Prayers to Saint Nicholas. What did Nicholas the Wonderworker look like? Nicholas saint icon

During the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, from the moment of the baptism of Ancient Russia, most of the Slavic society completely changed its former way of life, combining their daily household duties with the religious Orthodox service. It implied continuous faith in Jesus Christ, which should be carried out through the veneration of various icons that depict the main characters of the Bible. One of these is the icon of St. Nicholas.

History of the icon

It so happened that the life of Nikolai Ugodnik took shape in very persecuted times for a religious society. Under the yoke of the most brutal internal political actions taken by the Roman authorities in relation to Orthodox Christianity, Nicholas still did not stop fulfilling what was for him the main vital goal. The Byzantine clergyman was concerned, first of all, with the rights and freedoms of ordinary peace-loving citizens. He prayed for travelers, children, merchants and anyone else who needed help.

Soon, not only the entire Byzantine people, but the whole world could quickly learn about the noble deeds of Nicholas the Pleasant.

Currently, the icons of St. Nicholas the Pleasant can be seen in 25 Russian churches. They are located in various cities. Among the most famous are:

female Novodevichy Convent (St. Petersburg);
Church of St. Nicholas (Kotelniki);
Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Sokolniki).

For those people who wish to expand their range of religious knowledge, it should be remembered that the same heroes of the Bible in different literary sources can be called differently. So, for example, the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is one and the same.

What does the icon of St. Nicholas look like

The extraterrestrial patron Nicholas, depicted in the middle of the central part of the sacred canvas, is clearly demonstrated to the public as an elderly sage, whose gaze is filled with common sense and at the same time spiritualized meaning.

On top of his gray hair protrudes a brightly colored ecclesiastical chasuble, the exterior of which is fully adorned with various patterns.

The left hand of Nicholas the Wonder-working clasps an old bible called the Gospel. The fingers of the right hand, connecting with each other into one, form the so-called tripartite. With his help, the saint calls on all living people to gain light, peace and faith.

According to researchers who managed to uncover individual fragments of the past life of the legendary miraculous archbishop, it was found that the artistic image presented on the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant exactly corresponds to the real appearance of this clergyman, who lived many hundreds of years ago.

The role of patrons in the bible

It should be noted that in biblical mythology, the heavenly saviors, who, by the will of God, are destined to protect and protect the Orthodox people, have a separate role in religious iconography. The icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant and Elijah the Prophet are the patrons of the Most Holy Theotokos. These two sacred images govern the expanses of water on the earth's planet, helping sailors, tourists and other sailors to overcome life-threatening difficulties in difficult times.

The revered artistic image of the shrine with the image of Nicholas is so in demand for Orthodox believers that its exact list can be seen on the wall of the legendary St. Isaac's Cathedral.

The meaning of the icon of St. Nicholas

For those people who need an indispensable response from the miraculous patron, the significance of the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant is extremely great.

She helps young spouses build strong family relationships, as well as fulfill any dreams they have, get healed from current illnesses, and much more.

In addition, many people also noticed how the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant could be of great help in eliminating painful emotional experiences, difficulties in performing daily work duties and eliminating false accusations.

How to hang an icon

At present, religious canons have not established how to properly hang the icon of St. Nicholas. However, many literary sources say that this is the business of every person, and it is very important to place it where it will be convenient to give a prayer speech.

Holiday

On this day, people, together with their families, come to church to serve in order to honor the memory of the great patron and archbishop by reading a prayer. Its text looks like this:

O all-holy Nicholas, the Lord's most beautiful servant, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper! Help me, a sinner and a dull one, in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me the remission of all my sins, having sinned from my youth, in all my life, deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me, the damned one, implore the Lord God, all creatures of the Sodetel, to deliver me from air ordeals and eternal torment, may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and your merciful intercession, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered saints in Russia. He is often approached by believers who wish to pray for the health of their loved ones, as well as in any difficult life situations. According to the majority, the saint is fair, has great strength and a large all-forgiving heart, often responds to the prayers of believers and comes in dreams to those in need.

Born in the city of Patras. Even as an infant and a wonderful child chosen for a divine mission, he refused to drink his mother's milk on Wednesdays and Fridays. it special days when Christians around the world fast and do not eat dairy and meat products.

