Who is Nicholas the Wonderworker
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered saints in Christianity, including Orthodoxy. In the West, this saint is known as Father Christmas Santa Claus (the fact is that St. Nicholas the Pleasant is revered twice a year, including in winter - the so-called St. Nicholas the Winter ).
According to Russian tradition, this saint protects ordinary people, including farmers, patronizes navigation, trade, and helps children and animals. Nicholas the Wonderworker is also considered the intercessor of prisoners, especially those innocently convicted, and saves the good name of those slandered and slandered. In short, he was a merciful and kind saint, and these qualities of his were in great demand in Rus', which was often visited by troubles. It is not for nothing that St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered in all classes in Russia, churches were erected for him, prayer services and holidays were held in his honor.
Nevskie News / Natalya Polyakova
Nikola Vesenniy - congratulations in verse
St. Nicholas Day, the day of the Wonderworker, Spring gives us miracles, Today the door is open to us - God hears our voices.
Let's be a little kinder, Love God with all our hearts - And the world will become a little nicer to us, And we will live without problems!
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Nikolin's day has come, congratulations on this. Let your sadness be driven away by the warm wind.
Let there be grace for you and your loved ones. So that the heart beats in time with the swaying leaves.
Leave your work quickly and let your body rest. For barbecue, wine and songs, take it boldly!
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Don’t ask for a lot, don’t need it - There will be joy in little things for the soul. Don’t ask Nikola for much, he will stand up for you before God. I wish you simple things: A strong roof, a plate of cabbage soup, Not to be in need, but to live in abundance, To be merciful to all the orphans. Our Nikola sees everything, he is everywhere, for your merits he will not leave you in trouble.
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Nikolin's spring day Joyfully greet, May May fill our hearts with love.
Let our prayers be heard by heaven, Saint Nicholas Give us miracles.
May He give healing to the soul and body, Give us love, hope, Strengthen our faith.
On St. Nicholas Day, I wish you happiness, May the Saint bless your good deeds.
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On St. Nicholas Day I hasten to congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. And I ask everyone to glorify the great saint.
Let the Miracle Worker help in difficult times. It will help you overcome troubles, Woe to you and turmoil.
Pray your heart to all Today Nicholas. I wish you happiness from the bottom of my heart on this day.
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A bright and wonderful holiday. We all celebrate St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in May. We remember today, We wish everyone Mercy and happiness, Joy and inspiration on St. Nicholas Day, May misfortunes pass over everyone!
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On St. Nicholas's day, with church bells we will offer Praise to the saint, and we will come to the church with a simple prayer to light candles. Let Nikolai give healing, protect us from troubles and grief, let us accept our repentance and forgive sinful souls.
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On Nikolai's day I wish you, So that no troubles happen in life, May Nikolai protect Your every dawn of life.
And, if there is a road ahead, first pray to Him, Let him take away the anxiety with his hand, So that all hopes succeed!
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Today, on this bright day, we wish you joy and health. Good and good news, And there is no need for verbosity.
Saint, venerable Nicholas Loved people, gave warmth. And in this bright month of May, let's do good to everyone.
Story
Saint Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in the Greek colony of Patara in Asia Minor, his parents were Christians. From childhood, Nikolai was zealous in his faith and from his youth was known as a lack of money, who distributed all his money to the needy.
According to legend, this saint could work miracles; in particular, while traveling on a ship on a stormy sea, he pacified the elements with prayer, and also healed an injured sailor (according to legend, he raised him from the dead). Therefore, this saint is sometimes called St. Nicholas of the Sea (this is what tradition still calls one of the most beautiful churches in St. Petersburg - the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral). The saint is extremely revered by sailors and in general by everyone who has to travel a lot, so from ancient times he was considered the patron saint of merchants.
The veneration of St. Nicholas as the Christmas grandfather, Santa Claus, is associated with the legend of how he secretly benefited three dowry girls by throwing a purse of money down the chimney (hence Western traditions at Christmas). The veneration of this saint in winter is associated with a holiday called St. Nicholas the Winter. In Russia it is celebrated on December 19, on this day they remember the end of the saint’s earthly life.
After his death, Saint Nicholas was buried in a special shrine in the church of the city of Mira in the territory of modern Turkey. However, Italian merchants, who highly revered this saint, decided to steal his relics. It is believed that they took this unseemly act to protect the shrine from possible destruction by persecutors of Christians.
The reliquary was stolen in 1087, merchants transported it to Italy, and most of the relics of the saint have since been kept in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas in the city of Bar. In memory of the transfer of the relics, the May holiday is celebrated in honor of St. Nicholas. It is believed that fragments of the relics of this saint are in many churches in different countries, including in Russia.
