Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker: date, history and traditions

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-08 23:38

We all know well 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 his pillow or in his shoes. At the same time, not everyone is aware of who Nicholas the Wonderworker was, what deeds he performed, what traditions are associated with his name in different countries and beliefs.

St. Nicholas Day

In Slavic countries, it is customary to celebrate on December 19 the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. 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 the kids near the bed, in shoes or in special decorated socks prepared in advance.

It is interesting to know where this tradition came from and whether the holiday of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has historical roots? In fact, there was such a story in the life of the saint: a 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 rich family. We althy parents of a young man did not accept a poor girl without a dowry. Nikolai decided to help the beauty, because he had an inheritance from his parents. Then he changed his clothes so that no one could recognize him. Approaching the poor house at night, he threw a bag of gold money into the window of the room. So, the saint helped two beloved hearts to unite. From this, Nikolai himself was incredibly happy.

Then the Miracle Worker began to walk around the city and bring clothes, food and toys to the poor. He always did it at night, but the inhabitants still tracked him down and were very surprised that a modest guy brings people selfless good. A little later, Nicholas was elected bishop.

Life of a Saint

The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker is not at all shrouded in legends. This saint was a real-life historical figure. He is believed to have been born in 270 CE. e. and lived until 345. The parents of Nicholas the Wonderworker were very pious and we althy people: Feofan and Nona. He was the only child in the family. His parents prayed constantly, as for a long time they had no children at all. When a baby appeared in their family, they promised God that the life of Nicholas would be devoted to worship, faith and religion. Everything did not happen as it was intended, because the boy was left an orphan. The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker at that time was marked by the fact that he began to live away from people, like a hermit. The man was fully engaged in scientific activities.

Nicholas the Wonderworker was amongparticipating bishops in the first Ecumenical Christian Council in 325. He did many holy deeds and miraculous things:

• when three military leaders were slandered, Nikolai saved them from death;
• prevented severe starvation of the inhabitants of his native city called Mira;
• he has repeatedly saved people on water and land from misfortune and hunger.

Nikolai died when he was 75 years old. After that, his relics began to emit the fragrance of a healing substance, which greatly ex alted him and glorified him. More recently, in 2009, on the basis of X-rays and cranioscopy, scientists were able to describe the facial features of the saint. It was determined that he was a short man (about 1 meter 68 centimeters) with a high forehead, protruding cheekbones and chin, he had brown eyes and dark skin.

How does Nicholas the Wonderworker help?

During his life, many holy deeds and miracles were performed by Nicholas the Wonderworker. How does it 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 who are engaged in navigation and trade. There is a story that once Nikolai was able to resurrect a simple navigator who fell off the ship during 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 the military, ordinary workers, and peasants. As folk wisdom says: “Nikolai will save even at sea, Nikolai will help the peasant to lift the cart.”

Saint Nicholas helps people:

1. Get rid of evil thoughts and bad intentions.
2. Find and create a harmonious relationship with the second half.
3. Seal the bonds of marriage, preserve the happiness and love of married life.
4. Helps also those who were innocently convicted and slandered.

In hopeless situations, Nicholas the Wonderworker supports people. What else does it help and in what cases can you turn to it? The saint will support if a simple person has difficult situations in life and material problems. Girls who are not yet married ask him for a successful future marriage. Women who are already bonded pray for understanding and love with their husband. People whose profession is associated with a dangerous road (drivers, sailors, travelers, etc.) turn to the saint so that they are lucky, the danger is over.

Power

After the death of Nicholas the Wonderworker in 345, his relics became incorruptible and were kept in one of the churches of Mir's native city. As already mentioned, they began to pour out the fragrance of a healing substance. His myrrh healed many believers from a wide variety of ailments. In the eleventh century, military raids on Byzantium took place: they tried to plunder and desecrate the relics of the saint. Then believing Christians decided to save them and transferred them to the city of Bari (Italy), where they are still. Nowadays, everyone can pray near them and ask for the healing of diseases. On May 22, Orthodox believers celebrate the spring feast of St. Nicholas in honor of the transfer of the relics of the Wonderworker.

Adoration of the Russian people to the saint

Worship him began after the Baptism of Russia. The first icons and a 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 Kyiv, St. Olga erected a church of St. Nicholas over the grave of Askold, which was the first in the whole Russian land. Today, one of the Kremlin towers bears the name of Nikolskaya.

Saint's Memorial Day - December 19th. The holiday falls on the Nativity (Philippov) fast, so on this day you can eat fish, but eggs and meat should not be eaten. Each person 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 in deed, word, thought and all feelings, for deliverance from air ordeals and eternal torment. In the second prayer to the saint, people glorify him, call him the hope of Christians, the protector, the feeder, the joy of those who cry, the doctor of the sick, they ask for a peaceful life. In the third prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, people praise him, talking about the salvation of souls and bodies from the embitterment 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 St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It is celebrated on the day of the saint's death. But he is also revered on May 22 - this is the day when his relics were transported to the Italian city of Bari. These two months (May and December) were chosen for a reason, because both of them are important for grain growers. As our ancestors used to say: “One Nikolay pleases with grass, the other with frost.”

