ON DECEMBER 6th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES OUR HOLY FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS, THE WONDER-WORKER, NIKOLAOS (NICHOLAS), ARCHBISHOP OF MYRA IN LYCIA.
[The Life of Saint Nikolaos was recorded in Greek by Saint Symeon the Metaphrastes]
Nikolaos (Nicholas), the namesake of victory (The name Nikolaos comes from nike, meaning "victory", and "laos", which means "people'. The etymology of the name may be interpreted as "victorious people" or "victorious with the people." Thus, the Saint's name signifies either victory over a people, that is, either victory over vices, or a victory in the full sense; because by his way of life and doctrine, he taught the peoples to conquer sins and vice.)
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Our Wonder-Working (Miracle-Working) Father among the Saints, was born in Patara, a city of Lycia (located in the rugged Southwestern region of Asia Minor). The exact date of his birth is unknown. He flourished during the 300s, the epoch of the impious autocrats pagan Diocletian (284-305 A.D.) and Maximian (286-305 A.D.). Maximian was adopted by Diocletian as his colleague in 286 A.D. Both abdicated power in 305 A.D., in favor, respectively, of the augusti Galerius (305-311 A.D.) of the East and Constantius I (305-306 A.D.) of the West, but Maximian again assumed imperial power in 306 A.D. Saint Nicholas was Archbishop of Myra at that time and continued his episcopacy through the reign of Emperor Constantine I the Great (306-337 A.D.)
Emperor Constantine, upon issuing the Edict of Milan (313 A.D.), ensured full religious freedom for Christians, thus allowing the Church to emerge from the catacombs. Saint Nicholas participated in the First Ecumenical Synod at Nicaea, which convened in 325 A.D.
After giving this brief background of Saint Nicholas, we ask you to give great attention to his life's account, which was compiled by Saint Symeon the Metaphrastes. The reader shall receive joy, gladness, and sweet delight.
...All the narratives and accounts concerning the Saints of God are able to attract the listener to virtue and the practice of doing good. The life of our holy Father Nicholas and his accomplishments are also able to inspire one to implementation of such deeds as his.
In the East, in the region of Lycia, there was a city known as Patara which, as was earlier mentioned, was the birthplace of our great Father Nikolaos the Wonder-worker. He was the scion of Christian parents, Theophanes and Nonna. They were neither very poor that they might be despised by others nor very rich that they might become arrogant in their thoughts. They had what was sufficient for their needs; and yet, at the same time, they were able to help the poor with their alms. The virtue of the parents was reflected in their infant son. The Lord says in the Holy Scripture, "the tree is known from the root" (Matthew 12:33). The parents begat no other son, either before or after their Nicholas, thus making it evident another son would not be able to attain the virtue of Nikolaos. Even as an infant, Nicholas displayed what he would later become. Every day, except Wednesday and Friday, he took the breast as other infants. He took nourishment only from his mother's right breast as presaging that he would stand to the Lord's right with the blessed. He partook once daily and only after the setting of the sun. Thus, he abstained and fasted till the ninth hour, before he was eating solid foods. ("Ninth" hour corresponds to about 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, the drama of our Lord's Sacrifice upon the Cross ended as He gave up His spirit to the Heavenly Father.) Saint Nicholas practiced strict temperance during his entire life, especially on Wednesday and Friday. The infant was sanctified by the prayer and piety of both his parents so that from his youth Nicholas' heart and soul were devoted to God. After the birth of Nicholas, his parents adopted the celibate life. At his Baptism, the infant Nicholas afterward stood up straight in the font for three hours, thus glorifying the Holy Trinity.
This type of behavior was manifest from his youth, which presaged his asceticism and sanctity in adulthood. When he was about five years and came of school age, he received sufficient lessons in letters. He avoided the dissolute pleasures and adventures of his peers. Those children who were disorderly or spoke unbecoming words, he turned his back to and avoided. He loved to regularly attend church and keep company with prudent and elderly men, from whom he might receive beneficial spiritual advice, which was his chief work and pursuit. From his youth, whatever he could understand of the sacred writings and Holy Scripture, he was in the habit of committing them to memory. On account of his quick mind and the grace of the Holy Spirit, he attained wisdom and knowledge. The Bishop of Patara, who was his father's brother, was also named Nicholas. He also took notice of the lad's pursuits and manner of life. He recommended to the parents that they consecrate their son to the service of God. The parents readily heeded the bishop's good recommendation and consecrated to the Lord the child whom they had received from Him as a gift.
When Nicholas grew up, he showed himself to b an honorable man. He shunned vain conversations, avoided familiar speech with women and refrained from gazing upon them, and spent his time in mental prayer and reading spiritual books. At length, he was deemed worthy of the Priesthood and was ordained by Bishop Nicholas. Just as Saint Nicholas was about to be ordained to the Priesthood, Bishop Nicholas was inspired by the Holy Spirit to utter, before the entire congregation, these prophetic words regarding his nephew: "Brethren, I see a new sun rising above the earth. Father Nicholas shall comfort and console many of the afflicted and shall dispatch many souls to the Kingdom of the heavens. Blessed is the flock that shall be vouchsafed such a shepherd; for he will nourish the souls entrusted to him on the pastorage of piety. We shall all find him a ready helper in misfortunes and tribulations." Indeed, all these divine predictions came to be, as the passage of time would clearly evince.
After the Saint was ordained to the Priesthood, one could not recount all his virtues and the good deeds he performed. He engaged in vigils, fasts, continence, and prayers on behalf of the people. Much of this was witnessed by his uncle, Bishop Nicholas, who marveled to find such dedication. The uncle desired to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He decided to entrust his nephew with the care and supervision of the Church at Patara and its monastery. The bishop had built the monastery, naming it New Sion. The holy Priest Nicholas governed the Diocesan house and monastery, even as the bishop himself would have, had he been present. The dignity of this office in fact would follow later for our Father Nicholas.
