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Christians celebrate their name days on this day, named in honor of Saints Nicholas, Joseph, Demetrius, and Vasily.

May God's peace and blessing be with you, dear birthday people. Joy and peace to you in the Holy Spirit.

On this day we glorify and rejoice again in the memory of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, wonderworker. Nikola Ugodnik, as the Russian people lovingly call him, is especially close to us in his inner spirit and the qualities that the Lord reflected in his soul.

In the 11th century, the Greek Empire was going through difficult times. The Turks devastated her possessions in Asia Minor, ravaged cities and villages, killing their inhabitants, and accompanied their cruelties by insulting holy temples, relics, icons and books. Muslims attempted to destroy the relics of St. Nicholas, deeply revered by everyone Christian world.

In 792, Caliph Aaron Al-Rashid sent the commander of the fleet, Humaid, to plunder the island of Rhodes. Having devastated this island, Humaid went to Myra Lycia with the intention of breaking into the tomb of St. Nicholas. But instead of it, he broke into another one, which stood next to the tomb of the Saint. The sacrilege had barely managed to do this when a terrible storm arose at sea and almost all the ships were broken.

The desecration of shrines outraged not only Eastern, but also Western Christians. Christians in Italy, among whom there were many Greeks, were especially afraid for the relics of St. Nicholas. Residents of the city of Bar, located on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, decided to save the relics of St. Nicholas.

In 1087, noble and Venetian merchants went to Antioch to trade. Both of them planned to take the relics of St. Nicholas on the way back and transport them to Italy. In this intention, the inhabitants of Bar were ahead of the Venetians and were the first to land in Myra. Two people were sent ahead, who, upon returning, reported that everything was quiet in the city, and in the church where the greatest shrine rested, they met only four monks. Immediately 47 people, armed, went to the temple of St. Nicholas, the guard monks, not suspecting anything, showed them the platform, under which the tomb of the saint was hidden, where, according to custom, strangers were anointed with myrrh from the relics of the saint. At the same time, the monk told one elder about the appearance of St. Nicholas the day before. In this vision, the saint ordered that his relics be preserved more carefully. This story inspired the nobles; They saw for themselves in this phenomenon the permission and, as it were, an indication of the saint. To facilitate their actions, they revealed their intentions to the monks and offered them a ransom of 300 gold coins. The watchmen refused the money and wanted to notify the residents of the misfortune that threatened them. But the aliens tied them up and placed their guards at the doors. They smashed the church platform, under which stood a tomb with relics. In this matter, the young man Matthew was particularly zealous, wanting to discover the relics of the saint as quickly as possible. In impatience, he broke the lid and the nobles saw that the sarcophagus was filled with fragrant holy myrrh. The barians' compatriots, presbyters Luppus and Drogo, performed a litany, after which the same Matthew began to extract the relics of the saint from the sarcophagus overflowing with the world. This happened on April 20, 1087.

Due to the absence of the ark, Presbyter Drogo wrapped the relics in outerwear and, accompanied by the barians, carried them to the ship. The liberated monks told the city the sad news about the theft of the relics of the Wonderworker by foreigners. Crowds of people gathered on the shore, but it was too late...

On May 8, the ships arrived in Bar, and soon the good news spread throughout the city. The next day, May 9, the relics of St. Nicholas were solemnly transferred to the Church of St. Stephen, located not far from the sea. The celebration of the transfer of the shrine was accompanied by numerous miraculous healings of the sick, which aroused even greater reverence for the great saint of God. A year later, a church was built in the name of St. Nicholas and consecrated by Pope Urban II.

The event associated with the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas aroused special veneration of the Wonderworker and was marked by the establishment of a special holiday on May 22 (NS). At first, the feast of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas was celebrated only by residents of the Italian city of Bar. In other countries of the Christian East and West it was not accepted, despite the fact that the transfer of relics was widely known. This circumstance is explained by the custom of honoring mainly local shrines, characteristic of the Middle Ages. In addition, the Greek Church did not establish a celebration of this memory, because the loss of the relics of the saint was a sad event for it.

The Russian Orthodox Church established the commemoration of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bar on May 22 shortly after 1087 on the basis of the deep, already established veneration by the Russian people of the great saint of God, who crossed over from Greece simultaneously with the adoption of Christianity. The glory of the miracles performed by the Saint on land and at sea was widely known to the Russian people. Their inexhaustible power and abundance testify to the special gracious help of the great saint to suffering humanity. The image of the Saint, the all-powerful Wonderworker and benefactor, became especially dear to the heart of the Russian people, because he instilled deep faith in him and hope for his help. Countless miracles marked the faith of the Russian people in the inexhaustible help of the Pleasant of God.

In Russian writing, significant literature about him was compiled very early. Tales of the saint’s miracles performed on Russian soil began to be written down in ancient times. Soon after the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bargrad, a Russian edition of the life and the story of the transfer of his holy relics, written by a contemporary of this event, appeared. Even earlier, a word of praise to the Wonderworker was written. Every week, every Thursday, the Russian Orthodox Church especially honors his memory.

On the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas, I would like to talk about mercy, this property is necessary in order to be with God. “Be merciful, as your Heavenly Father is merciful,” the Savior calls us. Without mercy, a person may not see mercy for himself. “Judgment without mercy to those who have not shown mercy!” - exclaims the Apostle James.

When performing acts of mercy there are a number of necessary conditions. I will give reflections on them by Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk.

Charity is an exercise to change the state of the heart. The heart needs cleansing, and this happens when a person performs certain actions. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, out of the abundance of the heart deeds are done. “By their works you will know them” - everything that a person expresses outwardly, one way or another, comes from his heart. Works of mercy enable our hearts to become kinder, purer, stronger and more courageous.

