Orthodox holidays - Nativity of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

The Orthodox Church has days of special veneration of saints - on August 11, the Birth of St Nicholas is glorified, and to this day known for his help to those praying, rightly called the Wonderworker He is considered the patron saint of travelers, sailors, and innocent prisoners, but faith is above any conventions Turning to Nikolai has great power and helps in any matter Revered in many Christian denominations, this is one of the famous and beloved saints of the Russian people, although his relics are kept in Italy There is a celebration on May 22 - their transfer to the city of Bar, which took place back in 1087 And even earlier, around 270, he was born in the city of Patara in Lycia, a country in Asia Minor, which is not now on the map (modern territory of Turkey) For a long time, his biographical information, including his birth, was incorrect He was confused with Nicholas of Pinar, who was born two centuries later, but also in Lycia and was also a clergyman of the highest rank The Myra saint was born to pious parents, and his uncle was a bishop From childhood, he showed amazing zeal in prayer and reading Divine Scripture Having accepted the priesthood under the patronage of his relative, he soon became the archbishop of the city of Myra, abandoning a rather impressive inheritance in favor of the needy His life stories are not always objective, but some miracles leave no doubt It is not for nothing that in Western Christianity St Nicholas is the prototype of Santa Claus, and the body began to flow myrrh after death, which continues to this day The widest recognition in Rus' is evidenced by the number of churches in his honor and icons with his image, the first of which date back to the middle of the 11th century The cult of veneration, comparable in importance to the Mother of God, is explained by the way of life of the peasants and Slavic rituals associated with the agricultural cycle According to some researchers, he replaced the pagan Veles, giving Nicholas the main functions - the patron of livestock, agriculture, and beekeeping This saint very firmly entered the everyday folk calendar, along with Elijah the Prophet, but unlike him, he became a special patron of children for his endless kindness Among the people, holidays in honor of the saint had simple names associated with natural phenomena, and Christmas was called “St Nicholas of Autumn” The saint received no less veneration among the Russian nobility He was considered the protector of the rulers of Rus', partly because the first prince who officially accepted the Christian faith, Askold, was baptized in honor of Nicholas the Pleasant The very official church celebration of the Nativity of this saint, called the Pleasant among Orthodox believers, has undergone changes over time It has not been established for certain how the tradition of veneration arose, but in Rus' by the 13th century it already existed Under Patriarch Nikon, who especially respected the merits of the archbishop and sought to reform the church, a special service was compiled, but already during the time of Catherine the Great, the general church celebration was canceled The revival of the Orthodox Church has recently changed a lot, including for the Nativity of St Nicholas the Wonderworker: since 2004 it has been officially restored Activists organize all kinds of programs and events for this day with the goal of introducing those interested in Orthodox topics and instilling the basics of spiritual and moral education Interest in birth, life and miracles performed by Nicholas even after physical death does not wane The information is supplemented on the basis of historical data and archaeological excavations, which allows modern believers to better know the holy image and its deeds