We are all well aware of the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Since childhood, we know that on this day all obedient kids receive gifts that the saint leaves under a pillow or in shoes. At the same time, not everyone is aware of who Nikolai the Wonderworker was, what acts he committed, what traditions are associated with his name in different countries and beliefs.
Commemoration Day of St. Nicholas
In Slavic countries, it is customary to celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on December 19. The most interesting and memorable moment of a significant date (especially for children) is the arrival at night of a fairy-tale character who puts presents for kids near the bed, in shoes or in special decorated socks prepared in advance.
It is interesting to find out where such a tradition came from and does the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker have historical roots? In fact, in the life of the saint there was such a story: one poor family lived with him in a neighboring house, the woman died early, and the man remained a widower, but he had a beautiful young daughter who loved a guy from a wealthy family. The wealthy parents of the young man did not accept the poor girl without a dowry. Nikolai decided to help the beauty, because he had an inheritance from his parents. Then he changed clothes so that no one could recognize him. Going to the poor house at night, he threw a packet of gold money into the window of the room. So, the saint helped two beloved hearts to connect. From this, Nikolai himself was incredibly happy.
Then the Miracle Worker began to walk around the city and bring the poor clothes, food and toys. He always did this at night, but the residents still tracked him and were very surprised that the humble guy brings people selfless good. A little later, Nicholas was elected bishop.
Saint's life
The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker is not at all shrouded in legends. This saint was a real historical person. It is believed that he was born in 270 BC. e. and lived until the year 345. The parents of Nicholas the Wonderworker were very pious and wealthy people: Theophanes and Nona. He was the only child in the family. His parents prayed constantly, because for a long time they had no children at all. When the baby appeared in their family, they promised God that the life of Nicholas would be devoted to worship, faith and religion. Everything didn’t happen as it was intentionally, because the boy was left an orphan. The life of Nicholas the Miracle Worker at that time was marked by the fact that he began to live away from people, like a hermit. The man was completely engaged in scientific activity.
Nicholas the Wonderworker was among the bishops participating in the first Ecumenical Christian Council in 325. He did many holy things and wonderful things:
- when the three military leaders slandered, Nikolai saved them from death;
- prevented the severe hunger of the inhabitants of his native city called Peace;
- more than once he saved people from water and land from calamity and famine.
Nikolai died when he was 75 years old. After that, his relics began to publish a fragrance of healing substance, which greatly exalted him and glorified. Quite recently, in 2009, on the basis of x-rays and cranioscopy, scientists were able to describe the saint's facial features. They determined that he was a man of short stature (about 1 meter 68 centimeters) with a high forehead, prominent cheekbones and chin, he had brown eyes and dark skin.
What helps Nikolai the Miracle Worker?
During his life, many holy deeds and miracles were performed by Nicholas the Wonderworker. How does he help us ordinary people? It is believed that the saint is the protector and benefactor of the poor common people and children, as well as those involved in shipping and trade. There is a story that one day Nikolai was able to resurrect a simple navigator, who fell off a ship in one of his campaigns during a storm and crashed to death. The people believe that St. Nicholas the Wonderworker helps not only sailors, but also military, ordinary workers, peasants. As popular wisdom says: "Nicholas will save in the sea, Nicholas and the peasant will help lift it."
St. Nicholas helps people:
- Get rid of evil thoughts and bad intentions.
- Find and create harmonious relationships with the second half.
- Strengthen the bonds of marriage, preserve the happiness and love of married life.
- It also helps those who have been innocently condemned and negotiated.
In hopeless situations , Nikolai the Wonderworker supports people. What does he also help and in what cases can I turn to him? The saint will support if a simple person has complex situations in life and material problems. Girls who are not yet married ask him for a successful future marriage. Women who are already bound together pray for understanding and love with her husband. People whose profession is connected with a dangerous road (drivers, sailors, travelers, etc.) turn to the saint to be accompanied by good luck, bypassing danger.
Relics
After the death of Nicholas the Miracle Worker in 345, his relics became incorrupt and were in one of the churches of his native city of the World. As already mentioned, they began to pour out the fragrance of the healing substance. His world healed many believers from a wide variety of ailments. In the eleventh century, military raids on Byzantium took place: they tried to plunder and defile the relics of a saint. Then the believing Christians decided to save them and transferred to the city of Bari (Italy), where they are still located. Nowadays, everyone can pray beside them and ask for the healing of diseases. May 22, Orthodox believers celebrate the spring holiday of St. Nicholas in honor of the transfer of the relics of the Miracle Worker.
The worship of the Russian people to the saint
They began to worship him after the Baptism of Russia. The first icons and prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared only at the end of the eleventh century. Despite this, in Russia there were a large number of churches and temples dedicated to him. In Kiev, St. Olga over the grave of Askold erected the Church of St. Nicholas, which was the first in all of Russian land. Today, one of the towers of the Kremlin bears the name of Nikolskaya.
Memorial Day - December 19. The holiday falls on the Christmas (Filippov) post, so you can eat fish on this day, but eggs and meat can not be eaten. Everyone can turn to the saint with a request. The first prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker asks for help in a dull and real life, for the remission of sins by deed, word, thought and all feelings, for deliverance from the ordeal of the world and eternal torment. In the second prayer to the saint, people glorify him, call them the hope of Christians, a protector, a foster child, weeping joy, a sick doctor, asking for a peaceful life. In the third prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, people praise him, talking about saving souls and bodies from the bitterness of living people.
The story of the appearance of the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
It is generally accepted and known to everyone that December 19 is the feast of Nicholas the Wonderworker. It is celebrated on the day of the death of the saint. But he is also revered and May 22 - this is the day when his relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bari. These two months (May and December) were chosen for a reason, because both are important for growers. As our ancestors said: "One Nicholas pleases with grass, the other with frost."
The Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in December and May is celebrated according to the legend of the peasant.
Once a simple man was driving along a country road, and his cart was stuck in the mud. The cart was very heavy: the peasant could not pull it out alone. Just at that time, the saints went to God. One of them, Kasyan, passed a peasant with a cart. Then the peasant pleaded for help. Kasyan was offended that he was worried about such a trifle. In clean, beautiful clothes, he walked past the peasant. Then near the cart appeared St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. A man also asked him for help. The saint without hesitation helped the peasant. Together they pulled the cart out of the mud. That's just Nicholas all smeared.
All the saints gathered at God. He began to ask them: why was Nikolai so late, because of which all his clothes were smeared with dirt? Then told Nicholas the Wonderworker what story happened to him along the way. God then asked Kasyan why he did not help the peasant and passed him by? He replied that he could not be late for a meeting with God and come in dirty clothes. The Almighty then said that the feast of St. Kasyan will be celebrated by people only once every 4 years - February 29. At the same time, St. Nicholas Day will be celebrated 2 times a year - in May and December. After all, he without hesitation helps ordinary people, let them honor and glorify him.
Signs and beliefs of the winter St. Nicholas Day
Special beliefs are inherent in the holiday, which is celebrated on December 19 (Nikolai the Wonderworker). Signs were also known to our ancestors:
- After Nicholas day in the winter, girls and boys began to prepare for festivities and sewed costumes for carols.
- There is a belief that it was on December 19 that the first severe frosts began.
- There is such a sign: what the weather is on December 19, the same should be expected on May 22.
- If before the day of winter Nikolai the roads are completely covered with snow, then winter will be frosty and snowy.
- A lot of frost foreshadowed a good fruitful summer and autumn.
- The day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was considered the last of December 19 when it was necessary to distribute all his debts. In addition, he was considered the beginning of the grain trading.
Summer holiday
Since May 22, the summer day of St. Nicholas, many beliefs are also connected:
- It was believed that after May 22, you can already sell off all the remaining grain stocks from last year.
- On Nicholas the whole yard and household should be the first to go around the owner, so that there would be no misfortune in the house.
- The feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is famous for fragrant pies and beer drinks. On this day, all the villagers formed money, brewed beer and went to church to pray and put a candle for a rich harvest. Then they treated each other with beer, beer, pies, traveled around the village, sang funny songs. All that remained after the festivities were distributed to poor people.
- They said this: “On the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, call both friend and enemy — all will be friends.” Indeed, on May 22 it was easy to find a common language even with the enemy.
Divination
Fortune-telling on the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker among young girls and guys was popular, as on the rest of the days before Christmas. But it is also necessary to mention that the holiday dedicated to the memory of the saint is not very suitable for such rituals. Despite this, young people actively conduct the following ceremonies:
- Fortune-telling on the narrowed. An unmarried girl had to go out into the yard and take off her boots from her left foot, then throw him out of the gate. Then you need to watch how the shoe falls: in which direction his toe is looking, from there you need to wait for the guy who will soon come to get married. If the boot falls toe to the girl’s house, then this does not portend marriage in the coming year. It is also necessary to see how far the shoes flew from the yard. If she lies far from the fence, then the girl will have a long journey after the wedding.
- Fortune telling with a sprouted bulb. For this, three unmarried girls gathered on the eve of the holiday, each of them took 1 head of vegetable. They tagged each of their bulbs, planted them in the ground or put them in water. Whose bulb sprouted on the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, that of the girls was the first to marry.
Interesting Facts
Nikolai the Miracle Worker was born in Greece. But he is revered by people of the Orthodox and Catholic faiths, even Muslims and pagans believe in the power of his help. Its popularity is explained by the fact that Nicholas the Wonderworker is the simplest of all the saints and is closest to the common people, and also quickly fulfills requests and prayers.
There are different icons of the Miracle Worker. The faces of winter Nicholas correspond to the December celebration, and the image of the spring to May. At the same time, the winter Nikolai is depicted on the icons in the headdress worn by the bishops, and the summer one with an uncovered crown. There is a legend: the Russian Tsar Nikolai the first drew attention to the fact that the saint was painted on the icon without a hat, after which he made a remark to the clergy. Since then, the mistake was corrected.
It is also believed that Nikolai the Miracle Worker served as the prototype for the creation of modern Santa Claus. People in Western Europe believe that he delivers gifts along with a donkey, so children leave not only a decorative sock or shoe, but also a few pieces of carrots so that the animal can eat and move on.
Congratulatory words on the day of St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is worshiped, he is revered by the Slavic peoples. Therefore, congratulations on the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are as important as prayer and observance of traditions.
This day you can congratulate your family and friends with verses and simple words, the main thing is that they radiate warmth, kindness and thanksgiving to the saint. You can use such congratulations on the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker:
- May on the feast of Nicholas
Love and joy will enter the house.
Let the saint give the kids
In socks will bring.
And for adults - more patience
And good mood.
- May the holiday of Nicholas
Gives everyone a smile
Fill the house with laughter.
And let the children frolic
And have fun in it.
You can congratulate your relatives and friends in your own words: “Happy St. Nicholas Day! I wish that today and all year round peace, comfort and warmth reigned in the house. Relatives and friends to warm you with their love! ”
St. Nicholas is considered the main protector of children. From time immemorial, on this day, all obedient toddlers under the pillow, in shoes or in decorative socks, hung near the fireplace, put gifts. Those children who were naughty received rods or stones. Therefore, prepare gifts for kids and adults, as well as pleasant congratulations. This way you will cheer up not only those around you, but also yourself.