The first condition of mercy and a correct state of heart is that any help must be provided from personal property, and not from the property of others. This requirement was very firm in Old Testament times. In the book of Tobiah, the Lord says: “Give alms from your wealth.” It would be a great mistake to believe that God can be propitiated from the property and means taken from the poor. “Whoever offers a sacrifice from unrighteous gain, his offering is a mockery, and the gifts of the wicked are not acceptable.” This is what Jesus, the son of Sirach, teaches and makes a stunning comparison: “He who sacrifices a son before his father, so does he who sacrifices from the wealth of the poor.” An important observation, because some people view charity this way: they took the company’s funds and gave them away. It’s a good thing, but it doesn’t bring any benefit to you personally, because you don’t have any part in this sacrifice.

Second important quality charity is that it must be done willingly and without delay. Everyone can remember situations when a needy person approached him, and we began to “slip”: to give or not to give, how much, and how will he use them, is it useful or not useful? For the holy Apostle Paul, only voluntary mercy is blessed. He says: “Everyone should give according to his heart’s desire, not grudgingly or under compulsion; For God loves a cheerful giver.”

“Alms are such only then,” we read from St. John Chrysostom, “when you give it willingly, generously, when you think that you are not giving, but accept it yourself, when you recognize it as a benefit and gain for yourself, and not a loss.” “He who shows mercy to another should rejoice and not grieve.” A very useful observation: when a person does good to another, he should perceive it as receiving a benefit. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” What a person gives always comes back to him a hundredfold. Everything that a person regrets is done as if it had not happened. If a person sincerely regretted his sins, the Lord blotted them out from his life and soul. If he regretted the property given away, the matter lost its value.

The third property of mercy is selflessness. The good deed of one's neighbor does not expect reward or gratitude and is therefore performed without pomp or advertising. “When you give alms, let left hand yours does not know what the right one does, so that your alms may be kept in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.” The same Archbishop Chrysostom of Constantinople interprets this commandment this way: “I know that the old sinful man lives in you, who acts in your thoughts and wishes. Hide from the old man what is happening in you new person, your conscience, enlightened by the light of the Gospel, strengthened by the spirit of God. Therefore, do a good deed and immediately try... to forget about it.”

The fourth property of mercy is impartiality. A very important condition is not to look at the faces of those who come, but mercy should embrace all those in need without exception: Christians and non-Christians, relatives and strangers, good and evil, friends and enemies. “Do good to those who hate you... That you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”

By doing this, a person provides help in the highest sense not so much to his neighbor as to himself, because in this way he overcomes selfishness, which is especially powerful in damaged, sinful situations. human nature. Self-love kills sincerity, and after it the ability to sympathize with another person dies, and if there is no sincere compassion, there is neither the meaning nor the content of Christian love.

Metropolitan Philaret designates the fifth property as dedication to God of every undertaking. It is with this approach that any good deed will achieve its highest goal, no matter how big or small it is. After all, the significance of a good deed is measured primarily by the disposition of the heart, and no good deed can be successful without turning to God. The Metropolitan quotes the words of St. Theophan: “Please have it as a law: to dedicate every deed to God in its very embryo, to turn it to God during its production, and to ask God for strength to complete it. Then, having finished, give thanks to Him.”

We have something to think about: any deed must bring results, the result that mercy brings is the transformation of our heart. Lord help us all!

Priest Evgeniy Popichenko

Transcript: Yulia Podzolova

On May 22, 5 Orthodox church holidays are celebrated. The list of events informs about church holidays, fasts, and days of honoring the memory of saints. The list will help you find out the date of a significant religious event for Orthodox Christians.

Church Orthodox holidays May 22

What holiday is celebrated by the church on May 22?

What Orthodox holiday is today, May 22, 2018? The Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Transferring the Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to the city of Bari. People call this holiday “Spring St. Nicholas,” “Nikola with warmth,” “Merciful St. Nicholas.”

Other holidays are also dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker: August 11 celebrates his Christmas (this day is called “Autumn St. Nicholas”), and December 19 is the day of death (the holiday “Winter St. Nicholas, “Frosty St. Nicholas, Cold St. Nicholas”).

What Orthodox holiday falls on May 22?

Let's tell you in more detail what religious holiday celebrated on May 22. Saint Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in the Roman province of Lycia. Since childhood, he was a very pious person, and when he grew up, he gave all his considerable fortune to the poor.

St. Nicholas is considered the patron saint of travelers and sailors, merchants and children, as well as people who were undeservedly condemned.

According to legend, during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he calmed the raging sea with prayers. Thanks to his help, three girls from a poor family, to whom he left a dowry, were able to get married. He also saved innocent people from death who were condemned by the greedy mayor.

How did they begin to celebrate the holiday on May 22?

At first, the Day of Transfer of the Relics of St. Nicholas was celebrated only by residents of the Italian city of Bari, where many miracles occurred after the discovery of the shrine. Later, this holiday began to be celebrated by the Russian and Bulgarian churches. In Rus' it was established at the end of the 11th century.

How is the church holiday celebrated on May 22? On this day, churches hold church services, believers read prayers addressed to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, give alms to the poor, and perform other good deeds.

IN folk tradition Nicholas became a kind of “heir” to the pagan god Veles, the patron of agriculture and domestic animals. Peasants often turn to the saint with requests to protect their livestock and crops.

Prayers to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker can heal the sick and help people in days of troubles and misfortunes.

According to established tradition, on the day of the holiday you cannot do hard work, clean the house, or do laundry; You can’t quarrel or swear. You should also spend more time with your family and friends.

Concluding our story about what Orthodox holiday is celebrated on May 22, we cannot fail to mention the signs associated with it.

People believed that what day was on St. Nicholas in the spring, so was the day on St. Nicholas in winter. If the morning was humid and foggy, then you had to wash yourself with dew: this promised people health and a rich harvest for the earth.

