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Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari and its historical and artistic treasures

Gerardo Cioffari

Few existing monuments have such richness of meaning as the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Baria. The visitor may be attracted here by the artistic style (Romanesque, at an almost primitive level, with sculptural elements of high formal content), or its history (prominent historical figures of “local” and world significance visited the former catapan palace), or faith (the embodiment in stone of that deep religious feeling, which was the basis of medieval spirituality), or its ecumenical mission, which is increasingly declaring itself in the modern world.

1. Norman Conquest (1071): political and economic crisis

There is no doubt that the basilica has a rich past behind it, the origins of which lead to the court of the catapan, the governor, the head of the Byzantine province in southern Italy. Indeed, it must be emphasized that the history of the city of Bari does not begin with St. Nicholas. We find mention of the city in Horace and Tacitus, but its unexpected awakening in the 9th century was preceded by a long period of uncertainty. Only with the advent of Saracen rule, which lasted thirty years (841–871), did the city suddenly nod and intensive trade with Syria and Egypt was established. With the return of the Franco-Byzantines, the city turns into the capital of the Byzantine strategos, and then, after 968, the residence of the catapan himself, the imperial governor of the Longobard district, that is, southern Italy.

During the period when Bari acted as the capital, the catapans Basil Mesardonite, who in 1011 recaptured the city from the rebel Melo, and Basil Boyoannes, the author of the pro-Byzantine reconstruction of the South, especially showed themselves.

In 1071, after a long siege, the city surrendered to the Norman mercenaries, who already in 1053 at the Battle of Civitate gained confidence in their abilities. In 1072, Duke Robert Guiscard, together with younger brother Roger conquers Palermo and chooses Salerno as his place of residence.

Suddenly, Bari, the richest city in the South, is not only being squeezed out of Middle Eastern markets, but is also in danger of losing its influence in the region entirely. The enterprising city nobility was forced to show remarkable ingenuity in order to get out of this difficult situation. The project that was finally settled on was the theft of the Relics of St. Nicholas. This was supposed to return the city, if not the status of a capital, then at least the significance of a religious center. In the Middle Ages, such enterprises often happened (it is enough to remember St. Mark and the Venetians, or St. Bartholomew and the inhabitants of Benevento, or St. Matthew and the Salernitans) and usually achieved their intended goal, that is, as a result, not only was it possible to rally the townspeople around the sacred symbol , but also to attract nonresident believers and thus stimulate trade. And the city, forgotten by the authorities (whose political center had moved to the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea), finally came to life, began to bubble with new ideas and found their worthy implementers. However, there was a lack of outstanding personalities. For example, Kurkoriy, who ordered Nikephoros to write the Word on the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas, is mentioned in the documents that have come down to us only indirectly. However, there was a class that felt quite powerful - the trading nobility. Despite the loss of political prestige, the city was not going to settle for a secondary role.

2. Way out: stealing the relics of St. Nicholas (1087)

With the admirable ability to combine religious and commercial interests, so characteristic of the Middle Ages, the Barian townspeople demonstrated an enviable enterprise. The theft of the relics of some famous saint would restore the city of Bari to some of its lost religious dignity (the archbishop was still called the archbishop of “Canosa and Bari”), and would revive the pilgrimage that in those days amounted to religious tourism.

The choice of St. Nicholas was, it must be said, natural. In Bari, after the name John, the most common name was Nicholas (there were already three or four churches in his honor in the city). On the other hand, Myra (Asia Minor), the burial place of St. Nicholas, was overrun by the Turks, so no one would accuse the Barians of stealing the relic from Eastern Christians. In addition, Myra was located on the sea route of Barian ships heading to Syria, so it was not difficult to penetrate the city under the guise of traders without equipping a special expedition. It should be noted that St. Nicholas at that time was already the most important saint of the Christian calendar, so the presence of his remains in Bari should have ensured a lively pilgrimage.

Being outside the political field of view of the authorities (centers - Salerno, Palermo), and therefore, taking advantage of the absence of any power, Barian businessmen were able to find a solution that satisfied the interests of both the clergy and the merchant classes and sailors. So, at the beginning of 1087, three ships loaded with grain and food Agriculture, as usual, headed for Syria. Although there were already rumors among the people about a possible abduction, however, even if there was some kind of conspiracy, in order to avoid failure, everything was kept in the strictest confidence. Nikephoros speaks about this unequivocally: the idea of ​​kidnapping came to the minds of some wise and influential Barians during a trip to Antioch on ships loaded with grain and other goods.

Thus, on the one hand, any premeditation of the deed is excluded, and on the other, the Barian origin of the “project” is unambiguously emphasized. We are talking specifically about the Barians transporting goods on Barian ships - the main competitors of the Venetians. The Venetians, by the way, also thought about a similar initiative. Having completed trade operations in Antioch (sale of grain and purchase of fabrics), before setting off on the return journey, two pilgrims returning from Jerusalem board the ship, whom they intend to use for reconnaissance of the situation in Andriaca, and also as translators. Be that as it may, having moored the ships and leaving guards on them, 47 sailors with weapons hidden under their cloaks (just in case) walk about three kilometers separating the port from the Church of St. Nicholas (located, in turn, a kilometer from the city of Myra) , and enter the church under the guise of pilgrims.

Already by the presence of St. the world guess about the whereabouts of the Saint's body, and after a “lively” conversation with four monks they receive confirmation of their guess. Young Matthew breaks the lid of the tomb, and, having removed the bones, gives them to two priests, Lupus and Grimoald. But then a dispute arose that almost ruined the whole matter: on which ship to load the relics. However common sense triumphs, and fighting off the inhabitants of Mira who tried to stop them, our heroes moved towards the ships.

Two Barian chroniclers (the other two were French and Russian), Nikephoros, an envoy of the trading nobility, and John the Archdeacon, a representative of the archbishop, list stops at way back: Kekova, Megiste, Patara, Perdikkas, Makri (on the Lycian coast), Ceresanus, Milos (in the Aegean Gulf), Stafnou (Bonapolla, an islet near the Peloponnese), Geraka, Monemvasia, Metona, Sukea (on the Greek coast), San Giorgio (St. George), Bari The stop at the port of San Giorgio on the night of May 8 was caused by the reluctance to enter the port of Bari at night, as well as the intention to decorate St. George. relics purchased in Antioch with fabrics. On Sunday, May 9, the ships sailed towards Bari, but did not enter the port. The crowd waiting on the pier went wild in joy, and the captains of the ships and the main organizers of the abduction argued fiercely about the place where the relics should be preserved. By that time, they already knew that there was no significant authority in the city: neither Archbishop Urson nor Archdeacon John, who were in Canosa; nor Duke Roger, who went to Rome for the celebrations of the coronation of Pope Victor III; and, apparently, the "catapan", the viceroy of Roger Bors, was also absent.

The most authoritative person in Bari at that moment turned out to be the abbot of the Benedictine monastery Elijah, and it was he who boarded the ship and managed to reconcile the captains. As they say, the captains handed over the relics to Ilya, and he kept the relics until a decision was made on their future fate.