The gift of miracles was sent to Nicholas from childhood. His name is surrounded by a huge number of legends. Church literature describes many cases of helping people.

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Being a bishop in the city of Myrrha and reaching middle age, the number of legends about the saint increased more and more. His intercession for husbands in Mirra, the salvation of many maidens from entering the path of depravity and vice, and of course, a miraculous appearance after repose before the ruler of Constantinople.

The saint does not stop working miracles even after his death, so believers still turn to him. Nicholas is honored and known not only in the Orthodox Christian world, but even among Muslims and representatives of other religious denominations.

Note! In 1807, the holy relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bari, where they are to this day in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas.

The Miraculous Help of a Saint

The icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker helps in what. This is an extraordinary phenomenon in Orthodox icon painting. The artist, through the image, is trying not only to acquaint believers with the face of the Saint, but also to help each of them find their own path to spiritual transformation and purification, therefore the significance of the icon for all Orthodox is very great.

This is evidenced by the stories of believers that the main images in their homes are the images of Christ the Savior, the Mother of God and Nicholas the Wonderworker. This tripartite alliance guards the homes of believers throughout Russia everywhere.

What to ask the saint, what helps Nicholas the Wonderworker. Most often, his patronage helps in serious illnesses, difficult life ups and downs, in the event of difficulties that are difficult to figure out without outside help.

The name of the saint is called and prayed for help:

Travelers.
Sailors - stop the storm and send good weather. The legend that at a young age Nikolai was able to resurrect a sailor who fell from the mast in early childhood did not appear by chance. The miraculous gift for resurrection and divination already distinguished the saint at that time.
People who are in great enmity. God's saint humbles the anger of enemies and helps to overcome their own rage of those who pray.
Suffering from unrequited love or its absence. On the day of marriage, many mothers put the icon under the bride's pillow and order a prayer service for the marriage of their daughter.
Those who want to improve, who are in prison. According to legend, his image appeared to the captives in dungeons and saved them from death, execution.
Young mothers. The saint preserves pregnancy, facilitates childbirth. There are a huge number of stories of parishioners who prayed for their unborn child.

Nicholas the Wonderworker himself, unfortunately, had no children, early becoming a monk and a hermit. But he had many nephews, whom he loved very much, always helped with a kind word and wise advice.

Believers can ask before the image for the salvation of loved ones and relatives in order to protect them from mortal danger.

The most famous was the story of Elena Bestuzheva about the healing of her father during the war. Lena's grandmother constantly prayed in front of the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for her son, who ended up at the front.

And once, during a big shootout, the son, Lena's future father, was sitting in a trench. And suddenly he heard a male voice behind him: “Vanya, run, run!” The guy abruptly jumped up and ran, after which a bomb hit this trench, which miraculously exploded after he escaped.

Many miracles were associated with the great standing of Zoya, which took place in Samara at the beginning of the 20th century. A huge amount of documentary evidence of this event has been collected, and although much is now forgotten, in Samara they even erected a monument to the Great Standing of Zoe, which lasted from Christmas time until the beginning of Bright Week.

According to legend, the girl froze with the icon in her hands, in an extremely irreverent way inviting the saint to dance instead of her betrothed who did not come. Zoya froze in place and stood like a stone statue until the elder saw repentance in her soul and let the girl go on Easter Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses, on passionate days in a house cordoned off by the police, a little old man appeared, who magically went to the girl and asked if she was tired of standing. After that, Zoya came to life and ceased to be a stone statue that could not be cut down even with an ax. This miracle showed a heightened sense of justice and correctness of the saint, who is one of the most strict saints close to God's throne.

The emergence of the image

The history of the icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker is as follows. The image looks different and has two main ways of depiction - half-length and full-length, there is also an icon of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk, in which the saint is depicted holding a fortress in his left hand, and a sword in his left.

This is the intercessor of all captives and those who need protection for their household.

Each of the icons has subspecies that have been formed over time. Usually the saint holds a closed gospel in his hand, and very rarely come across icon-painting images where the Saint does not pick up a divine book, but, on the contrary, blesses the faithful by laying the banner of the cross.

Full-length icons of the Wonderworker with a closed gospel and with the same gesture of blessing the believers were painted back in Byzantium. Nicholas is depicted on the icon as a saint for whom life is a prayer for people.

