THE LIFE OF SAINT NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER (Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

The Life of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker [Part II]

THE FIRST ECUMENICAL SYNOD (COUNCIL)

During Emperor Constantine the Great’s reign, Arius emerged from Alexandria and spread his vile beliefs and heresies. Arius had been sufficiently educated in the elements of secular learning. At first, he appeared to be reverent toward the Faith, as it has been handed down to us by Christ and His holy Apostles. Upon his ordination, by the late Martyr and holy Hierarch Peter [300-301 A.D.], Arius began to publicly speak blasphemies against God, saying that Christ, the Logos/Word, WAS NOT TRUE GOD. Arius was thus dismissed as a blasphemer from his duties. After the martyric death of the aforementioned Saint Peter; the next Archbishop of Alexandria, Achillas [311-312 A.D.], restored Arius to piety and ordained him to the Priesthood as Protopresbyter of Alexandria. As long as Archbishop Achillas lived, the most irreverent Arius maintained piety outwardly. Upon the repose of Achillas, the holy Alexander [312-328 A.D.] ascended the throne of the Alexandrian See. The new Archbishop perceived not only that Arius refused to be corrected, but also that he was leading other astray into his profane heresy.

Emperor Constantine the Great, seeing the confusion being created in the Church, dispatched orders to every corner of the Empire. He summoned all the Hierarchs and chief Monastics, that they should meet in the city of Nicaea, and discuss Arius, who was shown to be at fault and a blasphemer. Thus, the FIRST ECUMENICAL SYNOD WAS HELD IN NICAEA IN Bithynia during the reign of Constantine the Great, in 325 A.D. Among the notable men who were in attendance included Deacon Athanaasios (the Great), Spyridon of Trimythous, and our Great and Wonderworking Nicholas of Myra. They were adorned with not only Apostolic gifts but also the trials and sufferings of Martyrdom through which they survived. According to the Holy Tradition of the Church, there were present 232 Hierarchs, with 86 Priests, Deacons, and Monks, thus totaling 386 holy Fathers, together with a multitude of lower clergy.

Emperor Constantine took his seat on the throne, and 159 Fathers also took their seats. As we mentioned earlier, the Synod had been assembled against Arius, who blasphemed that the Logos/Word of God WAS NOT COESSENTIAL WITH THE FATHER; THAT IS, THAT JESUS WAS NOT TRUE GOD, BUT, ON THE CONTRARY, A CREATURE AND KTISMA, THE GREEK WORD MEANING "SOMETHING BUILT." This sessions lasted at least THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS. This Synod produced the divine Symbol of the Faith [The Nicene Creed of 325 A.D.], proclaiming the Son and Logos/Word of God TO BE TRUE GOD COESSENTIAL WITH THE Father, saying: "I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD: the Father, Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, the One having having begotten of the Father before all ages–Light of Light, True God of True God, having been begotten, not having been made; co-essential with the Father; by Whom all things are made, including all things in the heaven and all things on the earth; Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from the heavens, and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried; and rose up the third day according to the Scriptures; and ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right of the Father; and shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; the Kingdom of Whose there shall be no end; and in the Spirit, the Holy One. As for those who are saying that ‘there was a time when He was not,’ He was made of things that were not,’ or assert ‘He is out of another hypostasis’ or ‘essence,’ or that ‘the Son of God is mutable or alterable,’ the catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes them."

The original Nicene Creed was later enlarged in 381 A.D. at the Second Ecumenical Synod held in Constantinople, convened by and during the reign of Theodosios. At that time, besides some minor changes in the first two articles, there were added all the clauses after the "Holy Spirit"; the anathema was omitted.

The First Ecumenical Synod also delivered THE DECREE CONCERNING PASCHA, which the Orthodox Church OBSERVES UNGARBLED. Twenty Canons were issued at the present Synod. The debates commenced with Arius were terribly agonizing. Saint Nicholas, who thanks to his mellifluous teaching kept the Metropolis of Myra alone untouched by the filth of the Arian heresy, was filled with divine zeal as another Prophet Elias. The holy Archbishop of Myra perceived how Arius was attempting to silence all the Christ-loving Hierarchs, so he rose up, approached Arius, and gave him such a slap that Arius shook all over. Arius protested to the Emperor. The Emperor was much grieved by what had occurred.

Constantine addressed the Hierarchs: "Holy Hierarchs, the law commands the severance of the hand which dares to strike another in the Emperor’s presence. By your holiness’ leave, I commit judgment to you. Decide the matter as you see fit." The Hierarchs, not wishing to have the Saint mutilated, said: "O Emperor, we beseech thee, let us only dismiss him from the Synod and imprison him. This is the extent to which we should wish to sentence him." After Saint Nicholas, the Champion of piety, was reproved, deprived of his Episcopal insignia, and incarcerated, that same night, there appeared to him in the prison both Christ and the Theotokos. They asked the Hierarch, "O Nicholas, why hast thou been imprisoned?" The holy man of God answered, "For you love." Christ then said to him, "Take this," and He presented the holy Gospel to Archbishop Nicholas. The Theotokos then gave him the Hierarchical Omophorion. By the foregoing, that is, the receipt of these emblems of his Hierarchical rank, it was revealed that the Saint’s boldness was pleasing to God Who repeated the revelation He had once given concerning the Saint.

The following day, certain acquaintances of the Saint brought the prisoner holy bread. Upon entering Saint Nicholas’ prison cell, they observed that he was loosed from his fetters and was clad with an Omophorion. In his hands, they noticed that he was holding and reading the holy Gospel. They inquired of the Saint: "Where did you find these articles?" Saint Nicholas then communicated to them the entire truth. After the Emperor was informed of this miraculous event, Constantine, acknowledging the evident manifestation of Divine approval toward the Saint, immediately ordered the Archbishop’s removal from prison. The Emperor then sought Saint Nicholas’ forgiveness. The other Hierarchs also asked the Saint’s pardon, and peace was restored. After the last session of the Synod, all the Hierarchs, including our Saint Nicholas, returned to their Sees.

FAMINE

A great famine once struck Lycia. None of the inhabitants could remember a previous calamity of such intensity. Many people were in dire straits from the shortage,so that Myra was in danger of being destroyed. The Saint sorrowed for his flock; so how did he tend its rational sheep? A vessel, laden with wheat, was bound for France. While the ship’s captain was in his cabin, Saint Nicholas appeared to him in his sleep and said: "Bring thou the wheat to Myra of Lycia and not to France. because we are suffering terribly from hunger. Thou shall receive for thy cargo a very handsome price, which shall be quickly remitted. Take now, as earnest money, these three gold florins. Whenever thou shouldest arrive, the balance due shall be paid in full." The captain awakened in the morning and found three coins in his hands. Amazed, he commanded the crew and showed everyone the coins. The captain believed the vision to be from God, and he also wished to profit from the transaction. They therefore set sail for Myra in Lycia. The ship entered the port and the captain sold the wheat, reaping a great profit. The captain recognized the Archbishop and did not conceal from the people the miraculous appearance of their Hierarch to him while he was on board his ship and sailing toward Gallic lands. The starving people of the place gave glory to God Who provides for those who hope in Him. They also gave thanks to God for providing them with such a Wonderworker and nourisher of their souls and bodies as their Saint Nicholas. [Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]

(To be continued)

____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George