3. From the Catapana Residence to the Basilica of St. Nicholas

The choice of Elijah as the custodian of the relic turned out to be successful, because when, after two days, the archbishop returned and, with the help of his armed guard, tried to take possession of the relic, the popular unrest turned into a real armed uprising. At the sight of the first victims and numerous wounded, Abbot Elijah decided to intervene in the situation and managed to convince the archbishop to abandon his intentions. Thus, Elijah was commissioned to transform the catapan courtyard into a magnificent temple where the relic (still located there today) was to rest.

The news of the arrival of the relics of St. Nicholas in Bari spread throughout Europe with absolutely incredible speed. The lightning-fast spread of the news was facilitated by modern expression, medieval Norman Commonwealth. The ancient Viking tribes, who descended into Europe from Norway around 900, by that time had already thoroughly taken root with their numerous branches, first in Russia, then in France, and at the same time in England (the Battle of Hastings in 1066) and in Southern Italy (the capture of Bari in 1071). .), not to mention the fact that the backbone of the Byzantine army consisted of soldiers of Norman origin, or rather Varangians, as in Russia.

It is difficult to find chronicles of that time that do not mention the year 1087 as the year of the arrival of the body of St. Nicholas in Bari. It could not have been otherwise, given that this saint, along with Saints John and George, was the most revered in both the East and the West.

A new historical page has opened for Bari. Previously, this city was the Byzantine capital of Southern Italy, now it becomes the city of St. Nicholas. As the Franco-Jerusalem legend defiantly emphasizes, a new catapan appeared in Bari, much more powerful than the previous one - Nikolai Ugodnik. Thanks to the activities of Elijah, who in the meantime was unanimously elected to replace the deceased Urson as archbishop, the work in the crypt was completed in less than two years. On October 1, 1089, Pope Urban II arrived in Bari to enshrine the relics in the throne (where they are still located today). The present throne is the same as nine centuries ago, as shown by the inscriptions of the Duchess of Sickelgate (+1091) and Earl Godfred on the inner walls of the sarcophagus.

The chronicler Nikephoros contains a phrase that suggests that the Catapana Palace was demolished and a new Basilica was built in its place. However, numerous asymmetries (different style towers, arches above the portals with an offset center, the northern wall is two meters longer, floor mosaics of the altar and ciborium columns are not in harmony with each other) and the rather peculiar decor of the central portal (bulls, sphinxes) indicate rather in total, for the reconstruction of the catapan residence using building material the former structure, as well as its sculptural elements.

Many architectural monuments stored in the upper galleries (especially the outer ones) and in the matroneo date back to the period before 1087, as do many other things that can be admired in the upper Basilica. Among the latter, we should mention the slab with the epigraph of Basil Mesardonite (1013). The inscription on it tells in Greek about the work to strengthen and expand the catapan courtyard), a mosaic of the presbytery (with Muslim decoration inspired by the monogram of Allah, with rings and a griffin), a slab of the sarcophagus of the Greek aristocrat Basil Mersiniot (1075) and, perhaps, a slab with the image of an angel-teacher (catalog No. 5). It is assumed that the crypt of St. Nicholas itself was the hall of the catapana palace, judging by the Byzantine capitals of most of the columns (especially the capitals decorated with vines and floral motifs). TO Byzantine period There are also about fifty parchments (dating from the period starting from 939), three of which still have a lead seal (two parchments of the catapans of Ikeyakon - catalog No. 3 - and Eustathius Palatine, and the third - of Pope Nicholas II). Almost all the parchments are written in Latin, since Bari, even being the Greek capital, was inhabited, for the most part, by Latin-Lombards.

4.First Crusade (1096): Portal of Lions. Relics

Pilgrims began to arrive in Bari from all over the world, and Abbot Elijah continued to build the upper Basilica. In 1096, before setting off to conquer Jerusalem, the best representatives of the European medieval knighthood (Hugo of Vermandois, Robert of Flanders, Stephen of Blois, Robert, Drogo of Nesle, William the Carpenter and Clarambald of Dandale) descended the stairs of the crypt, to who were joined by Prince Bohemond of Bargrad and his nephew Tancred, both heroes of Tasso (Jerusalem Liberated). The famous chronicler of the First Crusade, Foulkerius of Chartres, talking with admiration about the magnificent action, not only described the visit of the crusaders to Bari, but also noted the respect shown by the knights to the relics of St. Nicholas.

The First Crusade may have been a suitable occasion for the establishment of the Treasury of St. Nicholas. There is no documentary evidence on this subject, but it seems quite natural that with the appearance and increase in the number of scattered offerings, such as votives in gratitude for favors received, already in that era they began to think about a place (for example, a sacristy) where one could it would be to store liturgical utensils, gifts and reliquaries.

In 1098, a unique gift arrives at the Basilica: the luxurious tent of the Saracen leader Kerbog, defeated by Bohemond in the historical battle of Antioch. Unfortunately, in the archives of the Basilica there is no mention of this tent, which, however, is described by the chroniclers of the Crusade. But the most detailed records of the offering of relics were made in 1102 by none other than the most famous Barian author, John the Archdeacon.

The gifts mentioned by the Archdeacon, author of the Historia Translations Sancti Nicolai (Sermon on the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas), were gifts from knights and bishops traveling to the Holy Land. In particular, he describes how Archbishop Elijah received the requiquies of St. Thomas the Apostle and the Great Martyr Vincent. In this regard, we should also mention the relic of St. Longinus, which is closely connected with the dramatic events of the first crusade. In the period from the 12th century to the 13th century, among the above relics, the relic of the Apostle Thomas enjoyed the greatest respect in Bari, surpassed only at the beginning of the 14th century by the relic of the Holy Thorn. The Crusade also left its mark on the sculptural design of the Basilica. Apart from some scenes of fights between people and animals, the most characteristic trace of that special historical moment is found on the architrave of the Lions Portal. At the top of the central field we see a castle with a closed gate guarded by several warriors. Armed horsemen are rushing towards the castle from all sides, ready to attack. One could interpret such a plot as a desire for new wars of conquest on the part of the Normans, who less than twenty years earlier liberated Sicily from prolonged Saracen domination, or as a direct allusion to the recent conquest of Antioch (1098) by Bohemond of Altavilla. however, the activity of Eustathius is reflected in the inscription on the top step of the front side of the presbytery. We are talking about a mystical invitation to humbly ascend the steps of the altar, following the example of Abbot Elijah: Like Father Elijah, the founder of this temple, which Eustathius is now transforming and which he rules.

The work of Eustathius (+1123) continued during the bloody internecine battles on the streets of the city, until 1119, when Grimoald appears on the scene of events, the same one who is called in beautiful blue parchment: Grimoaldus Alferanites, gratia Dei et bead Nikolai , Barensis Princeps (catalog No. 2), i.e. Grimoald Alpharanite, by the grace of God and St. Nicholas Prince of Bargrad.