In Russia, there is an icon called Nikola Zaraisky, which was brought from Korsun in 1225. Another famous image is Nikola Mozhaisky with a sword and a fortress. This is an independent image, which gives a description of the saint, as an intercessor of Orthodox cities.

The saint is a prototype of the guardian of the city of Mozhaisk during the attack of numerous hordes of Horde nomads. Residents during one of the raids clearly saw the image of St. Nicholas hovering over the monastery and the invaders. Animal fear seized the enemies, and they fled without starting a siege. Since then, the icon began to circulate, first in the city among the inhabitants of Mozhaisk, and then on Russian soil.

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A celebration of remembrance

The name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is commemorated several times a year:

On December 6, or December 19 according to the new style, Nikola is revered in winter;
May 9 or May 22 according to the new style Nikola Spring. This day is established in honor of the transfer of holy relics to the Italian city of Bari;
July 29 or August 11, according to the new style, is the Nativity of the Saint, which is also revered among believers.

Location of icons

Where is the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, almost every Russian knows.

Going into any of the Orthodox churches of the world, you can meet this holy image in one of the places of honor:

In the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior there is an image painted in Bari near the basilica with relics.
The Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist has one of the most beautiful and revered icon-paintings of the life of the saint on Presnya.
The image can also be seen in the Cathedral of Christ the Transfiguration.
The image also rests in the Melekhov Cathedral, where a holy face with a particle of relics is presented, as well as an icon with the Great Martyr Barbara and St. Basil the Great.
In the Church of the Holy Trinity "Kulich and Easter" you can see another icon of Nikola Kolpinsky.

Photos of the icon can be found on the web.

Prayers

Reading prayers to the Holy Wonderworker for believers is an act not only of worship, but also of purification. There are several well-known prayers to God's saint.

In the first, believers admire his good deeds and address him as their second heavenly father.

People pray in front of the icon so that all Christians and defenders of the faith, as well as those who are sick, go on a sea voyage, wander the world, the poor, the orphans and the hungry, find happiness and be able to see the glory of heaven. This prayer is read by travelers and those who are constantly on the road.

The next prayer to the saint is more personalized, because each person asks for forgiveness of sins, protection from the evil that settles in people's hearts, help in various life situations.

Important! So that all the feelings and thoughts of the praying person are cleansed, and the ordeals and eternal torment never touch the immortal soul, you need to ask Nicholas from the bottom of your heart.

In fact, there are a lot of prayers. Even if you do not know the full text of the prayer, you can simply ask from the bottom of your heart for the gift of prudence and hope, so as not to commit any more sins and not have unclean thoughts.

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Conclusion

The holy image is considered one of the most revered, known in the Orthodox Christian world. The saint reconciles the warring, protects the innocently condemned and delivers from vain death. Patronizes sailors and all travelers.

To help find your beloved and safely keep the pregnancy, cleanse your soul from spiritual sorrow and illness - you can pray for everything near the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The most important condition for this is faith, then you can count on great divine help.

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The image of Nicholas the Wonderworker on the icon is of great importance throughout the Christian world. Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of the World of Lycia, who became a great saint of God, is sincerely loved and revered by Catholics and Orthodox. There is no Christian temple or house, wherever there is an image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Often his figure is depicted near the Lord Jesus Christ. The Orthodox Church celebrates the days of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker three times every year:

The saint's birthday is August 11 (according to the old style July 29).
The last day of his earthly life is December 19 (December 6, according to the old style).
The date of the arrival of the relics of the saint in the city of Bari is May 22 (May 9 according to the old style).

The saint, during his lifetime, was famous for being a great helper to people in all their problems, so they go to him with fervent prayers to ask for assistance and protection. The Russian people have respected and revered the saint for many centuries. Almost every, even a small, city has a temple dedicated to St. Nicholas. This is the main cathedral of the northern capital of Russia - St. Petersburg, as well as the glorious Nikolskaya Tower, crowning the Moscow Kremlin.

With the famous tower, erected in 1491, a miraculous event is connected, the reality of which there is no doubt. The building was decorated with the face of a saint. In 1917, when soldiers of Napoleon's army were outrageous on the territory of Moscow, the enemies put the whole city to fire and sword. Despite severe damage and destruction, the very image of St. Nicholas the Pleasant has retained its integrity.

