Who is St. Nicholas of Myra?
When you first enter St. Nicholas Church, you will find a beautiful icon of St. Nicholas with an eternal flame honoring our patron Saint. The reverence with which St. Nicholas has been honored, the churches erected in his memory, and the sheer quantity of tales told bear witness to one truth – there was something remarkable about him.
It is hard to separate the legend of St. Nicholas, including the stories surrounding “Santa Claus”, from the facts surrounding his life. He is known to be the Patron Saint of Sailors, Children and of the Innocent. Stories of him saving three sisters from being sold into slavery by paying their dowrys and bringing three children back to life are ancient lore told when describing his saintly life. One fact that is absolutely certain is that St. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra in the Fourth Century. What follows is a timeline of St. Nicholas’ life based on historical events and the writings of church elders.
Nicholas was born approximately AD c270 in Patara Lycia, a province of southern Asia Minor in what is now Turkey. It is an ancient are where St. Paul planted the Orthodox faith. He was the only son of pious and virtuous parents, Theophanes and Nonna, who had vowed to dedicate him to God. He was said to have started studying the sacred books at the age of five. Nicholas’ parents died while he was still a young man but left him with a comfortable fortune he used for charitable works. There are many recounted stories of his generosity to the poor and sick.
It is said that Nicholas was elevated to priesthood by his uncle, the Bishop of Patara after demonstrating deep religious conviction and piety. As a priest, Father Nicholas was believed to have shown great leadership and was respected by the followers of the faith. In AD c300, Nicholas was elected to serve as Bishop of Myra, which is now known as Demre, Turkey. During his time as Bishop, he continued his good works by establishing a poorhouse (for the homeless), hostelries for travelers (inns), and a hospital.
According to the archival records from the Greek Church, Bishop Nicholas was imprisoned during the reign of Emperor Diocletian through AD c305. Persecutions during this time were waged against Christians that did not comply with Roman religious practices. Prisoners were routinely tortured, chained and starved. Emperor Constantine released the prisoners and later, during the Edict of Milan, put into a law an acceptance of Christianity that reflected his personal acceptance of Christianity.
When Constantine became emperor, Nicholas was released with countless others and returned to his preaching only to find a new threat: Arianism. Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius (AD c250–336), a Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt. In plain terms, Arianists believed that there was a time before there was Christ and therefore Christ was inferior to God the Father. This teaching denied the Divinity and was considered heresy, especially to Bishop Nicholas.
In AD c325, the First Ecumenical Council was called to preserve unity of the church which was threatened by competing claims about the nature of Jesus Christ. Several sources do not list Bishop Nicholas as a participant in the First Ecumenical Council. Other sources cite that not only did Bishop Nicholas attend the First Council, he staunchly upheld Orthodox Christian belief and went so far as to slap Arius in the face.
The next known date for Bishop Nicholas was his death on December 6th AD c343. According to ancient records, Bishop Nicholas was buried in the Cathedral at Myra. However, in 1087, Italian sailors removed the relics because they were fearful that the relics would be desecrated or forgotten by the armies invading the country at that time They were taken to Bari, Italy, where they rest in a major basilica dedicated to Saint Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas is distinguished for his great faith, for his struggle in the name of Orthodoxy and especially for his charity. He fought for the predominance of Orthodoxy and in the preservation of the Holy Trinity. He enriched many suffering in infirmity and extreme poverty, gave food to the hungry, and to all those in need he appeared as a ready helper, a warm intercessor and speedy mediator and defender. ” He was a Wonderworker and intercessor.
It is hard to separate the legend of St. Nicholas, including the stories surrounding “Santa Claus”, from the facts surrounding his life. He is known to be the Patron Saint of Sailors, Children and of the Innocent. Stories of him saving three sisters from being sold into slavery by paying their dowrys and bringing three children back to life are ancient lore told when describing his saintly life. One fact that is absolutely certain is that St. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra in the Fourth Century. What follows is a timeline of St. Nicholas’ life based on historical events and the writings of church elders.
Nicholas was born approximately AD c270 in Patara Lycia, a province of southern Asia Minor in what is now Turkey. It is an ancient are where St. Paul planted the Orthodox faith. He was the only son of pious and virtuous parents, Theophanes and Nonna, who had vowed to dedicate him to God. He was said to have started studying the sacred books at the age of five. Nicholas’ parents died while he was still a young man but left him with a comfortable fortune he used for charitable works. There are many recounted stories of his generosity to the poor and sick.
It is said that Nicholas was elevated to priesthood by his uncle, the Bishop of Patara after demonstrating deep religious conviction and piety. As a priest, Father Nicholas was believed to have shown great leadership and was respected by the followers of the faith. In AD c300, Nicholas was elected to serve as Bishop of Myra, which is now known as Demre, Turkey. During his time as Bishop, he continued his good works by establishing a poorhouse (for the homeless), hostelries for travelers (inns), and a hospital.
According to the archival records from the Greek Church, Bishop Nicholas was imprisoned during the reign of Emperor Diocletian through AD c305. Persecutions during this time were waged against Christians that did not comply with Roman religious practices. Prisoners were routinely tortured, chained and starved. Emperor Constantine released the prisoners and later, during the Edict of Milan, put into a law an acceptance of Christianity that reflected his personal acceptance of Christianity.
When Constantine became emperor, Nicholas was released with countless others and returned to his preaching only to find a new threat: Arianism. Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius (AD c250–336), a Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt. In plain terms, Arianists believed that there was a time before there was Christ and therefore Christ was inferior to God the Father. This teaching denied the Divinity and was considered heresy, especially to Bishop Nicholas.
In AD c325, the First Ecumenical Council was called to preserve unity of the church which was threatened by competing claims about the nature of Jesus Christ. Several sources do not list Bishop Nicholas as a participant in the First Ecumenical Council. Other sources cite that not only did Bishop Nicholas attend the First Council, he staunchly upheld Orthodox Christian belief and went so far as to slap Arius in the face.
The next known date for Bishop Nicholas was his death on December 6th AD c343. According to ancient records, Bishop Nicholas was buried in the Cathedral at Myra. However, in 1087, Italian sailors removed the relics because they were fearful that the relics would be desecrated or forgotten by the armies invading the country at that time They were taken to Bari, Italy, where they rest in a major basilica dedicated to Saint Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas is distinguished for his great faith, for his struggle in the name of Orthodoxy and especially for his charity. He fought for the predominance of Orthodoxy and in the preservation of the Holy Trinity. He enriched many suffering in infirmity and extreme poverty, gave food to the hungry, and to all those in need he appeared as a ready helper, a warm intercessor and speedy mediator and defender. ” He was a Wonderworker and intercessor.
'May the Trinity God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be glorified in him and may his holy name be extolled by the lips of all unto the ages. Amen.”
St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church
288 East 10th Street
New York, NY 10009
212-254-6685
Sat
9Nov6:00PM Great VespersSun
10Nov10:00 Divine LiturgyWed
13Nov6:30PM Vespers, Meal, & Scripture