The Day of Nicholas the Wonderworker in December and May is celebrated according to the legend of the peasant.

One day a simple man was driving along a country road, and his cart got stuck in the mud. The cart was very heavy: the peasant could not pull it out alone. Just at that time the saints were going to God. One of them, Kasyan, was passing by a peasant with a cart. Then the peasant begged for help. Kasyan was offended that he was disturbed because of such a trifle. In clean beautiful clothes, he walked past the peasant. Then near the cart appeared St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The man also asked him for help. The saint without hesitation helped the peasant. Together they pulled the wagon out of the mud. But Nikolai was 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 mud? Then Nicholas the Wonderworker told what story happened to him along the way. God then asked Kasyan why he did not help the peasant and walked past him? He replied that he could not be late for a meeting with God and come in dirty clothes. The Almighty then said that people would celebrate the feast of St. Kasyan only once every 4 years - on February 29. At the same time, St. Nicholas Day will be celebrated 2 times a year - in May and December. After all, he helps ordinary people without hesitation, let them honor and glorify him.

Signs and beliefs of the day of winter St. Nicholas

Special beliefs are inherent in the holiday, which is celebrated on December 19 (Nicholas the Wonderworker). Signs were known to our ancestors:

• AfterNicholas Day in the winter, girls and boys began to prepare for the festivities and sewed costumes for carols.
• There is a belief that it is on December 19 that the first severe frosts begin.
• There is also such a sign: what the weather is on December 19, the same should be expected on May 22.
• If the roads are completely covered with snow before the day of winter St. Nicholas, then the winter will be frosty and snowy.
• A lot of frost foreshadowed a good fruitful summer and autumn.
• The day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on December 19 was considered the last when it was necessary to distribute all your debts. In addition, it was considered the beginning of the grain trades.

Summer holiday

Since May 22, the day of the summer St. Nicholas, many beliefs are also associated:

1. It was believed that after May 22, all remaining grain stocks from last year could already be sold.
2. On Nikolai, the whole yard and household should be the first to go around the owner so that there is no misfortune and misfortune in the house.
3. The Feast of Nicholas the Wonderworker is famous for fragrant pies and beer drinks. On this day, all the villagers accumulated money, brewed beer and went to church to pray, light a candle for a rich harvest. Then they treated each other to beer, mash, pies, drove around the village, sang funny songs. Everything that was left after the festivities was distributed to poor people.
4. They said this: “On the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, call both a friend and an enemy - everyone will be friends.” After all, it was on May 22 that it was easy to find a common language even with the enemy.

Divination

Divination inthe day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker among young girls and boys was popular, as in other days on the eve of the Nativity of Christ. But it should also be mentioned that a holiday dedicated to the memory of a saint is not very suitable for such rituals. Despite this, young people actively conduct the following rituals:

• Divination for the betrothed. An unmarried girl had to go out into the yard and take off her boot from her left foot, then throw it over the gate. Then you need to watch how the shoe falls: in which direction its toe is looking, from there you need to wait for the guy who will soon come to woo. If the boot falls with a toe towards the girl's house, then this does not portend marriage in the coming year. You also need to look at how far the shoes flew off from the yard. If she lies far from the fence, then the girl will have a long journey after the wedding.
• Divination for a wedding with the help of sprouted bulbs. For this, three unmarried girls gathered on the eve of the holiday, each of them took 1 head of vegetable. They each marked their bulb, 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

Nicholas the Wonderworker 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. His popularity is explained by the fact that Nicholas the Wonderworker is the simplest of all saints and is closest to the common people, and also quickly fulfills requests and prayers.

There aredifferent icons of the Wonderworker. The faces of the winter Nicholas correspond to the December celebration, and the image of the spring - to the May. At the same time, winter Nicholas is depicted on icons in a headdress worn by bishops, and summer - with an uncovered crown. There is a legend: the Russian Tsar Nicholas was the first to notice that the saint was depicted on the icon without a hat, after which he reprimanded the clergy. The oversight has since been corrected.

It is also believed that Nicholas the Wonderworker served as a prototype for the creation of the modern Santa Claus. People in Western Europe believe that he delivers gifts along with the donkey, so the 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 keeping traditions.

You can congratulate relatives and friends on this day 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 St. Nicholas Day:

Let the feast of St. Nicholas

Love and joy enter the house.

Let the saint give gifts to the children

Bring them into socks.

And adults - more patience

And good mood.

Let the holiday of St. Nicholas

Give everyone a smile, Fill the house with laughter.

And let the children frolicAndhaving fun in it.

You can also congratulate your relatives and friends in your own words: “Happy St. Nicholas Day! I wish that peace, comfort and warmth reign in the house both today and all year round. Relatives and close people to warm you with their love!”

Saint Nicholas is considered the main protector of children. From time immemorial, on this day, gifts were placed under the pillow, in shoes or in decorative socks hung near the fireplace for all obedient little ones. Those children who were disobedient received rods or stones. Therefore, prepare gifts for kids and adults, as well as nice words of congratulations. By doing this, you will cheer up not only those around you, but also yourself.