At the end of Grimoald's ten-year reign, the Kingdom of Sicily is born, and Prince Roger II comes to power and becomes the first king of the new monarchy (1130). Roger of Normandy, as a victor, exiles Grimoald in chains to Sicily and in 1132 replaces the panel on the architrave of the Basilica, ordering the installation of enamel depicting the scene of the coronation of him, Roger, by Saint Nicholas. Thus, Apulia entered the orbit of the Sicilian Kingdom of the Normans (catalog No. 9). In addition to this valuable enamel, the Treasury Hall contains boards from the box in which sailors transported the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra to Bargrad, the ivory episcopal staff of Abbot Elijah (catalog No. 6), the iron ceremonial crown of Roger II (catalog No. 8) , as well as metal disks for attaching door knockers from the old church portal (catalog No. 10).

Apparently dating back to the reign of Roger II are two external galleries at the level of the matrons (internal side corridors), created in different styles. The northern gallery consists of long rows of columns with capitals decorated with human and animal heads. The southern gallery was built by analogy with the northern one. However, the heads on the capitals of the northern gallery express primitive tendencies towards the monstrous, terrible, while in the heads of the southern gallery one notices, at first glance, a certain equanimity and calmness: small mouths are tightly clenched, but the outward impulse gives them solemnity and energy.

5. Council of Bari (1098): See of Abbot Elijah

In 1098 Bari was still the center of attention. The greatest thinker of the time, Anselm of Canterbury, who arrived here along with his secretary Edmer to participate in the Council of Bari, convened at the insistence of Pope Urban II, honored the holy relics of St. Nicholas. Among the participants of the council was also the future Pope Paschal II. The council, attended by 185 bishops (from both the Latin and Greek populations of southern Italy), was supposed to resolve the “case” of Anselm, exiled by King William the Red of England, but then took up the issue of vexata quaestio about the Filioque, the Latin addition to Nicaea -The Constantinople Creed about the origin of the Holy Spirit not only from the Father, but also from the Son.

Against the backdrop of these events, documented in great detail and often described by direct eyewitnesses, Abbot Elijah developed his activities, the same Elijah who was entrusted with rebuilding the Catapana palace into a Christian temple and who was the Archbishop of Bari from February 1089. And just as the Portal of Lions is associated with the First Crusade, the Council of 1098 is also associated with the famous throne of Abbot Elijah, which is documented. The Barian Anonymous (1120), having revised the previous chronicle of Lupus Protospatharius (1102), writes:

The year is 1099 (according to Byzantine chronology, which means 1098). On the morning of the third of October, Pope Urban II arrived, accompanied by many archbishops, bishops, abbots and princes. We entered Bari and were greeted with great honor. Mr. Elijah, our archbishop, ordered the creation of a magnificent pulpit (mirificat sedem) for this occasion in the church of His Beatitude Nicholas, the saint of Christ. And the pope held the cathedral here for a week. We are talking about a single piece of stone, the upper part of which is decorated in the Byzantine tradition, and the lower part is clearly in the Romano-Norman tradition. The sculptural compositions are incredibly beautiful. The faces of two Saracen slaves supporting the pulpit, distorted with anger and pain, contrast with the calm central figure a pilgrim who looks with gratitude at the ideal person seated on the throne. Probably, the symbolic meaning of this scene is to express gratitude to Abbot Elias, who through his activities contributed to the successful organization of the Crusade, which finally secured the path to Jerusalem.

6. The activities of Abbot Eustathius (+1123) and the Basilica of the era of the Norman Kingdom

The work of Elijah, who died on May 23, 1105, was continued by Abbot Eustathius, the enterprising founder of the monastery of All Saints in Valenzano, a few kilometers from Bari. As soon as he managed to obtain the approval of the Archbishop of Bari, thanks to Bohemond's petition to Pope Paschal II, Eustathius began creative work, decorating the Central Portal and the Ciborium of the main altar of the upper basilica with magnificent sculptural decoration in the first twenty years of the 12th century. Although no narratives have been preserved about the initial period of the Basilica's existence, a year after the death of Roger II, that is, in 1155, the city decides to leave the jurisdiction of the Normans of Sicily and calls for a Greek contingent. However, King William the Evil could not afford to lose a fortress of this level. In June 1156, he stood with an army under the walls of the city and gave the residents two days to leave the city with all their belongings. Then he destroyed the city to the ground, not even sparing the church. Only the Basilica was saved, because it was the last bastion for the Normans and, moreover, was a place deeply revered by the Normans throughout Europe.

7. Swabian period (1194-1266). Consecration 1197

Two episodes from the period of Swabian rule are especially noteworthy: the consecration of the Basilica in 1197 and the first legal conflict with the Cathedral. The first event to which the Italian-German conference on the occasion of the 800th anniversary (organized by the St. Nicholas Research Center) was dedicated (the report of which was published) should be considered in the light of the third crusade, overshadowed, as we know, by the death of Frederick Barbarossa (1190 G.). In subsequent years, the Germans tried many times to complete the work begun by the legendary emperor, sending numerous expeditions there. One of the last was the Crusade of Barbarossa’s son, Emperor Henry VI. His plenipotentiary representative in Italy, Bishop Conrad Hildesheim, even before the ships sailed from Messina, ordered all the knights to arrive in Bari for the ceremony of consecration of the majestic Basilica (June 22, 1197). This event is told in a large inscription on the main front, and the outer and inner sides of the walls of the Basilica along the entire perimeter were decorated with crosses, which can still be admired today.

The second event mentioned above dates back to the time of the great Emperor Frederick II, who was talked about in Lately in connection with the opening of his tomb in Palermo. Despite the well-known "secularism" of his position in relation to the Roman Church, in the conflict that broke out in 1226 between the new archbishop of Bari (Marino Filangeri) and the rector of the Basilica (Blandimir), Frederick refrained from taking sides. As a "royal chapel" the Basilica could claim to protect its autonomy from the authority of the archbishop, but there was one circumstance that forced Frederick to assume neutrality: the fact that the Archbishop of Bari was his most trusted ambassador at the papal court (at least until the Council 1245). The bitter confrontation, even with the use of such measures on the part of the archbishop as the excommunication of the clergy of the Basilica, ended only after the death of the latter and with the accession to the episcopal throne of Enrico Filangeri's nephew (1255), who was able to achieve agreement between the chapters of the Basilica of St. Nicholas and the Cathedral cathedral

8. Charles II of Anjou (1285-1309) and the Treasury of St. Nicholas

With the arrival of the Angevin dynasty (1266), its “golden age” began for the Basilica. If under Charles I the Basilica was able to regain all its former possessions, then thanks to the generous donations of Charles II, it reached its greatest prosperity. Such generosity of the king was explained by the conviction that he owed his life to St. Nicholas. Having been captured in 1284 and sentenced to death in Sicily, the night before the execution the monarch offered prayers to St. Nicholas, and at dawn the next day he learned that the sentence had been revoked. He was released by the Treaty of Canfranc (4 October 1288), brokered by Edward I of England, but was only able to return to France on 29 October after his sons (Louis and Robert) took his place as hostages of Alphonse of Castile. Charles II was crowned at Rieti on May 29, 1289, and at the beginning of July he was already entering Naples. Partly because of his peaceful nature, partly because his sons were still hostages of Alfonso, Charles II did not particularly try to reconquer Sicily just as the Pope wanted. In any case, from the very beginning of his appearance in Naples, he began to send all kinds of offerings to the Basilica, where the remains of his “savior” rested.