Father Nicholas lost his parents at an early age. He was left not a little inheritance, which he distributed for the poor's food and shelter. He clothed the naked and cared for the orphan and widow. The inheritance was not spent on desires devoid of reason, costly raiment, and all sorts of entertainment, as those pastimes engaged in by today's young people. Hear the words of the Prophet King David: "If happily wealth flow, cease putting forth your heart upon it" (Psalm 61:10); thus did the Saint put those wise words to practice. He gave no heed to the increased flow of riches and corruptible wealth, but dispersed it as was meet, that he might gain incorruptible and everlasting life. Since he bore profound love for his parents, he asked everyone to pray for them, promising his help in return. Out of all the almsgiving and charitable acts which he performed, listen to one such marvelous and awesome incident. Although his modest fortune was being distributed toward numerous acts of charity, yet Father Nicholas carefully watched for situations where the need was the greatest.
The Three Maidens
At that time, there was a very wealthy man at Patara who had three beautiful daughters. From the enemy's malice, this father had fallen on hard times and into deep poverty. He then conceived the criminal notion of committing his virgin daughters to harlotry, that by means of this profession their family of four might procure life's necessities. Though the wretched father of these three daughters was resolved to put his scheme into effect, yet the All-Good God, knowing the secret things of the heart, desired to deliver the souls of those three girls from perdition and, at the same time, reveal the concealed virtue of the Saint. What did God therefore dispense in His economy? During that same day, when the father revealed his plant to convert his home into a brothel and to sell his daughters into prostitution, Saint Nicholas, by Divine grace, learned of this impending catastrophe and abhorred it. Thereupon, he was determined to do something about it and make haste to save the maidens' souls from this predicament. The Priest Nicholas bound three hundred gold coins in a handkerchief and secretly by night to that formerly wealthy father's house. The Saint observed an open window. It landed with a noise, but the Saint did not tarry to see how or by whom it might be retrieved. He instead quickly took himself away under the cover of night, lest any should recognize him; for he was ever mindful of the Gospel words: "Be taking heed not to do our alms (charity) before men, in order to be seen by them, otherwise ye have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens" (Matthew 6:11). Moreover, Father Nicholas did not wish to embarrass the sensibilities of the former wealthy man who was not in penury. Thus, he was resolved to act secretly, even as the Savior pronounces in the Sacred Gospel: "When thou art doing alms , let not thy left hand know what thy right hand is doing, so that thine alms might be in secret" (Matthew 6:3, 4). The Saint wished to avoid the praise of men that he might receive only praise from God.
The following morning, when the father and three daughters arose, it was the father who found the bound handkerchief inside his house. He picked it up and untied the knot. Imagine his surprise at beholding the coins! He stood there as one beside himself, and then rubbed his eyes, scarcely believing what lay before him, thinking it was an illusion. He found the sum to be exactly three hundred gold coins. Since he could identify no one as his benefactor, he gave thanks to God. Straightway, after using some of the money for the family's immediate needs, he betrothed his eldest daughter to a certain wealthy man of that city. The father of the bride cherished the hope that, as God dispensed to provide for his firstborn daughter with a dowry, He would furnish dowries of his other two daughters. Saint Nicholas with the intention of assisting the second daughter, then prepared another handkerchief with the same amount of coinage. He went quietly and secretly to the house. Under the cover of night, he cast the bound handkerchief through the same open window. When the father and his two remaining daughters arose in the morning, the father quickly looked to see if he had received anything.
Once again, he discovered a tied handkerchief, which unfurled to reveal the sum of three hundred florins. He marveled at this second occurrence and became consumed with curiosity to learn who had the goodness to bestow such generous gifts. He began to implore God with tears and saying, "God and Lord of mercy, Who dispenses in Thine economy the salvation of man and Who wishes not the death of the sinner but that he should return to life and live, Thou art He Who descended from out of the heavens on account of our sins: reveal to me Thy sinful slave (servant) and my benefactor, that I might know who it is that wrought such charity that I might be ransomed from the hands of the devil." The father next betrothed his second daughter.
From that day, the father was ever attending to that open window in the event his benefactor should appear. The father's plan was to run and see who might be this patron. Saint Nicholas once again prepared a handkerchief with another three hundred coins. The Saint approached the open window secretly by night. Below the window, inside the house, the father with his third daughter waited for their secret benefactor. Then suddenly a bound handkerchief flew in through the window and made a sound as it hit the floor. The father quickly took to his heels. He flung open the door to his house and hastened to overtake the fleeing figure whom he detected at a distance. "Stop! Stop!" he cried, "Do not hide thyself from me!" The Priest Nicholas, observing he was seeing pursued, ran to avoid being found out. The father immediately recognized Father Nicholas, because the priest was well-known for both his virtue and noble bearing. The father fell before the Saint's feet and with tears began saying, "I thank thee, O slave (servant) of God, that you didst pity me, the wretched one, and performed these charitable acts on my behalf, the miserable one. If thou hadst not overtaken me in my sin, I should have perished in both soul and body in a vile manner." The father attempted to kiss the Saint's feet, but Father Nicholas drew away. The Saint, seeing that he was discovered, wished to exact a promise from the father and said, "For the sake of the kindness shown thee, do me the favor of saying nothing regarding it for as long as I live; otherwise, I shall hold thee responsible before God." The Saint uttered these words and immediately departed. The following day, the third daughter became engaged to be married. After she was married, the father continued his life in peace, mindful of giving glory to God. (Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church)
(To be continued)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George