The life path of Nicholas the Wonderworker

As the biography of Nicholas the Wonderworker testifies, he was born in the second half of the third century (about 280) in the city of Patara in the Lycian region. Then these territories of the southern coast of the Asia Minor peninsula were a Greek colony.

Childhood

Nikolai's parents were wealthy pious people, so the boy received an elementary education and grew up as a worthy Christian. From a young age, he was distinguished from his peers by seriousness, calmness, love for the wisdom of the books of Holy Scripture, for church services. He spent days on end within the walls of the temple, and when night came, he read sacred books and prayed.

Service

Seeing the piety and spiritual aspirations of young Nicholas, his uncle, Bishop of Patara, who was also called Nicholas, took him to church as a reader. A little later, he made the young man his assistant, ordained him to the rank of presbyter, instructing the parishioners to teach. So, Patar became the place where the Christian feat of carrying the Word of God of St. Nicholas the Pleasant began.

There is another version of the biography, according to which a very young priest immediately became the bishop of Mirra by decision of the council of bishops of Lycia. Such a rapid ascent in the 4th century was possible. After the death of his father and mother, the young priest became the heir to the family fortune, fully using it to help people in need. Moreover, he always did good deeds and donations secretly, disinterestedly, avoiding gratitude and fame. The first years of the service of the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker coincided with the years of the reign of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian (until 305), who systematically persecuted Christians. The persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ in different regions of the Roman Empire continued until 306-311.

After making a pilgrimage to the shrines of Jerusalem, the Wonderworker wanted to become one of the Palestinian hermits, but by the will of the Lord changed his mind. The Almighty appeared to the priest in a dream and revealed that his true purpose was to serve God in his native land. Amazing incidents happened already during the journey to the Holy Land. The young traveler was twice able to calm the stormy sea waters, threatening shipwreck, and brought back to life a sailor who had fallen from the mast.

Upon returning to Lycian land, the saint, wishing to avoid fame and glory from the inhabitants of his native city, went to Mirra (the center of Lycia). Just then the episcopal council was busy with the question of electing an archpastor. By God's will and the decision of the assembly, the position was given to Nicholas. Such a sudden rapid rise confused the priest and threw him into confusion. Then, to strengthen faith and strength, the Lord came to the young man along with the Most Holy Theotokos. They gave Nicholas the Gospel and the omophorion, saying that they expected from the priest not a hermit's service, but the glorification of God's Name. This miracle is often depicted on the images of Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Despite the high respected position, the way of life of Archbishop Nicholas has not changed much. He remained simple, modest, hardworking. Prayer and fasting took a lot of time. And the main concern of Nicholas the Wonderworker was to help everyone who needed it: the poor, the rich, the healthy, the infirm, the young, the old.

Despite his modesty and purity, the saint, when necessary, became a zealous and persistent defender of Christ's Church. Together with his associates, he found temples, places of sacrifice of the pagans of Mirra and suburban lands, destroyed them, destroying idols, actively attracting lost souls to the True Faith. In 325, the First Ecumenical Council took place (which adopted the Creed), among its active participants was the saint. Together with the glorious defenders of the Faith - Spyridon Trimifuntsky, the Pope of Rome, Alexander of Alexandria, Saint Sylvester (and 312 other priests) - resisted the aggressive attacks of the heretic Arius.

According to some sources, Nicholas gave the atheist a heavy slap in the face in front of everyone. For this act, the priest was temporarily deprived of the rank of bishop, and then taken into custody. But the Lord miraculously delivered the defender of the Faith from unjust punishment. Later, being in the rank of archbishop, he himself many times freed Christians from imprisonment and even saved the lives of those who were innocently sentenced to death. After his release and restoration to his rank, Saint Nicholas again returned to his duties, continuing to sow the word of the Truth of the Church, fighting for the purity of the Faith against the wickedly wise, heretics, and doubters. The priest eradicated the seeds of disbelief, doubts, in order to strengthen the weak, curing their restless souls.

Saint Nicholas passed away to a better world at an advanced age, approximately in 345-351. He lived a pious life, full of compassion and helping people, the priest was a generous, kind person. Serving the Lord and the Faith became his meaning and calling not only during his earthly life, but even today. Saint Nicholas is revered as a great Christian helper in many countries of the world. Numerous miracles performed during his lifetime, and the help given to believers, until today have made the image of Nicholas truly legendary.