The flow of generosity to the Basilica sharply intensified in connection with two events: the liberation of the sons of Charles and the beginning of the pontificate of Boniface VIII. From this latter, in 1295, Charles II managed to obtain the rich monastery of All Saints with all its property for the Basilica. In 1296, the monarch sent 23 valuable liturgical officials (servants) to the Basilica with instructions to celebrate liturgical services in the manner of the royal Parisian church (Sainte Chapelle), which was carried out from 1304 to 1603 (catalog No. 13). In the same year, to the treasury of the Basilica of St. Nicholas joined the protopresbytery of Altamura, i.e. the treasurer of the Basilica also became proto-resbyter of Altamura. In 1300, the King obtained from Archbishop Romuald Grisone the removal of the Basilica of St. Nicholas from the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Bari. In 1301, he visited his “royal chapel”, and, perhaps, it was on this occasion that he presented most of the valuable relics, placed in equally valuable reliquaries. In 1304 he gave the Basilica three fiefs: Rutigliano, Sannicandro and Grumo, which, together with the monastery of All Saints, provided an income of as much as 400 gold ounces. The same year included the drawing up of a church charter to govern the life of the canons, which distributed the daytime hours between Masses and Services. The charter also regulated the payment of monetary rewards. In 1309, Charles obtained from the Archbishop of Bari the transfer to the Basilica of the Byzantine Church of St. Gregory, located in the courtyard opposite the Basilica. Here are eight initiatives, one more significant than the other, that influenced the fate of the Basilica in the period before the laws that contributed to the fall of feudalism in 1806 were passed.

It seems especially important to mention here the creation of the Treasury of St. Nicholas, until this moment managed with difficulty by the canons. With the establishment of the office of Treasurer, second in importance in the Basilica after that of the Superior, the canons began to oversee not only the reports of income from allodial and fiefdoms, but also the custody of valuable gifts in the form of liturgical utensils and an archive of writings (historical, literary, legal and medical) in parchments that enriched the Basilica starting from the 12th century (and of which nothing survives today). At least eight of the 23 liturgical collections donated by Charles II of Anjou have reached us, and approximately the same number of relics in precious reliquaries. Only a few of them were remodeled in Baroque style during the twenty-year reign (1600-1620) of abbot Fabio Grisone. Eight Angevin liturgical rules (13th century) from the Basilica Archive are represented by two Breviaries (2/87 and 4/88), two Breviaries (1/7 and 3/81), an Antiphonary (13/96), a Euchologion (6/88), Epistolary (9/91) and Evangelary (16/). The missal "parvum", traditionally attributed to Charles II of Anjou, appears to be of Apulian origin (judging by the presence of Saint Sabinus and a passage from John the Archdeacon) and dates from several decades later, to the period of the abbot of Pietro de Moreriis.

Reliquaries from 1301 are represented by the Angevin Cross, the “Temple” of St. Sebastian, the Gothic “Cathedral” (catalog Na 18), the Holy Thorn, and the Magdalene Tooth. From a later period include monuments attributed to Charles II of Anjou: the relic of St. Blaise, the relic of the companion of St. Ursula (a reliquary in the form of a temple for public ceremonies), the relic of St. Pope Urban, St. Gregory the Dvoeslov, St. James the Apostle and others. It should be noted, however, that the “Gothic Cathedral” presents elements that make one think of the abbot Pietro de Moreriis (+1346) as the customer, and therefore the figure of Charles II, in this sense, seems dubious, and in any case, relative. But rock crystal candelabra are undoubtedly his gift (catalog No. 17).

In terms of architecture, during this early period of Angevin rule there were two important burials of the Barian chancellors Robert Curlius (c. 1275/80) and Sparano of Bari (in 1294/96). In view of the fact that burials inside the Church were prohibited, these gentlemen tried to secure for themselves the most prestigious places outside the basilica, that is, under the arches of the church portals. Few traces remain of the Basilica's picturesque decor. Only the fresco of the Crucifixion in the right apse (Chapel of St. Martin) has reached us. This is a very beautiful fresco, testifying to the efforts of Apulian artists to combine Byzantine experience with the contemporary discoveries of Giotto in Tuscany. The artist John of Taranto worked here in 1304. The author and date are known from a letter that the artist sent to the King of Naples. In the letter, he spoke about the attack on him when returning to Taranto after completing work in the Basilica of St. Nicholas. The letter confirms the legal status of the Basilica as a Palatine chapel.

9. XIV century: family chapels and gifts of kings

However, the Basilica reached its real flowering in architecture under Robert the Wise (1309-1343). The outer arches were walled up and inside family chapels were built. So, during the XIV century. The interior of the Basilica has changed radically. The side walls on their inner side lost their monotony and flatness and were decorated with a number of richly decorated chapels. As we can see, internal attractiveness was achieved due to the external impoverishment of architecture, which moved from the harmonious rhythm of arches to the monotony of mostly flat walls.

It was at this magical moment of great restructuring that the gifts of the Serbian kings arrived in Bari. Some partial evidence suggests the presence of gifts already from the beginning of the Duecento, but the first irrefutably documented offering was a large silver throne of Stefan Urosh II Milutin (1282-1321), the founder of great Serbia. The throne was erected over the burial of the Saint and remained there until 1684, when, as a result of the widespread “offensive” of the Baroque, it was sent to Naples to be melted down and re-engraved in a new style (catalog No. 31).

The second offering (of those that have come down to us) was a large icon of Uroš III Dečanski, first placed in the treasury and then behind the tomb of the Saint (catalog No. 20). The recent restoration of the icon has opened up a fascinating world of previously created drawings. The fact is that the artists did not destroy existing images, but painted on top of them or on the side. We can say that the icon represents an ideal model for illustrating the work of a restorer, and also tells us how many pictorial riches can be hidden in the same large icon.

The third gift is the parchment of Stefan Dusan. Dating from Skopje 1346, the parchment contains a deed of gift to the Basilica for part of the income that the city of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) gave to the Serbian monarch. In the period following this, no gifts were recorded. The fact is (and this is one of the reasons) that after the historical battle of Kosovo Polje (1389), the center of Serbia shifted from Kosovo to the north, where Belgrade is now located.

The first mention of the miraculous column dates back to 1359, which today is located in a metal lattice, in the corner to the right of the entrance to the crypt. It is mentioned in the will of Nicolo Acciaiuoli, a powerful adviser to Queen Joanna, according to which St. Nicholas himself, with the help of two angels, placed it there on the evening before the consecration of the crypt by Pope Urban II (October 1, 1089).