Orthodox holiday today 05/22/2018: Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker May 22, 2018 (Nikola Letniy)

In the Orthodox calendar of holidays, St. Nicholas is given two days of remembrance - December 19 and May 22. (Nikola Zimny ​​and Nikola Letniy). If in December believers commemorate the day of death of the Wonderworker, then the May day of remembrance is associated with the transfer of his relics.

There is a legend that explains why church calendar St. Nicholas is given two whole days of commemoration. Once Saint Kasyan and Nicholas the Wonderworker were walking, and they saw a man trying to pull a cart out of the mud. Kasyan passed by - he didn’t want to get dirty, and Nikolai helped the man. God found out about this and gave Nikola two holidays a year.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered and beloved saints in the Orthodox world. Prayers to Nicholas the Wonderworker had special power. It is customary to pray to him for help, intercession, marriage, and good luck on the road.

Saint Nicholas was known during his lifetime for his miracles and good deeds. Despite being revered by people, he remained humble and meek and served God all his life. Built in his name a large number of temples around the world. His icons exude miraculous myrrh, and prayers addressed to him have results.

Signs, traditions and customs on St. Nicholas of the Summer

Nicholas the Wonderworker has always been considered the saint closest to God. According to legend, prayers on this day have great power.

• Starting from Nikola Letniy on May 22, they began harvesting horses, as well as planting potatoes and buckwheat. On this day the sheep were sheared.
• On this day, young girls wishing to get married turned to St. Nicholas the Pleasant, since he is also considered the patron saint of lovers.

• Rain on St. Nicholas of the Summer - to happiness and a rich harvest. They said about this day: “Great is God’s mercy if it rains on Nikola’s day.”
• If frogs croak at Nikola, the harvest will be good.
• Predletye began with St. Nicholas Day (from May 22 to June 10). There could be rain and thunderstorms at this time. Damp weather at this time was considered a good sign - “Rain in May raises bread.”

Religious holidays on May 22

On May 22, Catholics celebrate the Day of the Holy Trinity, Orthodox Christians celebrate the fourth Sunday after Easter, the day of the paralytic, and honor the memory of St. Nicholas of Myra, and Buddhists celebrate Donchod Khural - the birthday of Buddha.

Catholic holiday today: Trinity Day

This is one of the 12 (twelfth) main Orthodox holidays after Easter, established in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, described in the Acts of the Holy Apostles.

On the 50th day after Easter, on the Jewish holiday of Pentecost (Shavuot), established in memory of the giving of the Law to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai, the apostles gathered in Jerusalem in the Zion Upper Room, where on the eve of his arrest and crucifixion Christ celebrated the Last Supper. And then, “suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:2-4).

On that day, Jews from different cities and countries gathered in the city on the occasion of the holiday. Hearing the noise, they crowded in front of the house where the apostles were, and, hearing that inside they were speaking in various dialects, they were amazed. Some mocked the apostles - “they said: they are drunk with sweet wine” (Acts 2:13). “Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and cried to them: Men of Judah, and all who dwell in Jerusalem! Let this be known to you, and listen to my words: they are not drunk, as you think, for it is now the third hour of the day; but this is what was foretold by the prophet Joel: And it will be in last days, says God, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy; and your young men will see visions, and your elders will be enlightened by dreams, Ros-Register has learned. And on My servants and on My handmaids in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they will prophesy” (Acts 2:14-18).

The day of the descent of the Holy Spirit and the multilingual preaching of the apostles became the day of birth of the Christian Church - the community of the faithful to Christ, united by the sacraments into the One Body of Christ, the day of the conclusion of the New Covenant of God with people.

On the same day, as Christ promised, the Holy Spirit, the third Person of God, began to act in a tangible way in the world. In honor of this, the holiday got its name.

IN Orthodox tradition I also call Trinity Pentecost and is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter and on the 10th day after the Ascension, according to information at 21:36:41. This double name is evidence of the Old Testament origins of the holiday.

In the Catholic and Lutheran churches, the celebration of Pentecost (the Descent of the Holy Spirit) and the Holy Trinity is separate - Trinity Day is celebrated on the Sunday following Pentecost (this year it coincides with Orthodox). The Feasts of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Trinity have the highest status in the Roman liturgical calendar - celebrations.

The fourth Sunday after Easter is about the paralytic
The name for this Sunday was given by the Gospel story, which is read on this day at the liturgy. This passage from the Gospel of John (John 5:1-15) tells how Jesus, having come to Jerusalem for the feast, passed by the pool at the Sheep Gate, around which many sick people lay waiting for a miracle: according to legend, in this pool from the time In time, an angel descended, at that moment the water became agitated, and the first who managed to plunge into the water was healed. Among the sick was a man who had suffered from paralysis for 38 years, and Jesus healed him, telling him to take his mat and go home, despite the fact that it was the Sabbath, the day when the Old Testament law forbids the Jews to do anything. (77.111.244.19) . And caught by his fellow believers in violating the commandment due to the fact that he was carrying his bed with him, the man who had just been healed by Jesus immediately “turned the arrow” on his benefactor, declaring that he had told him so. And when Jesus, meeting him in the temple, said: “Behold, you are healed; “Sin no more, lest something worse happen to you,” this man, instead of gratitude, pointed to him to the Jews as the culprit of his “sin.”

In the liturgical texts that are heard on this day in the Orthodox Church, the soul of each person is compared to such a paralytic, and the cause of the disease is called sins, which only Christ can heal. All that is required from a person is sincere repentance of sins and correction, that is, not repeating them in the future.