Federal News Agency /
Nikola Veshny: history, holidays, traditions and signs
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered saints in Christianity, including Orthodoxy. According to Russian tradition, this saint protects ordinary people, including farmers, patronizes navigation, trade, and helps children and animals.
Nicholas the Wonderworker is also considered the intercessor of prisoners, especially those innocently convicted, and saves the good name of those slandered and slandered. In short, he was a merciful and kind saint, and these qualities of his were in great demand in Rus', which was often visited by troubles. It is not for nothing that St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered in all classes in Russia, churches were erected for him, prayer services and holidays were held in his honor.
History and... theft
Saint Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in the Greek colony of Patara in Asia Minor, his parents were Christians. From childhood, Nikolai was zealous in his faith and from his youth was known as a lack of money, who distributed all his money to the needy.
According to legend, this saint could work miracles; in particular, while traveling on a ship on a stormy sea, he pacified the elements with prayer, and also healed an injured sailor (according to legend, he raised him from the dead). Therefore, this saint is sometimes called St. Nicholas of the Sea (this is what tradition still calls one of the most beautiful churches in St. Petersburg - the St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral). The saint is extremely revered by sailors and in general by everyone who has to travel a lot, so from ancient times he was considered the patron saint of merchants.
© Sputnik
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
The veneration of St. Nicholas as the Christmas grandfather, Santa Claus, is associated with the legend of how he secretly benefited three dowry girls by throwing a purse of money down the chimney (hence Western traditions at Christmas). The veneration of this saint in winter is associated with a holiday called St. Nicholas the Winter. In Russia it is celebrated on December 19, on this day they remember the end of the saint’s earthly life.
After his death, Saint Nicholas was buried in a special shrine in the church of the city of Mira in the territory of modern Turkey. However, Italian merchants, who highly revered this saint, decided to steal his relics. It is believed that they took this unseemly act to protect the shrine from possible destruction by persecutors of Christians.
The reliquary was stolen in 1087, merchants transported it to Italy, and most of the saint's relics have since been kept in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas in the city of Bar. In memory of the transfer of the relics, the May holiday is celebrated in honor of St. Nicholas. It is believed that fragments of the relics of this saint are in many churches in different countries, including in Russia.
How a Greek saint became “Russian”
In the mass consciousness, Saint Nicholas has long ceased to be a Greek. For every nation where he is revered, he is his own. But the saint was probably received most warmly in Rus'. This is evidenced by thousands of Russian churches dedicated to the miracle worker.
Immediately after the baptism of Rus' in 988, the saint became St. Nicholas the Pleasant (as in Rus' they called those who pleased God with their righteous life). And, as it were, “Russian” origin was firmly attached to the Archbishop of Myra.
Why exactly Nicholas, the head of a distant ancient diocese, became the most revered saint in Rus' is difficult to answer “scientifically and historically.” For some purely psychological reasons, the saint “became close to our people.”
According to one hypothesis, after the baptism of Rus', the image of this saint merged with the figure of the pagan god Veles, the patron saint of cattle. After all, the holiday of St. Nicholas the Veshny was associated precisely with horse breeding and shepherding - in the villages at night the men organized “Nikolshchina”.
The popularity of the saint is also explained by the fact that he is revered as the patron saint of travelers, who has miraculously saved travelers from harm more than once. In Slavic culture, including Russians, wanderers are considered God's people, representatives of the world of their ancestors. That's why they were always welcome. And since Nicholas the Wonderworker favors travelers, it means he has enormous power.
Signs and beliefs
On the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, it is recommended to go to Church and turn to him with a request for well-being and health. Saint Nicholas is considered a merciful saint, so there were no particularly strict prohibitions on this day. As on any Christian holiday, it was forbidden to quarrel, argue, swear, entertain evil thoughts, commit unseemly acts, and lie. Merchants on this day were afraid to shortchange and overcharge, so transactions on Nikola were considered the safest.
On this day, it is customary to do general cleaning, and other work is also allowed.
On the holiday of St. Nicholas the Pleasant, one must not refuse help to those in need, otherwise, our ancestors believed, poverty would settle in the house for seven years. It was also believed that St. Nicholas should not have a haircut or even pick up scissors.
© Sputnik / Yuliy Akhromeev
The Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is a monument of wooden architecture of the 18th century. The village of Vershinino on Kenozero. Kenozersky National Park.