At that time, the Basilica was in a rather difficult economic situation, as evidenced by the successive sales of silver and gold items. A document from 1347 has reached us, from which it is clear that the abbot and canons, in order to raise money for restoration work, decided to sell Andrea of ​​Siena silver items worth 26 Roman pounds, receiving 31 ounces from the sale of these silver items, donated as a votive gift. Mention is made of icons, hands, tibias, feet, teeth, eyes, mammary glands, the figure of a kneeling man, a small golden icon - everything that the guardian canons of the Holy See (St. Nicholas) had in their care.

Another sale of votive objects and liturgical utensils took place in 1353 for the purpose of redeeming the castle of Sannicandro, possibly lost during the war with Hungary. This time the deal was initiated by the new treasurer Dionysius de Merlino, who in the inventory speaks of iocalia et vasa, as if it were some low-value anonymous items. In fact, under the first item there is a statue of St. Nicholas, almost 25 cm in size, with a miter and a bishop's gold crozier, especially valuable, as it was decorated with 11 sapphires, two large emeralds, 12 spinels and 14 smaller emeralds, valued at 1 Roman pound and 7 ounces. The statue was donated by the Duchess and Duke of Calabria. Although there is no direct indication on this score, it is clear that we are talking about Charles, the son of King Robert, who visited the Basilica in 1320, and about Marie de Valois, who visited the Basilica a few years later.

Also, the outstanding person presented four silver lamps with silver chains, three of which have enamels with the image of St. Nicholas and King Raska with the corresponding family coat of arms, while on the fourth we see images of angels with the inscription “Cesar Gregorius me fecit” (King Gregory made me) with a total weight of twenty Roman pounds.

In 1361, the same Dionysius de Merlino compiled an impressive inventory of the treasury of St. Nicholas - a parchment scroll almost five meters long (the longest scroll, ten meters, is the “protocol” of the 1299 trial of the tithes of Altamura, which were to be paid either to the bishop Gravina, or the treasurer of the Basilica of St. Nicholas). In this valuable inventory the names of the donors are given in general terms, as when it says ad arma regalia, referring to the royal Angevin coat of arms, without indicating the name of a specific king (catalogue No. 14).

The magnificent cross, the offering of Charles II of Anjou, contains part of the cross of Jesus (derived, it is almost certain, from Constantinople): Cruces due magne de argento deaurato cum pedibus ereis deauratis ad arma regalia ornate magnis lapidibus preciosis grossis quatraginta novem in quarum una in Medio repositum est de sanctissimo ligno dominico et sunt in ipsa xmalti octo ad arma regalia. The reliquary in the form of a Gothic cathedral is also a gift from Charles II: Tabernaculum unum de argento deaurato cum campanili et crucifixo et in capite cum ymaltis tribus in cruce ex parte ante et ex parte post cum ymaltis quinque et in summitate campanilis ad arma Ungarie el intus in eodem campanili cum ymagine beate Virginis tenentis filium in brachiis, ymaginibus duabus, una a dextris et altera a sinistris ymaltatis per totum cum fenestris quatuor cristallinis, qui ymalti sunt in circulo inferiori cum ymaginibus sanctorum et lapidibus viginti quatuor elevatum et positum supra quatuor leones de ar gento cum losingijs octo ad arma dicti quondam domini Petri de Moreriis, ponderis librarum tredecim et unciarum novem (CDB XVIII, pp. CLXI, 132). As can be seen from these examples, we are talking about detailed descriptions products. The documents also indicate subsequent donations. The reliquary in the form of a cathedral, indeed, was presented as a gift on the initiative of the wife of Charles II, Mary of Hungary (daughter of Béla IV), who was jealous of her rights to this kingdom. After approximately thirty years, the cross was restored and enriched by the treasurer Pietro de Moreriis (+1346).

The royal coats of arms can be seen not only on these two crosses, but also on an image made of gilded silver, on a silver robe in the form of a bell and on a silver scepter, on ampoules and on a large chalice with a silver paten, on four robes, on an epitrachelion (with a maniple and chain) and on the mantle.

The Saint was also greatly revered by the Duke and Duchess of Calabria (Charles and Mary). This latter, it seems, on the occasion of her pilgrimage to Bari in 1331, presented a gift of an icon made of pure gold. Karl donated a silver chalice with a paten and a blanket made of golden cloth.

Among other royal gifts, the gifts of Queen Sancia, St. Louis IX, the King of France, the kings and queens of Hungary, the Serbian kings and one Bulgarian king are mentioned.

10. Aragonese dynasty (1442-1501) and Viceroyalty (1501-1734)

The three arched spans date back to the Aragonese period, erected to strengthen the structure after the strong earthquake of 1456. The central span, on which the serpent, or large grass snake, of the Sforza dynasty of Milan is clearly visible, was built by order of Louis Moreau, a famous patron of the famous artists Leonardo and Bramante. Going back to the same era is the triptych by Andrei Rizo of Candia (1451) (catalog No. 22), with clear Byzantine tendencies, and the beautiful painting in the altar niche of Bartholomew Vivarini (1476) (catalog No. 23), a famous Venetian artist , who worked in Apulia.

Under the abbot Francis de Arenis, the Basilica regained possession of the fiefs (and revenues) in Rutigliano and Sannicandro. His successor Francis Caracciolo in 1485 gave orders to record the decisions of the meetings of canons in the appropriate books, called Capitular Conclusions (one of the most valuable sources of the Archives of St. Nicholas).

But it was during these years that the Treasury of St. Nicholas suffered two serious devastations, first by King Ferrante, who was forced to requisition the gold and silver items of the churches for the liberation of the city of Otranto, captured in 1480 by the Saracens, then in 1495, when Ferrante II set out to rid the Kingdom from French dominance.

The 16th century opens with work on the cladding of wooden choirs (which has not survived to this day) and the creation of a beautiful sarcophagus by Giacomo Bongiovanni, located immediately at the right entrance of the main facade. He was not only the teacher of Bona Sforza (daughter of Duchess Isabella of Aragon), but also the dean of the school at the Basilica. At that time, due to the absence of public schools, the Basilica, as one of the most important cathedrals in the world, held classes, consisting mostly of Bible studies. That is why the above-mentioned Bongiovanni ordered a large painting of St. Jerome, patron of the Catholic school, to be placed over his burial.

The reconstruction of the vault dates back to the sixteenth century, at least judging by the traces of Renaissance frescoes. But the most significant intervention was undoubtedly the installation in the central apse of the mausoleum of Bona Sforza (1593), supplemented a few years later paintings, which covered the entire surface of the apse with images of saints and Polish kings. The main sculptor of the monument, Andrea Sarti of Carrara, did not possess outstanding talent, but was without doubt the most popular sculptor of Naples at the end of the sixteenth century. Bona Sforza, Duchess of Bari and powerful Queen of Poland, who died in Bari in 1557, was buried in the Cathedral. However, her daughter, Queen Anne, obtained permission from the Pope to transfer the body to the Basilica of St. Nicholas.

As for the Treasury, the abbot Paolo Oliva ordered a new accounting to be made in 1578. His example was also followed by his successors, including the already mentioned Fabio Grisone, who published Pastoral Visits in 1602 and 1618. Moreover, Grisone was said to have ordered the creation of new reliquaries in Baroque style to better preserve the valuable relics.

