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.
On December 6th, Our Holy Orthodox Church Commemorates Our Father
Among the Saints NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER, Bishop of Myra of
Lycia.
Apolytikion (Dismissal) Hymn. Fourth Tone
The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith,
an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause,
thou hast achieved hte heights by humility, riches by poverty. O
Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our
souls be saved.
Kontakion Hymn. Third Tone
Thou, O righteous Nicholas, in Myra truly wast shown forth as a
sacred minister fulfilling Christ’s holy Gospel; for thou didst lay
down thy life for thy flock and people and, O Saint, didst save the
innocent from unjust death. Wherefore, thou was sanctified as
a great initiate of the Divine grace of God.
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The Saint, famed throughout the entire world today, was the only son of his eminent and wealthy parents, Theophanes and Nona, citizens of Patara in Lycia. They dedicated to God the only son He gave them. Saint Nicholas was instructed in the spiritual life by his uncle Nicholas, Bishop of Patara, and became a monk at ‘New Sion,’ a Monastery founded by his uncle. On the death of his parents, Nicholas distributed all the property he inherited to the poor and kept nothing back for himself. As a Priest in Patara, he was known for his charitable works, fulfilling the Lord’s words: "LET NOT THY LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT THY RIGHT HAND DOETH" [Matthew 6:3]. When he embraced a life of solitude and silence, thinking to live in that way until his death, A VOICE FROM ON HIGH CAME TO HIM: ‘Nicholas, set about your work among the people if you desire to receive a crown from Me." Immediately after that, by God’s Wondrous Providence, he was chosen as Archbishop of the city of Myra in Lycia. Merciful, wise and fearless, Nicholas was a true shepherd to his flock. He was cast into prison during the persecution of the pagan Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, but even there continued to instruct the people in the Law of God. He was present at the First Ecumenical Synod in Nicaea in 325 A.D., and, in his zeal, struck the heretic Arius with his hand. For this act, he was removed from the Synod and from his episcopal duties, until some of the chief hierarchs had A VISION OF OUR LORD CHRIST AND HIS MOST HOLY MOTHER SHOWING THEIR SYMPATHY WITH NICHOLAS.
This wonderful Saint was A DEFENDER OF THE TRUTH OF GOD, and was ever a spirited Champion of justice among the people. On two occasions, he saved three men from underved sentences of death. Merciful, trustworthy and loving right; he walked among the people like an Angel of God. People considered him a Saint even during his lifetime, and invoked his aid when in torment or distress. He would appear both in dreams and in reality to those who called upon him for help, responding speedily to them, whether close at hand or far away. His face would shine with light as Moses’ did aforetime, and his mere presence among people would bring solace, peace and goodwill. In old age, he sickened of a slight illness, and wont to his rest in the Lord after a life full of labor and fruitful toil. He now enjoys Eternal happiness in the Kingdom of heaven, continuing to help the faithful on earth by his miracles, and to spread the glory of God. He entered into rest on December 6th, 343 A.D.
FOR CONSIDERATION
On holy icons of Saint Nicholas, our Lord and Savior will often be seen on one side with the Gospels in hand, and the Most Holy Mother of God, the Theotokos on the other with an Episcopal Stole in hers. This has a twofold historical significance: IT DENOTES, FIRSTLY, NICHOLAS’S CALLING TO EPISCOPAL OFFICE, AND SECONDLY HIS VINDICATION AND REINSTATEMENT FOLLOWING FOR HIS CLASH WITH THE HERETIC ARIUS. Saint Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople, writes: "One night, Saint Nicholas saw our Savior in glory, standing by him and holding out to him the Gospels adorned with gold and pearls, and the Mother of God standing on his other side and placing a pallium on his shoulders. Shortly after his vision, John, the then Archbishop of Myra, died, and Saint Nicholas was installed as Archbishop of that city. That was the first occasion. The second occurred at the time of the First Ecumenical Synod in Nicaea. Unable to put a stop by argument to the senseless blasphemer heretic Arius in the face. The Holy Fathers banned Nicholas from the Synod and stripped him of all marks of his Episcopal rank. The very night, several of the Fathers had the same vision: how the Lord stood on one side of Nicholas with the Gospels and the Mother of God on the other with a PALLIUM, offering to the Saint those marks of rank that had been stripped from him. Seeing this, the Holy Fathers were amazed, and quickly returned to Saint Nicholas that which they had taken from him. They began from that time to respect him as a great man, and to interpret his action against heretic Arius not as some senseless rage, but as the EXPRESSION OF GREAT ZEAL FOR GOD’S TRUTH.
A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT ON THE LIFE OF SAINT NICHOLAS, THE WONDERWORKER
Through his countless miracles on behalf of the poor, the abandoned, of those suffering injustice and of all who call upon his fatherly protection, he has to this day shown himself "A GOOD STEWARD OF THE MANIFOLD GRACE OF GOD" ]1 Peter 4:10].
On three occasions he secretly lef gold enough for the marriage portions of three maidens whom their debt-ridden father intended to give up to prostitution. When the man eventually discovered his good deed, Saint Nicholas made him promise, as he valued his salvation, to tell no one of it. God recompensed him through the charismata (gifts) and miracles for which he became renowned in the sight of men. On pilgrimage to the Holy Places he twice by his prayer calmed the winds that imperiled the ship he was sailing in.
He saved the city of Myra from famine by appearing to the master of a vessel laden with corn, and telling him to discharge his cargo at the harbor there. Later the man of God saved the lives of three Roman officers unjustly accused of conspiracy, by appearing in a dream to the Emperor Constantine the Great and to the perfidious Prefect Avlavius. Full of gratitude to the Saint for their deliverance, the three soldiers became monks.
On many other occasions after his death as well as during his lifetime, Saint Nicholas has miraculously assisted ships in distress and people making voyages, and so is venerated as the protector of all who sail the seas. Thus, one day during a gale, he appeared at the helm of a ship in distress and brought it safely to port; and on another occasion, he rescued a passenger who fell overboard crying, "Saint Nicholas, help me!" and at once found himself at home surrounded by his astounded family.
His holy relics, placed in a church built in his honor at Myra, were venerated by crowds of pilgrims every year. One day the Devil, unable to tolerate the glory that shone from Saint Nicholas’ tomb, took the form of a poor old woman and accosted some pilgrims who were leaving for the city of Myra, lamenting that she was not able herself to travel, and entrusting them with a flask of oil for the lamps that burned perpetually before the shrine. During the voyage, Nicholas appeared to the ship’s captain and told him to throw the oil into the sea. No sooner had he done so than the surface of the water caught fire and swirled aout in blazing eddies to the terror of the passengers, who gave thanks to God for having saved the sanctuary through his Saint. In 1087, after Myra had fallen to the Saracens, the holy relics of Saint Nicholas were transferred to Bari in south of Italy, accompanied by many miracles, and there they are venerated to this day. [Resources: The Prologue from Ochrid]
Saint Nicholas, with Saint George, is one of the Saints most beloved by Orthodox Christians. The churches dedicated to him are as countless as places and the faithful named after him. He is especially revered by the Russian Orthodox faithful as the PROTECTOR OF CROPS, and Roman Catholic Christians as the protector and patron of schoolchildren and of young people in general.
Over the years, sadl, the person and life of Saint Nicholas have been distorted and misrepresented by a materialistic society. The true person of this magnificent Saint of the Church has been turned into a symbol of consumerism and over-indulgence. It is a sin and is most offensive to all Orthodox Christians who revere the Saint, throughout the world. Orthodox children should be taught by their parents the truth about the life and works of Saint Nicholas and encourage them to seek his help and intercessions.
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With the sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 