Veneration of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nicholas the Wonderworker is a saint especially revered by the Orthodox Church. Traveling in Russia, the Italian A. Gvagnini (XVI century) testified that Russians honor Nicholas the Pleasant more than others, paying him honors almost the same as God. Of course, the foreigner slightly embellished reality, but he noticed correctly - many Russian churches are dedicated to the saint, ordinary people often turn to his help and intercession. Numerous icons, new iconographic scenes associated with real miraculous events are a clear confirmation of the participation of the saint in resolving the problems of believers.

Relics of Saint Nicholas in Italy

The veneration of Nicholas the Wonderworker (Archbishop of Mirlikiysky) in his homeland originates in the speed after his death (in the second half of the 4th century). Byzantium came to this later - by the 7th century. So, Patriarch Simeon Metaphrastus of Constantinople, describing Saint Nicholas, wrote that he was an old man with an angelic face, on him everyone saw the seal of holiness and God's grace. A light radiance emanated from the image. The person who looked at him improved himself, became better. And saddened, suffering souls found consolation.

Many sought to take possession of the relics of the saint. Including residents of Bari. Thus, they wanted to return to their city the importance of a spiritual center. The Barians came to the burial place of the Wonderworker, offered the monks to give relics for a reward. When the monks refused, the Italians tied them up. The relics of Saint Nicholas left the tomb with a sarcophagus filled with myrrh in the Lycian Worlds, after which they were transported by ship to Bari (southern Italy).

The ships landed on the coast of Bari on 9 May. The relics were solemnly transferred to the nearby church of St. Stephen. During the procession, miraculous healings took place, which increased the joy and spiritual uplift of the townspeople who met the relics. One year later, under the leadership of the abbot of the Benedictine monastery Elijah, a new church, the Basilica of St. Nicholas, was erected and consecrated specifically for the placement of holy relics. The relics of the saint are kept here until today.

Iconography of the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker

Almost immediately after the Baptism of Russia (XI century), the veneration of Nicholas the Pleasant spread everywhere. The earliest image of the saint is the painting of the Hagia Sophia in Kyiv. Of interest is the fresco of the Kyiv Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery (located in the Tretyakov Gallery). In the image, the saint stands in full growth, blessing everyone with his right hand, and holding an open Gospel with his left

Another ancient way of depicting St. Nicholas is to the waist. The saint holds a closed gospel with his left hand. Byzantine iconographers, who worked from the 11th to the 13th century, were the first to write such images. The Russian icon of St. Nicholas of this type used to belong to the Novodevichy Convent (Smolensk Cathedral). The ancient image of the XII century came to Moscow from Novgorod thanks to Ivan the Terrible. Now the holy face is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.

The images of Nicholas the Pleasant of the Smolensk Cathedral attract with their images on the margins. The center of the upper part shows the Throne prepared (a symbol of the second coming); on both sides of Nicholas - are Damian, Cosmas. The side fields are painted with three rows of saints: full-length saints Boris and Gleb with martyr crosses, swords in sheaths; martyrs Laurus and Frol; the holy martyr wives, honored by the Novgorod land, the venerable martyr Domna and Evdokia; Photinia and Paraskeva (shoulder). Today, the Novgorod Icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker (from the Holy Spirit Monastery) is kept in the State Russian Museum, the image was painted around the middle of the 13th century. His composition also includes images of the locally venerated saints of the city of Novgorod.

Samples of icons of Nicholas the Wonderworker of the 11th-14th centuries form the tradition of hagiographic icons of the saint. Widespread in Italy, in Russia, the Balkans received images with scenes from the life of the saint. The most ancient hagiographic Russian icons are considered to be the Novgorod image of the churchyard of Lyubon, dating from the 14th century, as well as the Kolomna icon of St. Nicholas in the treasury of the Tretyakov Gallery.

If we compare the popularity of the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker in different countries of the Christian world, then it is greatest in Russia. Therefore, you can often hear that this is a truly Russian saint. Perhaps because his image is multifaceted: the saint, the support of the Church, the fighter against heresy, the patron saint of rulers, travelers and the defender of the poor, the intercessor for all the unfortunate.