Still in the Baroque style, restoration work was carried out on the wooden pulpit, while in 1660, in the crypt, Nicola Gliri painted lunettes with scenes from the life of the Saint. In 1684, the ancient silver altar of Urosh II Milutin was completely redone, and a new Baroque “case” covered the crypt altar.

However, the main work of the seventeenth century remains the large gilded vault of the central nave and transept by the artist Carlo Rosa of Bitonto, who worked there with his workshop for ten years (1661-1671). Scenes from the life of the Saint are interspersed with scenes from folk tradition. In the central nave, starting from the entrance, we see a large image of Basil (Adeodate), son of Agrikov, a boy kidnapped by the Saracens and returned to the parents of St. Nikolai. Then comes the story of the Immaculate Conception and the scene of the rescue of the sailors of St. Nikolai. And finally, Saint Nicholas at the Council of Nicaea explains to Arius the dogma of the Holy Trinity, showing that the unity of God does not contradict the Trinity of Persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), just as the unity of a brick does not contradict the trinity of its structure (earth, water, fire). Emperor Constantine is also present here. Three large central scenes are surrounded by four smaller ones with more or less the same storyline, as well as images of various characters associated with the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, officially adopted in 1854, which, however, has found its faithful supporters among the Spanish kings for centuries earlier.

The central image of the Transept is dedicated not to St. Nicholas, but to God the Father, surrounded by patriarchs. Saint Nicholas appears in the fresco of both the left (central scene: the Saint who prophesies in Bari: Here my bones will rest) and the right transept (Urban II solemnly lays his relics in the tomb of the crypt). The scenes surrounding this second image tell the story of the origins of the Basilica.

11. Bourbon and Savoy dynasties. Italian Republic

IN last years XVII century Traces of Russian pilgrimage are becoming increasingly common, as evidenced by those left by some pilgrims (for example, the generals of Peter the Great: Boris Sheremetyev and Peter Tolstoy) travel notes. WITH beginning of the XVIII V. the pilgrimage movement noticeably intensified (Alexey, son of Peter the Great, in 1717, Vasily Grigorievich Barsky in 1724 and others).

From an artistic point of view, the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were, for the most part, an echo of the Baroque “season”. Some details were restored in the Basilica, the roof was strengthened, but no significant works of art were created that could mark the beginning of a new artistic era in the history of the temple. Even the crypt, during the eighteenth century, was completely covered with baroque stucco, fortunately applied to the columns and vaults without being chiselled, as, for example, happened with the cathedral. Therefore, when in 1925-1934. It was decided to bring the Romanesque interior back to life; removing the Baroque decor was not difficult.

This period also proved difficult for the Treasury. At least, judging by the dispute that arose in 1773 between the chapter and the treasurer Donato Antonio Stucci, as a result of which a lawsuit was brought against the treasurer on charges of neglect of his duties, which led to the loss of some valuable items. The subsequent reorganization work did not leave any noticeable mark, moreover, it did not last long due to dramatic events, which unfolded several decades later.

A severe blow was dealt to the Treasury of St. Nicholas with the arrival of the French in 1799. In April, French troops occupied the city and on April 9 broke into the Basilica of St. Nicholas, capturing most of the gold and silver items. Fortunately, on January 12, the canons received a secret denunciation about the upcoming attack, and they managed to hide the most valuable things. Despite this, the French devastation was palpable. It should be noted that it was not possible to replace the stolen goods, since near Antrodoco (Abruzzo) a column carrying Treasures from the Basilica of St. Nicholas, the people of the robber Pronius attacked, taking away all the gold and silver. And that was just the beginning of difficult times.

From a historical point of view, the nineteenth century marks the beginning of a new period. New legislation in 1806 puts an end to the fiefs in Rutigliano and Sannicandro. This leads to a drop in income and a revision of charitable activities (such as the abolition of free three-day meals for pilgrims arriving from afar).

In 1841, a decision was made to restore and bind the ancient liturgical rules. In 1852, Grand Duke Constantine, the son of Tsar Nicholas I, arrived in Bari. However, due to the fact that Prince Constantine, a supporter of reforms to abolish slavery in Russia (1860), visited Bari several times, it seems difficult to say in what year he, on behalf of the whole family, presented a lamp to the Basilica, which is still kept in the Treasury Hall (catalogue No. 62). In the second half of the 19th century, the Russian pilgrimage movement noticeably intensified both quantitatively and qualitatively (evidence of this are the entries left by pilgrims in the registration books of visitors to the Basilica of St. Nicholas). Vladimir Mordvinov (1873), member of the Holy Synod, visited here; Nicholas II (1892), future Tsar; Alexey Dmitrievsky, the most famous liturgist (1895); Ilya Shlyapkin, paleographer, and others. The pilgrimage became so regular that it forced the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society to build a Russian church, which even today reaches to the sky with its green domes.

With the onset of 1861, the Basilica came under the jurisdiction of the King of Italy, which gave rise to a conflict situation with the Vatican: the Vatican tried to restore its dominant position in relation to the Basilica. The most critical moment arose in 1890, when the direct intervention of King Umbert I prevented the Pope's intention to grant the Archbishop of Bari the rights of a papal legate. The state puts the property of the Basilica up for sale, and the internal management of the Basilica is transferred to the secular Commission (1892).

Meanwhile, the Chapter began organizing the Treasury in the rooms next to the sacristy, renovating the cabinets and display cases in 1872, as the French researcher Xavier Varbier de Monto points out. While visiting Bari in 1875, this scientist, who constantly criticized the deplorable state of the archives, noted the new location of the Treasury.

Under the Benedictine abbot Oderisio Piscicelli Taegi (1893-1915), intensive cultural and artistic activity began. The rector, a knowledgeable paleographer, set out to restore liturgical utensils (candelabra, church vestments, falhistorium), guided by the decorative design and miniatures of chorales from Montecassino. He also took care of putting the archive in order, ordering cabinets and drawers for storing paper documents. Unfortunately, his years as rector were overshadowed by his rivalry with the young scientist Francis Nitti di Vito. In subsequent years, Nitti di Vito, as head of restoration work (1925-1934), continued cultural activities, publishing about seven hundred parchments from the archives of the Basilica.

At the end of the restoration work in the Basilica (1934), as a result of which all the family chapels were destroyed, the hall ancient burial canons (from the 16th century: the chapel of Saints Peter and Paul and the bell tower) was adapted to serve as the Treasury of St. Nicholas. Here were installed, among others, a large icon of Uros III Dečanski, a large ark in which the relics of St. Nicholas in 1087, and various liturgical vestments.

The twentieth century, which began under the sign of secularism, confirmed the difficult situation experienced by the clergy of the Basilica of St. Nicholas, who had long been deprived of any rights even to the offerings of the faithful. Partial clarification of the situation in 1929, following the Agreement between the State and the Church, led to significant legal changes: the State was declared the full owner of the Basilica's property, in return returning to the Pontiff jurisdiction over its clergy. But if from a religious point of view we can talk about some kind of normalization, then the socio-economic aspect continues to leave much to be desired: the state is in no hurry to reconsider the issue of wages clergy. Economic difficulties are not conducive to attracting new candidates for priestly service in the church. In 1951, Pope Pius XII century. tried to solve the problem by entrusting the church to one religious order, more precisely the Dominicans of the province of Regni (Naples).