“But did you pay attention to how the healed person reacted to his healing and to his Divine Benefactor?” wrote Saint Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky). - He immediately went to the high priests and reported that the one who healed him was Christ, and the healing was performed on Saturday... The Lord, when he healed ten lepers, knew that nine of them would be ungrateful, but nevertheless he healed them all. He poured out His immeasurable mercy on everyone - both the worthy and the unworthy. He gave His holy life for sinners and the ungrateful. He suffered on the Cross of Calvary for the sake of us, the unworthy, and for the sake of those who rejected Him, who put Him to death. We must remember this. Christ, stained with blood, who died on the Cross of Calvary for us, the ungrateful, must always stand before our eyes.”

Orthodox holiday May 22: Transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas of Myra (Nicholas of the Spring)

It is known about his earthly life that he was born on the territory modern Turkey around 270, from his youth he devoted himself to God, became the bishop of the city of Myra in Lycia (now the city of Demre in Antalya, Turkey), during the Great Persecution of Christians, begun by the emperor Diocletian, he went to prison, leaving it under the emperor Licinius, he returned to his department, in 325 he was a participant in the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea and died around 345 in old age.

In the 3rd century, the Roman province of Lycia was completely Hellenistic in both lifestyle and culture, and respectable citizens provided their children with an appropriate education. And Nikolai also had an uncle who was a bishop - Nikolai Patarsky. He made his young nephew a reader, then ordained him a priest, made him his assistant, and entrusted him with teaching the flock. And when he went to Palestine, he handed over the management of the diocese to his nephew.

Having buried his parents, Nikolai inherited a decent fortune, which he generously spent on charity. The life of the saint tells about his many good deeds: how he helped the poor and disadvantaged, how he secretly threw coins and food into children’s shoes placed outside the door, how he helped poor girls get married by giving money for dowries.

Even during his lifetime, he was revered as a pacifier of warring parties, a protector of the innocently convicted, and a deliverer from unnecessary death. And in the 10th century, in the Cologne Cathedral, on the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas, sweets began to be distributed to the students of the parish school, and gradually in Germany a tradition developed of hanging shoes or stockings in houses on this day, so that St. Nicholas would put gifts there for the children.
In the 11th century, the Turks devastated the Byzantine possessions in Asia Minor, accompanying their cruelty with insults to holy temples, relics, icons and books. The Muslims attempted to destroy the relics of St. Nicholas, deeply revered by the entire Christian world, but, according to legend, they first got confused and broke into the wrong tomb, and on the way back they died during a severe storm.

But in 1087, the sacred relic was stolen by the Venetians. At first they offered the monks who were on duty at the saint’s tomb a ransom, then they simply tied them up, broke the church platform, under which there was a sarcophagus, wrapped the saint’s relics in a cloak and took them to Bari, where they were solemnly laid in the church of St. Stephen. A year later, a temple was built in the name of St. Nicholas. His relics are still kept in this basilica today.

And the small fragments remaining in the grave were picked up by Venetian sailors and brought home. The authenticity of the relics was confirmed by two scientific studies - in Bari and Venice - which proved that the relics in both cities belong to the same skeleton.

In Rus', according to the chronicle of St. Nestor, in 882 the first church was built in the name of St. Nicholas - in Kiev, on the grave of the governor Askold, in the baptism of Nicholas, killed by the pagan Novgorod prince Oleg.

In the 11th century, veneration of the saint spread throughout Rus' quickly and everywhere. Around 1090, a church celebration was established in honor of the transfer of his relics to Bari (May 9 - May 22, new style), popularly nicknamed St. Nicholas of the Spring. And the day of the repose of the saint - December 6 (December 19 according to the new style) - became St. Nicholas's winter day.

For many centuries, the image of St. Nicholas occupied a completely exceptional place in the religious consciousness of the Russian people. The icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant hung in every house next to the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. They prayed to him “for all their needs.” Until the beginning of the 19th century, St. Nicholas days in Russian villages were considered the most important after Easter - patronal holidays were held throughout Rus': almost every village had a St. Nicholas Church, a chapel or a St. Nicholas Limit in the temple. Nikolai Ugodnik was perceived in Russia as a national saint, the patron saint of the Russian people.

Buddhist holiday May 22: Donchod Khural (Saga Dawa) - Birthday, enlightenment and departure into parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni

Buddha Shakyamuni achieved enlightenment and went into parinirvana on the day of his birth - on the 15th lunar day of the sacred month of Saga Dawa, which is considered by Buddhists to be the “month of thousandfold increase”, when the consequences of all intentions and actions - both bad and bad - increase many times over. aimed at the benefit of all beings.

Buddha Shakyamuni is the fourth of our thousand Buddhas historical era(according to the Bhadrakalpika Sutra, 1000 Buddhas will appear in our world era; in Tibetan, “Buddha” - “sanggye” - literally means “awakened” or “enlightened”, that is, one who has completely purified his mind and revealed its qualities, especially - perfect omniscience), virtues and nature.

Shakyamuni is real historical figure, Siddhartha Gautama (c. 560-478/80 BC). He was born into a family belonging to the Kshatriya caste - noble ruling warriors, grew up in luxury, and when at the age of 29 he first left the palace, a collision with human suffering turned his ideas about life upside down. Spiritual quests led Siddhartha to the realization that the nature of the mind is indestructible and infinitely rich, and the mind itself is limitless and non-personal.

At the age of 35, Prince Siddhartha, having achieved enlightenment, became Buddha and for 45 years passed on his experience to people, helping them achieve purification and perfection. Dharma (Sanskrit “truth”, “nature of all things”), or the Teachings of the Buddha, are 84,000 teachings and methods leading from suffering to liberation and enlightenment, comprehension of true reality.

At the age of 80, the Buddha went into parinirvana, saying before his death: “I am leaving happy because I have not hidden in my palm anything that could be useful to you. Don’t believe a single word just because the Buddha said so - test all teachings through your own experience, be your own guiding lamp.”