The peasants said: "There is no champion for us against Nicholas." Nikolai was considered the main muzhik intercessor. In Russian folklore, he was identified with the hero Mikula Selyaninovich. Especially Nikolai the saint was revered as the “bread spirit” or “vital grandfather” Mikula.

The image of Saint Nicholas and the legends about him merged with the hero of the northern folklore Pasha Christmas. The name of the famous fairy-tale character Santa Claus, according to legend, is a distorted Dutch transcription of the name St. Nicholas.

Life of Saint Nicholas

At the end of the 3rd century, in the city of Patara, located in Asia Minor, a son was born to believers, but for a long time childless spouses, who was named Nicholas at the time. From an early age, the boy was deeply religious. After the death of his parents, who left his son a considerable fortune, Nicholas spent all his inheritance to help the poor and destitute. And he did it in secret.

Even during his lifetime, for good deeds and humility, God rewarded Nicholas with the gift of miracles. Once Nikolai went on a pilgrimage to the shores of Palestine, but during the journey he had a revelation that it would begin soon. As soon as he warned his comrades about the misfortune, a storm hit the ship. Then Nikolai began to pray, and the storm immediately subsided. But one of the sailors could not stay on the mast, fell down and crashed to death. Nikolai knelt down with prayers, his requests were heard and miraculously the sailor came back to life.

There are many testimonies of how, thanks to his miraculous gift, Saint Nicholas helped people avoid trouble. He died in the 4th century, having lived to an advanced age. However, after his death, the miracles performed by St. Nicholas not only did not stop, but even became more frequent.

Who patronizes St. Nicholas

In Christian art, Saint Nicholas is depicted on icons as a tall, elderly man with long white hair and a beard, in episcopal vestments. The attributes of St. Nicholas are 3 golden balls, 3 bags of gold, as well as an anchor or a ship.

The imperishable relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are kept in Italy in the city of Bar. From time to time they stream myrrh. Miro from the relics of St. Nicholas has healing power.

The iconographic canon that developed in Byzantium preserved the portrait features of a high-browed old man “with an angelic face,” as it is written about St. Nicholas in his life. Following the Byzantine tradition, Russian painters created many beautiful icons with the image of a saint full of spiritual purity and wisdom.

Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of sailors and travelers, whom he keeps from the revelry of the water element and the attack of robbers. With the blessing of St. Nicholas, travelers set off on their journey. “Call God for help, and Nikola - on the way,” they said in Russia.

He helps peasants, the poor, clerks, students, bankers, merchants, perfumers and children. This saint should be prayed for a prosperous marriage, the happy fate of children, the successful passing of exams, getting rid of material difficulties and illnesses, and also for a miracle.

WHAT DOES NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER HELP IN?

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, even during his lifetime, was a benefactor of the human race. He did not cease to be them even after his earthly death. Nikolai Ugodnik, as before, helps people. narrates how, from the very birth, the future Wonderworker showed his destiny for a special service to the Lord. He began a strict ascetic life, to which he remained faithful to the grave.

How did Nicholas the Wonderworker help? Wherever the saint was everywhere, he applied care to the healing of people's ailments, healed them of incurable diseases. He helped some in their poor situation, gave consolation to others in sorrows. He became famous as the pacifier of the warring, the defender of the innocently condemned and the deliverer from vain death.

Saint Nicholas was meek and humble in spirit, gentle in heart, alien to all arrogance and self-interest; observed strict moderation and simplicity: he wore simple clothes, ate lenten food. The doors of his house were open to everyone: he received everyone with love and cordiality, being a father for orphans, a feeder for the poor, a comforter for those who cry, an intercessor for the oppressed.

Not only believers turned to him, but also pagans, and the saint responded with his unfailing miraculous help to all who sought it. In those saved by him from bodily troubles, he aroused repentance for sins and a desire to improve their lives.

Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker depicting Christ and the Mother of God

The icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is immediately recognized by believers. Among all the saints of the Christian world, St. Nicholas has the most developed iconography: a large number of different types of icons of the saint were created over ten centuries. The oldest and most widespread are the half-length images of Nicholas the Wonderworker, which were formed in Byzantine and Russian art in the 11th-13th centuries. Traditionally, a half-length image of the saint, who blesses with his right, slightly raised hand, and holds the Gospel in his left.

