visit Russian President V. Putin to the city of Bari in 2006.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays (at 10:30) a Russian Orthodox service is held in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas. There is a unique chance to touch the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (the rest of the time the altar is closed behind bars). Don't forget to take a scarf to cover your head.

3. When do the annual celebrations in honor of the discovery of the relics take place in Bari?

Best time for visiting Bari is from 7 to 9 May, when grandiose celebrations take place to mark the arrival of the relics of St. Nicholas in Bari.

The program of celebrations begins on the evening of May 7, when more than 400 participants in medieval costumes recreate the procession of the arrival of the relics into the city from St. George to the Basilica of St. Nicholas. Hundreds of candles, fiery torches and the incessant ringing of bells - an indescribable spectacle!

Also during the three days of celebrations you will have unique opportunity visit solemn services, see numerous concerts and fireworks.

Rising in the heart of the old town of Bari (Citta Vecchia). It was built in honor of St. Nicholas, bishop of the city of Myra in Asia Minor (today in Turkey) during the reign of Emperor Constantine (306-337). The saint is the embodiment of mercy and philanthropy, care and protection for the weak.

BARI, BASILICA DI SAN NICOLA

Monument to St. Nicholas

The building opposite the basilica is called the portico ( open gallery) on which, from the side of St. Nicholas Square, there is a monument to St. Nicholas, a gift from President Vladimir Putin in 2003 on behalf of the Russian People.

A little history

Normans, young warlike people They began to dislodge the Byzantines and on April 15, 1071, after a three-year siege, Robert Guiscard entered Bari. He did not stop in Bari, but rushed further to help his brother Roger in Sicily, and in January 1072 they conquered Palermo, putting an end to two centuries of Muslim rule. Residents of Bari, in order to preserve the prestige of the city and revive trade, transferred the Relics of St. Nicholas from Myra-Lycia to 1087. The presence of the holy relics must have attracted numerous pilgrims, because St. Nicholas was the most revered saint of that time.

Orthodox chapel

is a confirmation of the ecumenical vocation and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.. After the Second Vatican Council, against the backdrop of improving relations between Catholics and Orthodox Christians, the Vatican paid attention to the opinion of the Dominicans and Archbishop of Bari Enrico Nicodemo about the need to build an eastern chapel in the basilica, where Orthodox services could be held. The iconostasis was painted by the Croatian master Zlatko Latkovic.

Basilica of Bari

The crypt or underground church, located under the transverse nave of the basilica, was built earlier than other parts of the temple. The cross vault supports 26 columns, two of which are made of Numidian marble, two of coral chips, one of red marble, and the rest of Greek marble.

Miraculous pillar

In the right corner there is a column in an iron fence. Until 1953, it stood in the place of the second column on the right. This column, made of red marble, is called miraculous and has attracted pilgrims for several centuries.

A little history

According to legend, Saint Nicholas traveled to Rome. Here, passing by a destroyed house women lung behavior, he saw a column, admired the beauty of this column and pushed it into the Tiber. Miraculously, the column ended up in the waters of the port of Mir, and after its return, Saint Nicholas placed it in cathedral cities. Equally miraculous was her appearance on the surface of the sea at the moment of her arrival. in the city of Bari the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

No one managed to pull her ashore. Finally, on the night before the burial of the Holy Relics (September 30 - October 10, 1089), Saint Nicholas himself helped complete the building begun by Abbot Ilya and brought the missing column. The Barians heard that night bell ringing. They rushed into the basilica and saw how the Saint and two angels tore down the pilaster erected by Abbot Ilya and installed a column in its place.

Saint Cancer

The tomb of St. Nicholas is austere, like a pagan altar. The Holy Relics of the Saint (about 75 percent) are located below floor level and are covered on all sides with reinforced concrete blocks. The absence of the remaining bones of the skeleton is explained by the fact that the Barian sailors were in a hurry for fear of the arrival of the Saracens, and therefore took the largest bones. The missing part of the Holy Relics is located in various churches around the world, primarily in Venice.

ECCO IL VIDEO CHE MOSTRA LE RELIQUIE DI SAN NICOLA

Icon of Uros III Dečanski (1327)

In the depths of the central asp of the crypt behind the altar there is a beautiful icon of St. Nicholas. This icon is the only gift preserved in the basilica from the numerous contributions of the Serbian kings of the Nemanid dynasty. This is a gift from Urosh III to St. Nicholas as a token of his gratitude for restoring his sight, which his father (Urosha II) had deprived him of as punishment for his rebellion.

"Manna" of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Many pilgrims strive for the shrine of St. Nicholas in Myra for the sake of the miraculous myrrh. This water (in Italian “manna”, and in Greek “myron”) comes from the relics of the Saint. "Manna" is collected once a year - on spring holiday transfer of relics from Mir to Barii. Using a special scoop, the rector of the Dominican community takes out the liquid flowing from the relics and distributes them into bottles. Its quantity is insignificant and therefore it is mixed with blessed water - thereby, even if diluted, the myrrh reaches thousands of pilgrims from dozens of countries. This “manna” can be drunk and also smeared on painful areas of the body.

Extraction of myrrh from the tomb of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

A little history

When the Barian sailors broke open the marble slab to remove the relics of St. Nicholas from the shrine, they found them literally floating in this water. The flow of myrrh continued even after the transfer of the relics of the Saint to Baria, to Italian soil.

Treasury

The treasury of the Basilica of St. Nicholas contains precious gifts from different times. There is, for example, a showcase dedicated to Russian icons and lamps and a showcase with ancient relics dating back to the 11th-12th centuries, which were brought by the Crusaders on their way back from the Holy Land. Among them are particles of the relics of St. Thomas the Apostle, St. James the Apostle ( right hand with reeds) and a thorn from the crown of Jesus Christ.

Treasury of St. Nicholas

(Basilica di San Nicola) in Bari is the most famous religious site. Thousands of pilgrims not only from Russia strive to get here. After all, it contains the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, to which you can venerate and ask the Saint for help. The Basilica of St. Nicholas is located in the old town in Piazza San Nicola. It is known from history that the basilica began to be built in the period from 1087-1197 specifically to store the relics that were stolen in the city of Mira in Turkey. Externally, the Basilica looks like a castle, a fortress that more than once served as a refuge for local residents. The basilica consists of two parts: the upper one - here is the temple of the Catholic Church, and the lower one - the Orthodox one, in which the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are kept.

On Thursdays in the Orthodox part of the basilica a service is held, after which the Holy Gates are opened and everyone has the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The service starts at 10 am. (You can venerate the relics only on Thursday). You can also confess and receive communion here.

In the courtyard of the basilica there is a sculpture of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the work of architect Zurab Tsereteli. The sculpture was installed in 2003.

The Basilica of St. Nicholas can be reached on foot from Bari train station. Along Via Sparano to the very end of the street. Next begins the old city. On the right side of the embankment is located, from it you need to go left along the embankment. Before St. Nicholas Basilica is a 5-10 minute walk from here.

St. Nicholas Basilica email: [email protected]