On May 22, 2018, all Christian believers will celebrate the summer holiday of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Information has reached our days that he managed to pacify a hurricane at sea, thereby saving the ship, and also brought a dead sailor back to life. Another miracle of resurrection is the healing of three small children who were killed during the famine.

Both relics and icons depicting the saint have miraculous powers. Having prayed to the Wonderworker in difficult life situations, people gain peace of mind and hope for improvement. Unmarried women ask for a successful marriage, while married women ask for family peace and understanding with their spouse. He is also considered the patron saint of sailors, drivers and travelers.

In Russia, an Orthodox holiday is celebrated on May 22: what made St. Nicholas the Wonderworker famous?

Since childhood, Nikolai was a believing Christian. He read church scriptures and went to temple. Having become a teenager, he studied to be a clergyman and began to preach under the leadership of the Bishop of Patara.

When he lost his parents, he gave all his wealth to the poor and began to serve in the World. Today this city is called Demre and is geographically located in Turkey. During his life he did a lot of amazing things, for which he received recognition from parishioners.

Among his deeds that are known today are:

• saving the unjustly convicted;
• the fight against paganism;
• assistance in accepting faith for dissidents;
• protecting the inhabitants of the city of Mira and all sailors of sinking ships, praying for them;

The date of death of the Wonderworker is unknown; historians lean towards 341-351.

In Russia, an Orthodox holiday is celebrated on May 22: what is the date of the celebration dedicated to?

After the death of Nicholas the Wonderworker, his relics were not subject to decay and were in the temple of Myra. The fragrant healing substance restored health to many believers. In the 11th century, due to military attacks on Byzantium, they wanted to desecrate the saint’s relics.

Every year on May 22, all believers celebrate the spring day of St. Nicholas. It was on this day that his relics were transported to Italy.

In Russia, an Orthodox holiday is celebrated on May 22: signs and beliefs

There are many signs and beliefs associated with the celebration of the summer Nicholas. According to the ancestors, after this day it was already allowed to sell the remains of last year’s grain. The morning had to begin with a tour of the entire yard and hut only by the owner of the house, thus happiness and good luck awaited everyone.

All believers visited temples to pray and ask for blessings for a bountiful harvest. After this, mass celebrations were held. And after the celebration, all the remaining food was given to the poor, saying, “On the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, call both friend and enemy - everyone will be friends.” If it rained on this day, it was considered a great blessing from God.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, became famous as a great saint of God. You will learn everything about this revered saint from this article!

What holiday is today: May 22, 2018 marks the church holiday St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Day

Today, May 22, is the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The night before, a particle of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was delivered to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow from Bari, Italy.

On May 22, 2018, people venerate St. Nicholas. According to folk calendar, there are two holidays in the year dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - winter St. Nicholas on December 19 and spring (summer) St. St. Nicholas on May 22.

Nicholas the Wonderworker is also revered in the West, and in Russia even people far from the Church know Nicholas the Wonderworker as the most revered saint by the Russian people. In addition to the special holidays dedicated to him, the Church celebrates the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker every Thursday. Saint Nicholas is often remembered at services and on other days of the week.

Nicholas the Wonderworker: what helps

Saint Nicholas is especially revered for the miracles that occur through prayers to them. Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered as an ambulance to sailors and other travelers, merchants, unjustly convicted people and children.

Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker May 22: veneration in Rus'

Many churches and monasteries are dedicated to Nicholas the Pleasant in Rus'; Saint Patriarch Photius baptized him in honor of his name in 866 Prince of Kyiv Askold - the very first Russian Christian prince, and above the grave of Askold in Kyiv there is a saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga built the first church of St. Nicholas on Russian soil.

Folk traditions

In Rus', Nicholas the Pleasant was considered the “eldest” among the saints. He was called “merciful”, temples were built in his honor and children were named.

On St. Nicholas of the Winter, people arranged festive meals - they baked pies with fish, brewed mash and beer, and on St. Nicholas of the Summer, or Spring, the peasants held religious processions- they went into the fields with icons and banners, performed prayer services at wells - asked for rain.

Who is the patron of this amazing and famous saint?

Nicholas the Wonderworker is recognized as the patron saint of children, and in Europe is even called the prototype of Santa Claus. He is also favorable to travelers, all sailors, merchants and those who need a real miracle for healing.

Why is St. Nicholas called the Pleasant?

The saint received this name for his pleasing service to God. Nicholas the Pleasant prayed with such strength and faith that even after death his relics remained untouched by decay. They streamed myrrh, and hundreds of believers were healed from this grace.

How to celebrate May 22?

May 22 - St. Nicholas Day - the Wonderworker is glorified and honored in the most different churches and parishes. Believers on this holiday try to give up meat and eggs, setting tables with fish dishes.

Previously, when Agriculture was more developed; on St. Nicholas of the Spring, Christians organized mass processions with strings of icons and images. Believers participated in a prayer service, asking for mercy and rain. Usually, religious processions ended in fields or near water wells. It was believed that the merciful Nicholas could help in the fight against drought and bad weather.

Today on this day you can visit the temple, where a service will definitely be held. You can also pray at home, asking Nicholas the Ugodnik for help in some matter.

In the evening you need to get together with the whole family for festive table and conduct a general prayer of thanksgiving to the saint for his intercession. This Christian celebration is not associated with tragic events, so you can celebrate easily and cheerfully.

On the day of memory of Nikola Veshny, there is no need to do anything for yourself personally. Since the saint gave everything to people, believers on such a day should give something to charity, give alms or money for the construction of a church. Help for orphans and orphanages, as well as poor families, is welcomed.

The legend of the holiday

St. Nicholas is glorified on May 22 and December 19. On St. Nicholas of the Winter, it is customary to give each other gifts. And during the spring celebration you can limit yourself to beautiful greeting cards and verbal wishes of happiness, goodness and peace.