Often there are icons on which at the top, in the cloudy celestial spheres, are the figures of Christ and the Mother of God. This symbolizes the fact that the Lord himself handed St. Nicholas the Gospel, and Holy Mother of God laid on him an omophorion (i.e., the vestments of a bishop). Another ancient type of icons are life-size images of the saint.

The hagiographic icons of Nicholas the Wonderworker depict the deeds of the saint. These images have been known in Russia since the 13th-14th centuries. At this time, the main groups of plots are formed: birth and learning to read and write, appointment to the priesthood, help in trouble. Traditionally, the story of the life and deeds of the saint ends with a story about the world of Lycians devastated by the Turks to the Italian city of Bari in 1087.

The most ancient of the icon-painting images of the Mirliky saint known to us is the image of Nicholas with the Savior and selected saints in the margins from the collection of the Sinai Monastery of St. Catherine. This icon is notable for the fact that the gesture of the hand is not blessing. Such a gesture can be described as pointing to the gospel, or as a "speech gesture".

There are enough miraculous icons of St. Nicholas, the veneration of which arose after the miraculous help of the saint. Thus, the Russian translation of the life, made in the 11th century, contains a description of a miracle that happened in Kyiv. The baby who drowned due to an oversight in the Dnieper after the prayer of his parents to the Wonderworker was found alive in the choirs of St. Sophia Cathedral under the icon of St. Nicholas. Since then, this icon has been revered as miraculous and was called “Wet Nicholas”, since the baby was lying all wet, as if he had just been taken out of the water. Unfortunately, during the Second World War, this icon disappeared and was never found.

The history of another miraculous image of the saint is connected with Novgorod. The legend says that Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared in a dream to the gravely ill Novgorod prince Mstislav and ordered that his image, made on a round board, be transported from Kyiv to Novgorod. On Lake Ilmen, the princely ambassadors got into a storm and landed on Lipno Island, waiting for the weather to continue their journey. On the fourth day, they saw the icon of St. Nicholas floating on the waves, which exactly matched the description. After the miraculous healing of the prince, the image was placed in the Nikolsky Cathedral on Yaroslav's Court. Hence the name of the icon - "Nikola Dvorishchsky". Later, on the island where they found the image, the Lipensky Nikolsky Monastery was founded.

A special place is occupied by the Velikoretsk icon of St. Nicholas, which is miraculous. This image consists of a centerpiece with a half-length image of Nicholas the Wonderworker and eight pictorial hallmarks depicting the miracles of the saint. According to legend, in 1383, on the high bank of the Velikaya River, not far from the city of Khlynov (now the city of Kirov), the image of St. Nicholas appeared to the peasant Agalakov. Soon, healings and miracles began from this icon. The rumor about the appearance of the miraculous image quickly spread around the area, people came to the place of the appearance of the icon, thanked God for the shrine granted to them, received spiritual consolation and healing.

In 1392, the icon was transferred from the banks of the Velikaya River to the city of Khlynov, whose inhabitants vowed to annually bring the icon to the site of the apparition. This is how it was born In the 16th century, at the behest of Tsar Ivan IV, the icon was brought from Khlynov to Moscow. Along the way, the sick were healed from it and miracles were performed. By decree of the tsar, one of the chapels of the St. Basil's Cathedral, which was then under construction, was consecrated in honor of the Velikoretsk Icon of St. Nicholas. Lists were made from the icon. Since that time, throughout Russia, the veneration of the Velikoretsky image of St. Nicholas begins.

Many testimonies about the healing of people from the Velikoretsky image have been preserved in written sources. In the archives one can find descriptions of the miracles that were witnessed in Vyatka from 1551 to 1647. These are short stories about how many ordinary people received help in serious illnesses after praying before the Velikoretsk Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. For example, two of them:

“On July 8, 1555, the maiden Martha Fedotova, the daughter of Bukriev, did not see the city of Shestakov for a year and a half with her left eye, she came to the cathedral church of St. Nicholas and applied to his miraculous image and received healing.”

In 1559 it is written:

“On May 30, a wife of a certain name Neonil Andreev, the wife of Khokhrakov, was dumb for a year, and when she came to the cathedral church and sang a prayer chant, she would be healthy.”

In total, more than 200 miracles performed in front of the Velikoretsk icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker have been preserved in archival records. And today St. Nicholas helps all those in need who turn to him with