Since Nikolai Ugodnik was revered as the patron of fertility, the so-called “walks to the farm” were timed to coincide with his holiday - ritual walks around the fields and inspection of crops. Our ancestors believed that the day before St. Nicholas the Wonderworker himself walked around the fields and helped the rye to grow.
In addition, on this day it was not customary to deny children anything, since Nikolai Ugodnik is their patron. Therefore, it is advisable to give all children at least small gifts.
It is forbidden to indulge in riotous revelry, dance and sing loud songs, as well as abuse alcohol. In addition, it is undesirable to sort things out and quarrel, much less fight. Swearing on May 22 means inviting failure.
Folk traditions on Nikola Veshny
Folk names of the holiday: Nikola Veshny, Nikola Summer, Nikola's Day .
On this day in Rus', prayers to the saint were always held, asking for the harvest, the health of children, the preservation of livestock and good offspring. Separate rituals existed for horses: on these days they were required to bathe them in open reservoirs, braid their manes, and hang amulets on their harness.
It was believed that Nikola Veshny could protect people and livestock from forest predators, mainly wolves. To ward off the wolves, they prayed to the saint, and then stuck a knife into the table, covered it with a pot on top and uttered a spell:
“Cow-nurse, horse-helper - sit under the pot, escape from the wolf! And you, wolf, gray tail, don’t meddle in my yard, don’t touch my cattle, gnaw your sides!”
Traditions and rituals
The spring holiday of Nicholas is considered the patron saint of horses. From this day on, the peasants' horses switched to feeding on pasture. The grass in the fields was already high by this time.
On this day, the peasants drove their horses out to pasture all night. The horses grazed on the tall grass, hence the second name of the holiday - “Nikola Travnik”. People held celebrations and performed rituals.
Single guys were left to guard the herd. At the same time, a special treat was prepared for them during an important task. At night the guys ate butter pies with porridge. I never slept that night. The girls joined the guys and the festivities began. Small children also walked until very late that night.
Young people made fires in the clearings. They sang songs and danced, played guitars, and played games. It is believed that it was on this day that young boys often became men. There was no special supervision over young people.
After the night, at sunrise, it was customary to wash with dew. It was believed that then the disease would bypass the rest of the year. After this, people went to their gardens and read spells for soil fertility and good harvests.
From this day the sowing of wheat, oats, and buckwheat began. If suddenly there was a drought on that day, they prayed to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for life-giving moisture for the harvest. After all, if there is no rain, then the crops will not sprout. For the onset of rains, the following ritual was performed: an empty jug was placed on the street and a spell was cast with a request to fill the vessel with rainwater.
Signs and sayings on Nikola Veshny
- Be strong until Nikola, but live with Nikola - don’t worry.
- Saint Nicholas, give me a lot of rain! Water the rye and flax with a bucket!
- Like Nikola the Summer, so is Nikola the Winter.
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What not to do on May 22
Saint Nicholas is considered a merciful saint, so there were no particularly strict prohibitions on this day. As on any Christian holiday, it was forbidden to quarrel, argue, swear, entertain evil thoughts, commit unseemly acts, and lie. Merchants on this day were afraid to shortchange and overcharge, so transactions on Nikola were considered the safest.
In Rus' it was sowing time, so on this day it was forbidden to shirk work, be lazy, or lie in bed.
In order to better protect livestock from wolves and various misfortunes, they tried not to eat meat on this day, although this is the time of the meat eater, when any food is allowed. (This year the holiday falls on Friday, which in Orthodoxy is considered a permanent fast day in memory of the torment of Christ).
Also, according to tradition, on this day in Rus' they tried to carefully handle cutting objects, remembering wolf teeth, which can be sharper than a knife. For the same reasons (needles, scissors, knitting needles), women were warned against doing needlework, although there was no strict ban on this.
Signs
- If alder blooms on this day, it’s time to plant buckwheat;
- If potatoes were not planted before St. Nicholas Day, then there is no need to plant them. There will be no more harvest from it;
- The frogs “screamed” in the swamp - there will be a good harvest;
- Rain on Nikola is a good omen. This is for lush grass for horses and an abundant harvest;
- If it rains on this day, then the summer will not be hot;
- If the leaves on the oak tree have not unfurled, then you cannot sow wheat;
- If the bird cherry tree has not bloomed by St. Nicholas Day, the wheat harvest will not bring the expected results;
- Drought on Nikola - the summer will be hot, without rain;
- You can’t throw anything out the window at Nikola - your luck will go away;
- If a beetle flies into the window - good luck;
- Frogs jump along the shore of the swamp - the rains are calling;
- Pick a “Pansy” flower - call for rain;
- The frog jumped to the threshold - happiness to be in the house.