12. Half a century of Dominican presence

Among the achievements of the sons of St. Dominic, at least two can be noted: the creation of the Eastern Chapel (1966), which allows Orthodox believers to conduct a liturgical service every Sunday, and the establishment in 1969 of the Institute of Ecumenical-Patristic and Greek-Byzantine Theology, which raises to an academic level a relationship that was already quite fruitful thanks to the Russian-Orthodox pilgrimage to the Bari Shrine.

These changes also affected the state of the Treasury. The completion of the Bell Tower continued until 1966, when the Museum of St. Nicholas, containing not only numerous archaeological finds, but also display cases with valuable liturgical utensils and several medieval manuscripts. After the archive with precious parchments was transported to the premises on the ground floor of the monastery, the Treasury room was converted into an endowment hall (with a sales point for items of a religious nature). Finally, in 1975, when the room overlooking the Basilica Square was converted into an endowment hall, the bell tower again became the “Hall of the Treasury,” with minor changes compared to the first half of the century. Now there is neither the icon of Urosh III (placed behind the throne of St. Nicholas in the crypt), nor the wooden box (the boards from 1087 were placed in a display cabinet), nor the objects of worship (located in the room behind the sacristy). In the new hall of the Treasury, there are portraits in the upper part the main abbots, and below in the display cases there are bottles for St. world (showcase 1 starting from the left wall), lamps and Russian icons (showcases II and III) and Greek icons (IV), silver “creature” (V and IX), votive gifts (VI), “temple” for storing the Holy Gifts (VII), reliquaries (VIII), chalices (X), crown and enamel of Roger II (XI), Angevin gifts (display cabinet); medals, coins and prints (XII). We are talking about only one room (in the future it is planned to open the city Museum of St. Nicholas behind the Basilica), but what appears before the visitor and pilgrim is the most precious historical evidence of the veneration of St. Nicholas.

(“Treasures of the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari”, M., 2005, pp. 25-53)

Who in Russia, and throughout the world, does not know everyone’s favorite saint - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. He was born into a rather noble and wealthy family, but chose the path of asceticism and serving people. During his lifetime, he performed many miracles: he treated the blind, lame, deaf, and dumb. He saved innocent prisoners, patronized travelers and children. But even after death, his holy relics continue to bring healing to the suffering and the weak.

Until the 11th century, the holy remains were located in the city of Myra in the cathedral, where he was archbishop. But since 1087 the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker have been in Bari. They were transferred under the plausible pretext of salvation from the invasion of infidels. Although some historians claim that they were simply stolen. The relics are still housed in Bari in the basilica of the same name..

Italy, Bari: pilgrimage

Long-open borders allow free pilgrimages around the world. Italy is famous for its large concentration of ancient attractions. Since the era of the Roman Empire, significant buildings, cathedrals, and monuments have appeared on the territory of modern Italy. In the southeast of this country is the city of Bari, which is dear to the heart of any pilgrim. It is the largest in the region of Apulia. When going on a tour of Italy, you should definitely visit this city by finding it on the map. There is the Temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with his relics and a Russian Orthodox courtyard.

Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari

A tour of Bari is always designed to include a visit to the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Even in Myra, Nicholas II wanted to found a church for the saint, but his attempts failed. Therefore, in Bari it was decided build a Russian courtyard for pilgrims in the Pskov-Novgorod style of the 15th century, which resembles a Russian tower.

It was built with donations from all of Russia. In those days, there were fundraisers twice a year on the holidays of May 22 and December 19. The emperor himself made a large contribution of his personal funds, and at the beginning of the 20th century construction began under the leadership of the architect A.V. Shchusev. At the end of the 30s, the courtyard went to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but in 2007 it was returned to Russia.

The upper part of the temple is dedicated Saint Nicholas, and the lower one - to Spyridon of Trimifuntsky. In the temple there is an image of Nicholas the Wonderworker with parts of his relics, and there are also the relics of other saints: the Kiev-Pechersk fathers, Fyodor Ushakov and Seraphim of Sarov.

The iconostasis of the temple is installed in the canonical arrangement of icons; it was painted by the Benois couple. There are icons of the Savior, Nicholas the Wonderworker, and the Virgin Mary. Above the royal doors is the icon of the Annunciation, the four Evangelists, and the “Last Supper.” On the sides of the gate is Mikhail. There are also large images of Seraphim posted Sarovsky and Saint Sergius of Radonezh. Above the northern entrance are the images of the unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, who are especially revered among the inhabitants of Bari. In front of the temple there is a statue of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The territory of the farmstead includes hospice, a garden, outbuildings, a house for a clergyman and a church in the name of the Martyr Tsar.

Basilica of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

At first they were kept in the Church of St. Stephen, and a year later a basilica was specially erected and the shrine was transferred there. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari is a spacious architectural structure consisting of three elongated rooms with columns supported by arches ending in asps. Frescoes depicting the life of St. Nicholas are located on the gilded ceiling.

On the right at the entrance there is a concentration of shrines and gifts from pilgrims. Particularly valuable is the icon of the saint, donated by the Serbian king as a sign of deliverance from blindness. In the main hall of the basilica, you can leave a note at the statue of the saint, which is located under the glass dome. This statue is taken out into the street on the feast of the transfer of relics every year and a performance is performed, reenacting historical events. Most pilgrims try to get for the holiday of May 22. The upper church also houses a beautiful altar with a ciborium. It depicts angels symbolizing church sacraments. Next to the altar is the entrance to the lower part of the basilica - the crypt. In its center is a shrine with the relics of the saint.

The shrine is located below floor level and covered with stone slabs. - the most long-lasting shrine. Even during their transportation from Myra Lycia, fragrant oily moisture was discovered. Once a year in May, on a holiday dedicated to the saint, the clergyman collects fragrant myrrh from the relics. Then it is diluted with holy water and are sold to believers to heal ailments. Another attraction is the red marble column located in the corner of the crypt. According to legend, it was brought by Nicholas the Wonderworker himself, accompanied by angels. The column attracts all women who dream of getting married and having children. Also at the top of the basilica is the mausoleum of Bona Sforza, the Polish queen.

Church opening hours:

In 2017, a miraculous event occurred: the relics Nicholas the Wonderworker arrived in Russia. They did not leave the city of Bari for almost a millennium. This happened thanks to the cooperation of the Orthodox and Catholic churches. From May 22 to July 28, Russians were given the opportunity to venerate the shrine. They were exhibited:

• in Moscow in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior from May 22 to July 12;
• in St. Petersburg at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra from July 13 to July 28.

