Hebrews 13:17-21; Luke 6:17-23

Of all the saints, the Church of Christ most honours and celebrates the memory of two saints - John the Baptist (every Tuesday) and Nicholas of Myra in Lycia (every Thursday).

With regards to John the Baptist, he is well known: Jesus Christ testified that that prophet was the greatest of all people (Matthew 11, 11)--he baptized Jesus in the Jordan. But, why the Church honours Archbishop Nicholas of Myra in Lycia in the same way, devoting a separate day for his glorification on a weekly basis, is difficult to explain. According to simple human reasoning, it would be appropriate to glorify Christ's disciples-apostles more, especially evangelists, or martyrs, but God glorifies His saints not according to human reasoning...

Nicholas was born around 280 in the city of Patara, Lycia region, on the southwestern coast of the present territory of Turkey. Of course, in those days this area was not inhabited by Turks, but by people of Greek language and culture. We do not know with certainty anything about Nicholas’ father and mother, but it is known that Nicholas’ uncle, also Nicholas, was a bishop in the city of Patara. Nicholas probably got his name in honour of his uncle, his mother's brother.

In Patara, Nicholas was ordained as a priest and, as a young man, he performed acts of charity, gave material help to people who lived in poverty, but he tried to do this in a way that such people did not know who was helping them. That is, the young priest performed acts of mercy in the name of God, and not for his own glorification. It is possible that these gifts to those in need in the name of God, helping others according to Christ's commandment, made the name of Nicholas popular among people, and God glorified him as an exemplary confessor, an executor of God's will among people.

From the biography of St. Nicholas, we know that he soon left Patara because his family was widely known and respected there, and his uncle was a bishop there. Thus, he went to the city of Myra, in the region of Lycia, where no one knew him. Upon arrival, he did not disclose to anyone that he was of the priestly order. But he lived a holy and pious life, often attended services and prayers in the church, and there, by God's direction, the council of bishops of the Lycian region elected Nicholas as the archbishop of the city of Myra.

After becoming an archbishop, Nicholas continued to be in prayers and in the creation of works of mercy, but he was able now to further these efforts using all the opportunities afforded him by the rank of bishop and the position of being the head of the eparchy (diocese). He was personally "an example for the faithful in word, in life, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

Pastoral and archpastoral activities of St. Nicholas were conducted in a period of transition: when the last great persecution was taking place during the time of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), and later, when the confessors of Christ's faith were given freedom and Emperor Constantine (306-337) himself accepted Christianity. At that critical time, when great wounds were inflicted on the Church, on the confessors of Christ's faith, and when it was necessary to heal the wounds of the last great persecution in ancient times, the Lord sent to the Church a good Samaritan, a good shepherd, who healed spiritual wounds.

Nicholas was that spiritual doctor, a good mentor for many people; he supported his flock during persecution. He himself was personally imprisoned during that last persecution against Christians, and he supported Christians in their faith with his word and personal example. When there was a famine in the Lycian region, he gave all the means of the Church to purchase and import grain from other regions, and he ordered to give help to those in need, regardless of whether they were Christians, Jews, or pagans. God gave his sincere confessor, Nicholas, the strength and grace to perform miracles, heal the sick, save people from storms and other natural elements, and that is why he was glorified as a miracle worker even during his life on earth.

The history of the Church of Christ testified with numerous examples that through St. Nicholas, God performed many miracles and showed many His mercies to people who honoured St. Nicholas. Throughout the countries of the world, many churches are dedicated to Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myr in Lycia. Of all the saints of the Church of Christ in Ukraine, the churches dedicated to St. Nicholas are perhaps the most numerous.

All people can turn to the intercession of St. Nicholas, but historically, travelers, especially by sea, consider St. Nicholas, the Archbishop of Myr in Lycia, to be their greatest intercessor before God. 

We might mention that the relics of St. Nicholas, whose bodily remains rested in Lycian Myra, were secretly removed from there by Italian merchants in 1087-- when that area was occupied by the Saracens (an Arab tribe)--and transported by them to Bari, in Italy. A temple was built there in his honour and, wherein, the mortal remains of St. Nicholas rest. But St. Nicholas, of course, belongs to all sincere confessors of Christ's faith, regardless of where his relics are, regardless of where the believers are.

Amen.

Very Rev. Fr. Taras Slavchenko

Taras Slavchenko was born on March 8, 1918 in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region in Ukraine. After graduating from school and the Pedagogical College, he entered the language and literature faculty of the Scientific Pedagogical Institute. Having successfully completed it in 1938, he served as a teacher in a secondary school.

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