Saint Nicholas is revered by all Christians. He is very often remembered during daily services and given to him special place in the Christian hierarchy of saints.

There is a legend that when one peasant got stuck with his cart in the mud, he asked St. Kasyan passing by for help. (37.112.220.246) . But he refused, citing the fact that he was in a hurry to the Lord. When Saint Nicholas passed next to the peasant, he helped him pull the cart out of the ditch and appeared to the Lord covered in mud. There the saint was asked why he got so dirty and delayed, to which he replied that he was helping a man, according to information at 23:05:17. Since then, Nicholas the Pleasant has been praised twice a year, and the Christian Saint Kasyan once every four years.

ABOUT winter holiday, dedicated to Nicholas The saint also has his own legend. During his lifetime, the saint learned that in his city there was a poor man who decided to terrible sin. To get out of poverty and marry off his two daughters, a man decided to send the third girl to a brothel. Then Nicholas the Wonderworker snuck into the poor man’s house at night and threw him a bag of gold. The poor man couldn't believe his luck and got married eldest daughter. Then Nikolai Ugodnik snuck into the poor man's house with a bag of gold for the second time, and the man performed a wedding for his middle daughter. The poor man was wondering who his benefactor was? Therefore, for the third time he tracked down the bishop and rushed after him to thank him for his unprecedented generosity. And then he married off his third daughter, Ros-Register learned. Since then, on December 19, the custom of giving gifts and small souvenirs has been established, which are secretly placed at night near the fireplace or Christmas tree.

During his earthly years, this saint performed many incredible miracles and accomplished great amount good deeds. He did not refuse to help either believers or pagans, prompting them to repent and instructing them on the true path.

Believers know that May 22 is St. Nicholas Day. They go to services with joy, remembering the intercession of the archbishop. And they believe that even after death the saint protects them from heaven, gives them protection and hope for the healing of ailments. Amazing man and the popular saint is equally known both in Russia and abroad. Many temples and churches were erected in his honor. He is known not only by Christians, but also by people of other faiths. The saint is remembered and glorified in their prayers by all Orthodox and Catholic believers.

When is the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker celebrated?

More than one holiday is dedicated to St. Nicholas in the Orthodox church calendar. On December 19, according to the new style, the day of the saint’s death is remembered, and on August 11, his birth. People called these two holidays St. Nicholas Winter and St. Nicholas Autumn. On May 22, believers remember the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which took place in 1087. In Rus', this day was called Nikola Veshny (that is, spring), or Nikola Summer.

All these holidays are permanent, that is, their dates are fixed.

How does St. Nicholas the Wonderworker help?

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

Life (biography) of Nicholas the Wonderworker

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

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

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

People loved the new archbishop very much: he was kind, meek, fair, sympathetic - not a single request to him went unanswered. With all this, Nicholas was remembered by his contemporaries as an irreconcilable fighter against paganism - he destroyed idols and temples, and a defender of Christianity - he denounced heretics.

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

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

Relics of St. Nicholas

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

In 1087, part of the saint’s relics was transferred to Italian city Bari, to the Church of St. Stephen. A year after the rescue of the relics, a basilica was erected there in the name of St. Nicholas. Now everyone can pray at the relics of the saint - the ark with them is still kept in this basilica. A few years later, the remaining part of the relics was transported to Venice, and a small particle remained in Myra.

In honor of the transfer of the relics of Nicholas the Ugodnik, it was erected special holiday, which is in Russian Orthodox Church celebrated on May 22 according to the new style.

Veneration of St. Nicholas in Rus'

There are many churches and monasteries dedicated to St. Nicholas the Pleasant in Rus'. In his name, the holy Patriarch Photius baptized in 866 the Kyiv prince Askold, the very first Russian Christian prince. Over the grave of Askold in Kyiv, Saint Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, built the first church of St. Nicholas on Russian soil.

In many Russian cities, the main cathedrals were named after the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. Novgorod the Great, Zaraysk, Kyiv, Smolensk, Pskov, Galich, Arkhangelsk, Tobolsk and many others. Three Nikolsky monasteries were built in the Moscow province - Nikolo-Grechesky (Old) - in Kitai-Gorod, Nikolo-Perervinsky and Nikolo-Ugreshsky. In addition, one of the main towers of the capital's Kremlin is named Nikolskaya.

Iconography of St. Nicholas

The iconography of St. Nicholas developed in X-XI centuries. Moreover, the oldest icon, namely the fresco in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome, dates back to the 8th century.

There are two main iconographic types of St. Nicholas - full-length and half-length. One of classic examples life-size icon - fresco from St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, painted at the beginning of the 12th century. It is now stored in Tretyakov Gallery. In this fresco, the saint is depicted full-length, with a blessing right hand and an open Gospel in his left hand.

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

Icon painters also created hagiographic icons of St. Nicholas the Pleasant, that is, depicting various scenes from the life of the saint - sometimes up to twenty different subjects. The most ancient of such icons in Rus' are the Novgorod one from the Lyuboni churchyard (XIV century) and the Kolomna icon (now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).

TroparionSaint Nicholas the Wonderworker

voice 4

The rule of faith and the image of meekness and abstinence as a teacher show you to your flock as the truth of things: for this reason you have acquired high humility, rich in poverty. Father Hierarch Nicholas, pray to Christ God to save our souls.

Translation:

The teacher showed you the rule of faith, the example of meekness and abstinence, to your flock. And therefore, through humility you acquired greatness, through poverty - wealth: Father Hierarch Nicholas, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

voice 3

In Mireh, the holy, the priest appeared: For Christ, O Reverend, having fulfilled the Gospel, you laid down your soul for your people, and saved the innocent from death; For this reason you have been sanctified, as the great hidden place of God’s grace.