Video about the city of Bari:

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:

Excursions in Bari and the surrounding area with Russian-speaking guides. To order => planmytrip@website, +7 910 476-34-33 (WhatsApp)

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 the 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 the stocking of the youngest daughter, which was hanging 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 Turkey). Gradually, Christian Lycia was conquered by the Turks professing Islam, so the idea of ​​​​transferring the relics suggested itself.

The residents of Bari passionately wanted to increase the religious significance of their 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 is a unique place that exemplifies 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 their 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.

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, the ancient settlement has become a large city, the number of residents of which 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 of the 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, on their way back from Muslim-ruled Antioch, decided to transport the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra 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 the 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 recovered during the 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 a poor family that did not have the opportunity to collect a 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 Alexei 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 gathering of a large number of people on Prechistenskaya embankment, a police cordon was set up.
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.

The city of Bari, located in the Apulia region, was founded in the 5th century BC. The city has preserved centuries-old architecture, but first of all, it is known to many believers for the fact that it is here that the relics are located, Catholic cathedral and the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
The saint is revered by the Orthodox and Catholic churches as the patron of orphans, travelers, prisoners and a deliverer from unnecessary death and disease.

Nikolai Ugodnik served until his death as the bishop of the city of Mira. During his lifetime he was considered a healer and protector. When several believers were healed by venerating his relics, Mira became the center of the holy faith. But Muslim raids threatened the integrity of the relics, and then the Bari merchants went to Mira with the goal of bringing the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to Bari. All events took place in 1087 on April 20. The relics were stolen and on May 8 the ships entered the harbor of Bari. The next day the shrine was solemnly transferred to the Church of St. Stephen. Since then, on May 9, the feast of the transfer of relics has been celebrated on a special scale. The Barians reconstruct the events of centuries ago, staging a costume performance with the participation of several hundred people.

This holiday is most revered in Bari itself, in Russia, Bulgaria and Serbia.

Some of the relics remained in Turkey, since the Barians were unable to collect small remains, and some, after the first crusade, ended up in Venice.

There are still two points of view about the events of 1087. The Barians and the Russian Orthodox Church consider the transfer of relics to be their salvation; the Greek Church regards the act as theft.

The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are classified as myrrh-streaming. This became clear during their transportation from Myra Lycia. The people who removed the relics from the tomb discovered the skeleton of the Saint floating in an unknown liquid. Orthodox Christians call the sacred liquid “mirror”, and Catholics call it “manna of St. Nicholas”.

Bari: Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Construction of the temple began in 1087, when the relics of Nicholas of Myra were transferred from the city of Myra to Bari. From that moment on, Bari turned into the city of St. Nicholas - one of the most revered saints.

The temple was built in the very center of the city and immediately became the site of significant historical events. Here Peter of Amiens preached about the beginning of the crusade, a church council was held that decided the issue of unifying the Western and Eastern churches.

There is a version that the basilica was rebuilt as a new building, but it is assumed that it was erected on the site of the catapan (governor) palace, since there are certain differences in style and disharmony of decoration elements.

Now the basilica is in the old part of the city, located right on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It consists of two temples - upper and lower, where the tomb with the relics of the Wonderworker is located. The crypt (underground church) dates back to an earlier construction. The ceiling vault is supported by 26 marble columns. In the right corner under the arch there is a red marble column or, as it is called, a miraculous pillar. It is believed that Nicholas himself brought this column to the temple. Pilgrims kiss the column asking for healing and health.

The shrine is located below floor level and is fenced with stone blocks. The round hole in the front is designed so that the priests can get inside to collect the myrrh. For the same purpose, the floor of the tomb has a slight slope towards the center.

Access to the shrine is allowed only to organized groups of pilgrims and with the permission of the church authorities.

To the right of the entrance to the upper temple is a treasury. Gifts made by pilgrims to the basilica and Christian shrines to which believers can pray are kept here. Most valuable exhibit is an icon of St. Nicholas, donated by the Serbian Tsar Urosh III as a token of gratitude for the return of his sight. Relics brought from the Crusades are also kept here: particles of the relics of the apostles Thomas and James, a thorn from the crown of Jesus.

In the upper church there is a statue of St. Nicholas, covered with a glass dome. Believers place notes with requests under it. Once a year on May 9, the statue is taken out of the basilica and carried through the city in a solemn procession. The festival of the transfer of relics is one of the main ones in Bari.
Not only Catholic masses are celebrated in the basilica, but also Orthodox prayer services. The basilica is open from 7 to 19.00.

Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Bari

Nikolai Ugodnik is one of the most revered saints in Russia. The Russian Orthodox Church and Emperor Nicholas II made attempts to restore the church in Myra, but they were unsuccessful. Then it was decided to establish a Russian metochion in Bari for the needs of Russian pilgrims. Money for construction was collected throughout the country. A plate collection was established twice a year on the days of veneration of the Holy Saint. Made a great contribution royal family. In 1913, the foundation of the future temple was laid on a plot of land of 1.5 hectares. A.V. Shchusev, who specialized in church architecture, was chosen as the architect.

In summer next year A temporary shelter for pilgrims was opened, designed for 30 people. In 1937, the compound was no longer Russian property, but belonged to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It was only in 2009 that the rights to the courtyard building were returned to Russia. Now the complex occupies 0.7 hectares.

The Orthodox Church is designed in the Pskov-Novgorod style, therefore it is a unique structure for Western Europe. The builders had a goal to build a complex modeled after the buildings of the 15th century.

In the upper part there is a single-tier iconostasis, the images of which were painted by the French artist A. Benois. And they are located according to the canonical scheme. In the lower church there is an icon of the Saint and a piece of his relics. Another attraction of the church is a model of the courtyard, which gives a complete idea of ​​the scale of the complex. Above one of the entrances to the temple there is an icon of Cosmas and Dimian, revered in the province of Apulia. In the center under the vaulted ceiling is large chandelier(chandelier), which was made by Serbian craftsmen with money from Russian pilgrims.

The temple also houses other significant shrines:

• particles of the relics of the Kiev-Pechersk fathers;
• part of the relics of Seraphim of Sorov and his icon;
• icon of Fyodor Ushakov with a particle of relics.

The temple is located 3 km from the Basilica of St. Nicholas in the Carrazzi area.

Pilgrimage to Bari to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

As sources show, the Orthodox pilgrimage to the relics of Nicholas the Ugodnik began in the 15th century. In the 19th century, the Russian royal family came to the relics, famous figures culture, representatives of both higher and lower classes.

For hundreds of years, miracles have happened at the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Hundreds of thousands of believers who come to Bari from all over the world are sure of this.

In the Orthodox Church, St. Nicholas the Pleasant is venerated twice a year on May 9 and December 19. It is on these days that Bari receives the largest influx of pilgrims.

On the day of transfer of the relics Orthodox church receives more than two thousand believers. A prayer service with an akathist is held in the church every day, and liturgy is served on Thursdays. The opportunity to receive communion at the relics increases the number of pilgrims annually.

Many people want to receive the myrrh that exudes the relics of the saint. The priests collect it in a special jug on the day of transfer of the relics. Myrrh is added to holy water, which pilgrims take with them. Bottles of this water can be purchased at the basilica shop.