My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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ON DECEMBER 6th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES OUR HOLY FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS, NIKOLAOS (NICHOLAS) ARCHBISHOP OF MYRA IN LYCIA THE MIRACLE-WORKER (Part II)
The Saint was desirous to visit the all-holy Sepulchre of the Lord. He was filled with longing to see and venerate those holy sites, where the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ trod. It was also his keen hope to find a place of solitude and quiet, where he might abide alone. On a clear day, Father Nicholas boarded an Egyptian vessel with fellow Christians. After putting out to sea, the Saint fell asleep. In his sleep, by Divine revelation, he beheld the enemy of truth, the devil, sever the ropes of the mast. When the Saint rose in the morning, he foresaw imminent peril close at hand. The devil wished to drown all on board. Father Nicholas notified the seamen and said, "Today, a fierce storm shall strike us, because I beheld in my dream that we shall endure much. Nevertheless, do not fear; have faith in God, and He shall deliver us from death." While the Saint was speaking these words, there immediately appeared a great and dark cloud. The wind rose up and the sea became agitated. All of the crew and passengers became disheartened and awaited death as they beheld the turbulent waves. Having found themselves in such desperate straits, they besought the holy Priest Nicholas with tear-filled eyes to entreat God Almighty on their behalf to stay the powerful wind. The Saint stood in their midst and offered up fervent supplication. Straightway, the might wind died, and the raging seas grew calm. Those on board rejoiced upon receiving so speedy a response to the holy Priest's petitions.
The Saint continued his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He arrived in Jerusalem and made obeisance at the Holy Sepulchre (Church of the Resurrection) of the Lord and at Golgotha. He also venerated the Honorable and Holy Cross and all the august and revered places, especially at Gethsemane.
After the Saint returned to his homeland his countrymen received him with great joy beholding their holy Priest. All came to greet him and offer him hospitality, so that he might impart the word of God to those desiring the salvation of their souls. The Saint did not wish to tarry in Patara, where he was well known and was likely to receive their praise. Therefore, the Saint repaired to the capital of the province, populous Myra, where he was unknown.
...The faithful inhabitants were searching for a hierarch worthy of the episcopal throne. Thereupon, the bishops and other clergy of the eparchy of Myra came together to select their new archbishop...The bishops fasted and prayed for God that God will reveal who was worthy of the dignity. Suddenly, an Angel of the Lord appeared to a certain elderly bishop, saying, "O bishop, why dost thou toil? The worthy Archbishop is near at hand. Thou shall behold a certain Priest, full of understanding and prudence, enter the doors of the church. His name is Nicholas, and he is filled with the Spirit. He is whom you should consecrate Metropolitan, for he is worthy to shepherd the people; this is what God wills."
After the bishop beheld such a vision, he informed the other hierarchs. Upon hearing his disclosure, they gave glory to God for His revelation. The bishop who was vouchsafed the vision obeyed the words he heard in the vision. He entered the church, stood by the doorway, and awaited the coming of the Priest prophesied by the Angel...Father Nicholas, as usual, arrived before the other worshippers. He approached Father Nicholas and said, "My child, how art thou called?" The Saint meekly answered, "Nicholas". The bishop then took Father Nicholas by the hand and brought him among the other bishops and clergy. As soon as they caught sight of Father Nicholas, they were well pleased and gave thanks to God Who granted them such a chief shepherd. Word traveled throughout the city quickly, so that a multitude of faithful came to the church. Thereupon, Father Nicholas was consecrated to the episcopacy.
Initially, the Saint refused the dignity of such a high office, dreading the praise of men. However, before the repose of Archbishop John of Myra, the Saint had received a vision wherein he was commanded to accept consecration to the hierarchical rank.
He was true to the description given by Saint Paul of the attributes of a bishop: "The bishop is to be blameless, sober, of sound mind, of good behavior, hospitable, apt at teaching, not given to behave ill at wine, not a striker, not sordidly greedy of gain, but gentle, not contentious, nor a lover of money" (1 Timothy 3:2, 3). Over the years, the Saint led a private life and secretly served God in asceticism and charitable endeavors.
...The Saint was an affable and prudent benefactor. He mixed ascetic and civic virtue. He rendered assistance to orphans, widows, poor folk, mourners, and those who were wronged.
The devil, envious of what is good: what did he contrive? When that vile creature beheld flourishing and the Christians increasing in number, he could not endure to have his power diminished. He incited the joint pagan emperors, Diocletian and Maximian, to war against the Christians. This pair of the devil, these wild beasts, these persecutors of true piety, unleashed terrible chastisements and torments against the Christians. It was everywhere declared that whosoever was a Christian if such a one refused to renounce the Christ, would be deemed a criminal and liable to severe modes of punishment from the state. Christian gatherings were forbidden, churches were destroyed, sacred books were committed to the flames. Among the Christians, many boldly confessed the Christ as True God. These Martyrs consequently died under diverse tortures.
...Some of the imperial officers arrived in Myra, the diocese of Saint Nicholas who, in the performance of his duties, was undaunted by the cruel and barbaric persecution. Since he was the Chief Priest of the Christians of that city and with great liberty ceased not preaching the Truths of the Faith, the imperial deputies and governors arrested him. He was chained and cast into prison with many other Christians. The Saint was detained in prison for a considerable time but remained firm in the face of tribulation...He encouraged his fellow inmates to abide steadfast in their afflictions for the Faith. Though the enemy (devil) of the truth wrought incalculable sufferings and misery upon the faithful, yet God dispensed otherwise and for the benefit of man. Upon the death of the two profane emperors, who went straight to the Gehenna of the fire, Constantine the Great, the son of Helen and Constantine Chlorus, came to power. Constantine the Great emptied the prisons of the Christians. After their release, churches were rebuilt and the idol temples were leveled. Among those delivered from imprisonment was the beloved living martyr and confessor Hierarch Nicholas. He resumed his duties and administration as chief Priest and shepherd of Myra.
The First Ecumenical Synod
During Emperor Constantine's reign, Arius emerged from Alexandria and spread his vile heresies. Arius began to publicly speak blasphemies against God, saying that Christ, the Logos/Word of God, was not true God. He continued to proclaim his rotten dogma.
Emperor Constantine the Great, seeing the confusion 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.
...This Ecumenical Synod produced the divine Symbol of the Faith (The Nicene Creed of 325 A.D.), proclaiming the Son of God 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 been 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 were 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 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.
This 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 Repose of Saint Nicholas
Since, however, Saint Nicholas was a mortal, the time approached for his repose. Prior to his falling asleep in the Lord, he became slightly ill. He reposed in peace and left his honorable holy relics upon the earth as a benefit to mankind, while his blessed soul joyfully ascended into the heavens, accompanied by the hymns of Angels. (Source: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church)
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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