Translation:

In the Worlds, you, saint, appeared as the performer of sacred rites: having fulfilled the Gospel teaching of Christ, you, reverend, laid down your soul for your people and delivered the innocent from death. That is why he was sanctified as a great minister of the sacraments of God’s grace.

First prayer to Nicholas the Ugodnik

Oh, all-holy Nicholas, exceedingly saintly servant of the Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper!

Help me, a sinner and sad person in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me forgiveness of all my sins, which I have sinned greatly from my youth, in all my life, in deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me the accursed, beg the Lord God, the Creator of all creation, to deliver me from airy ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Second prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all-praised, great wonderworker, saint of Christ, Father Nicholas!

We pray to you, awaken the hope of all Christians, protector of the faithful, feeder of the hungry, joy of the weeping, doctor of the sick, steward of those floating on the sea, feeder of the poor and orphans, and quick helper and patron of all, may we live a peaceful life here and may we be worthy to see the glory of God’s elect in heaven , and with them unceasingly sing the praises of the one worshiped God in the Trinity forever and ever. Amen.

Third prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O all-praised and all-pious bishop, great Wonderworker, Saint of Christ, Father Nicholas, man of God and faithful servant, man of desires, chosen vessel, strong pillar of the church, bright lamp, shining star and illuminating the whole universe: you are a righteous man, like a blossoming date planted in the courts of your Lord, living in Myra, you were fragrant with the world, and the myrrh flowed with the ever-flowing grace of God.

By your procession, holy father, the sea was illuminated, when your many-wonderful relics marched into the city of Barsky, from east to west praise the name of the Lord.

O most graceful and marvelous Wonderworker, quick helper, warm intercessor, kind shepherd, saving the verbal flock from all troubles, we glorify you and magnify you, as the hope of all Christians, the source of miracles, the protector of the faithful, wise teacher, the hungry feeder, the weeping joy, the naked robe, the sick physician, the sea-floating steward, the captive liberator, the widows and orphans the nourisher and protector, the guardian of chastity, the gentle chastiser of infants, the old fortification, the fasting mentor, the toiling rapture, the poor and the needy abundant wealth.

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

We know, we know, how the prayer of the righteous can do much to hasten for good: for you, the righteous, according to the most blessed Virgin Mary, imams, intercessor to the All-Merciful God, and to yours, most kind father, warm intercession and intercession we humbly flow: you keep us as you are vigorous and kind shepherd, from all enemies, destruction, cowardice, hail, famine, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, and in all our troubles and sorrows, give us a helping hand, and open the doors of God’s mercy, since we are unworthy to see the heights of heaven, from many of our iniquities are bound by the bonds of sin, and we have not done the will of our Creator nor have we preserved his commandments.

In the same way, we bow our contrite and humble hearts to our Creator, and we ask for your fatherly intercession to Him:

Help us, O Pleasant of God, so that we do not perish with our iniquities, deliver us from all evil and from all things that are resistant, guide our minds and strengthen our hearts in the right faith, in it through your intercession and intercession, neither with wounds, nor rebuke, nor pestilence, he will give me no wrath to live in this age, and he will deliver me from this place, and he will make me worthy to join all the saints. Amen.

Prayer four to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O our good shepherd and God-wise mentor, Saint Nicholas of Christ! Hear us sinners, praying to you and calling for your speedy intercession for help; see us weak, caught from everywhere, deprived of every good and darkened in mind from cowardice; Try, O servant of God, not to leave us in the captivity of sin, so that we may not joyfully become our enemies and not die in our evil deeds.

Pray for us, unworthy, to our Creator and Master, to whom you stand with disembodied faces: make our God merciful to us in this life and in the future, so that He will not reward us according to our deeds and the impurity of our hearts, but according to His goodness He will reward us .

We trust in your intercession, we boast of your intercession, we call on your intercession for help, and falling to your most holy image, we ask for help: deliver us, servant of Christ, from the evils that come upon us, and tame the waves of passions and troubles that rise up against us, and for the sake of Your holy prayers will not overwhelm us and we will not wallow in the abyss of sin and in the mud of our passions. Pray to Saint Nicholas of Christ, Christ our God, that he may grant us a peaceful life and remission of sins, salvation and great mercy for our souls, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Fifth prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

O great intercessor, the bishop of God, the Most Blessed Nicholas, who shone miracles under the sun, appearing as a quick hearer to those who call upon you, who always precede them and save them, and deliver them, and take them away from all sorts of troubles, from these God-given miracles and gifts of grace!

Hear me, unworthy, calling you with faith and bringing you prayer songs; I offer you an intercessor to plead with Christ.

Oh, renowned for miracles, saint of heights! as if you have the boldness, soon stand before the Lady, and reverently stretch out your hands in prayer to Him for me, a sinner, and grant me the bounty of goodness from Him, and accept me into your intercession, and deliver me from all troubles and evils, from the invasion of enemies visible and invisible freeing, and destroying all those slander and malice, and reflecting those who fight me throughout my life; for my sins, ask for forgiveness, and present me saved to Christ and be worthy to receive the Kingdom of Heaven for the abundance of that love for mankind, to which belongs all glory, honor and worship, with his beginningless Father, and with the Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages centuries.

Prayer six to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Oh, all-good Father Nicholas, shepherd and teacher of all who flow by faith to your intercession, and who call on you with warm prayer, quickly strive and deliver the flock of Christ from the wolves that destroy it, that is, from the invasion of the evil Latins who are rising against us.

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

And just as you had mercy on three men imprisoned, and you delivered them from the king’s wrath and the beating of the sword, so have mercy and delivered the Orthodox people of Great, Little and White Rus' from the destructive heresy of the Latin.

For through your intercession and help, and through His mercy and grace, may Christ God look with His merciful eye on people who exist in ignorance, even though they have not known their right hand, especially young people, by whom the Latin seductions are spoken to turn away from the Orthodox faith, may he enlighten the minds of His people, may they not be tempted and fall away from the faith of their fathers, may their conscience, lulled by vain wisdom and ignorance, awaken and turn their will to the preservation of the holy Orthodox faith, may they remember the faith and humility of our fathers, may their life be for the Orthodox faith who have laid down and accepted the warm prayers of His holy saints, who have shone in our land, keeping us from the delusion and heresy of the Latin, so that, having preserved us in holy Orthodoxy, He will grant us at His terrible Judgment to stand on the right hand with all the saints. Amen.

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

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

Miracles of St. Nicholas

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

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

Today we celebrate the day of the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. What a strange combination of words this is: holiday about death... Usually, when death overtakes someone, we grieve and cry about it; and when a saint dies, we rejoice over it. How is this possible?

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

But our attitude towards the holy is not quite like that. Even those who were contemporaries of the saints, already during their lifetime, managed to realize that by living fully heavenly life, the saint did not separate from the earth during his life, and that when he rests in body, he will still remain in this mystery of the Church, uniting the living and the departed into one body, into one spirit, into one mystery of the eternal, Divine, victorious over all life.

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

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

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

And so, we rejoice on the day of the death of the one who was on earth heavenly man and having entered eternity, he became a representative and prayer book for us, without leaving us, remaining not only the same close, becoming even closer, because we become close to each other as we become close, dear, our own to the Living God, God of love. Our joy today is so deep! The Lord on earth reaped St. Nicholas like a ripe ear of corn. Now he triumphs with God in heaven; and just as he loved the land and people, knew how to have pity, compassion, knew how to surround everyone and meet everyone with amazing affectionate, thoughtful care, so now he prays for us all, caringly, thoughtfully.

When you read his life, you are amazed that he not only cared about the spiritual; he took care of every human need, the most humble human needs. He knew how to rejoice with those who rejoice, he knew how to cry with those who weep, he knew how to console and support those who needed comfort and support. And that’s why the people, the Mirlikian flock, loved him so much, and why the whole Christian people so honors him: there is nothing too insignificant that he would not pay attention to creative love. There is nothing on earth that would seem unworthy of his prayers and unworthy of his works: illness, and poverty, and deprivation, and disgrace, and fear, and sin, and joy, and hope, and love - everything found a living response in his deep heart. human heart. And he left us the image of a man who is the radiance of God’s beauty; he left us within himself, as it were, a living, active icon a genuine person.

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

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

The Fathers of the Church call us to live fear of death. From century to century we hear these words, and from century to century we misunderstand them. How many people live in fear that death is about to come, and after death there is judgment, and after judgment what? Unknown. Hell? Forgiveness?.. But that’s not about it fear of death the fathers said. The fathers said that if we remembered that in a moment we could die, how we would rush to do all the good that we can still do! If we thought constantly, reverently about what standing nearby With us, a person to whom we can now do good or evil may die - how we would rush to take care of him! There would then be no need, neither great nor small, that would exceed our ability to devote our lives to a person who is about to die.

I have already said something about my father; Sorry - I'll say one more personal thing. My mother had been dying for three years; she knew it because I told her so. And when death entered our lives, it transformed life in that every moment, every word, every action - because it could be the last - had to be a perfect expression of all the love, all the affection, all the reverence that existed between us. And for three years there were no little things and there were no big things, but there was only a triumph of reverent, reverent love, where everything merged into the great, because all love can be contained in one word, and all love can be expressed in one movement; and that's how it should be.

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

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

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

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

A word spoken at the liturgy on the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas on December 19, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznetsy (Moscow)

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

I congratulate you on the occasion!

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

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

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

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

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

We cannot achieve this without difficulty. The Fathers of the Church tell us: shed blood and you will receive the Spirit... We cannot ask God to dwell in us when we ourselves do not work to prepare for Him a holy, purified, consecrated temple. We cannot call Him into the depths of our sin again and again if we do not have a firm, fiery intention, if we are not ready when He descends upon us, when He seeks us out like a lost sheep and wants to carry us back to our Father’s house, to be taken and carried away forever in His Divine arms.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Santa Claus

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

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

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

Saint Nicholas rejoiced that his help brought good fruit, and also, secretly, he threw a second bag of gold out the window of the poor man. He used these funds to celebrate his middle daughter’s wedding.

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

Nikola Winter, Nikola Autumn, Nikola Veshny, “Nikola Wet”

On December 19 and August 11, according to the new style, Orthodox Christians remember, respectively, the death and birth of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to the time of year, these holidays received popular names- Nikola Winter and Nikola Autumn.

St. Nicholas of the Spring (that is, spring), or St. Nicholas of the Summer, was the name given to the feast of the transfer of the relics of Saint and Wonderworker Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bari, which is celebrated on May 22 in the new style.

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

Folk traditions of celebrating the day of memory of Nikolai Ugodnik

In Rus', Nicholas the Ugodnik was revered as the “elder” among the saints. Nikola was called “merciful”; Temples were built in his honor and children were named - from ancient times until the beginning of the 20th century, the name Kolya was the most popular among Russian boys.

About St. Nicholas the Winter (December 19), festive meals were held in the huts in honor of the holiday - fish pies were baked, mash and beer were brewed. The holiday was considered “old people’s”; the most respected people of the village pooled a rich table and had long conversations. And the youth indulged winter fun- sledding, dancing in circles, singing songs, preparing for Christmas gatherings.

On St. Nicholas of the Summer, or Spring (May 22), peasants organized religious processions - they went to the fields with icons and banners, performed prayer services at wells - asked for rain.