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Saint Nicholas mastered a lot of secular professions: doctor, engineer, gardener, pilot, veterinarian, postman... The saint still saves lives and performs miracles today.
I remember the Day of St. Nicholas the Winter in 2008 very well. That day I was doing my usual job at UNIAN, working on topics of politics and economics.
The UNIAN-Religion project did not yet exist, as they say, at all. But there was a lot of responsible editorial work, which did not allow me to leave. But in my soul that day I was in the church, at the icon of St. Nicholas, mentally lighting a candle, with a prayer for the most important thing.
In the evening I found some free time and the idea came to create group in honor of St. Nicholas on the popular resource "Odnoklassniki".
“If the Lord, through a prayer appeal to Nicholas the Wonderworker, accomplished what you asked for, you can leave a detailed record of this, in memory of the modern miracles of St. Nicholas,” she wrote an appeal to the participants of the new group.
Very soon she became popular. Today the group has 54.8 thousand participants and 12 moderators (priests and students of theological seminaries. - Author).
Group members say that Saint Nicholas actively participates in their lives, helping even in intractable situations. He mastered a lot of secular professions: doctor, engineer, gardener, pilot, veterinarian, postman...
The saint protects from offenders, helps to get a job, solves housing problems, saves lives, calls for justice and shows miracles.
I’ll add that the birthday of the UNIAN-Religions project should probably also be considered December 19th. After all, the idea of its creation came right then, along with a group in honor of St. Nicholas on a social network. And through prayers to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Holy Fathers of Pechersk, within a few months we launched a new project.
Fatima Alikova (Tsalikova) 35 years old, Moscow-Beslan.
IN THE LINE OF FIRE
“In 2004, I was held hostage in Beslan, at school No. 1. I won’t describe how hard it was for all of us in the gym these three days. During the explosion, I flew out of the window, and without realizing anything, I ran about 20 meters at random and hid between the iron garages. A shootout began, I lay down on the ground, covering my ears with my hands. I was very scared. Bullets whistled from all sides. The whole time I was lying there, I prayed to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
I just screamed to him in my heart to save me from death. It seemed to me that if my prayer was interrupted for even a second, a bullet would hit me. I lay there like that for an hour and a half, maybe more, I don’t know. At some point, the shooting died down, voices were heard behind the fence, and I called for help. They pulled me out and carried me on a stretcher to the ambulance. There wasn’t even a scratch on me, despite the fact that I was lying in the line of fire. All thanks to prayers to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker!”
Elena Bestuzheva, 57 years old, Tver, Russia.
“My dad was born in 1923. When he went to the front, my grandmother prayed for him to Nikolai Ugodnik. One autumn they were transferred to the front line. They walked through the mud, were very tired, when they got to the place, they dug in and fell down to sleep. Dad woke up to an old man in an untucked white shirt tugging at his shoulder. He said: “Vanyushka, run, run!” Dad jumped up and ran. Then I thought: where did the old man come from at the front line? He stopped and looked around... At that time a bomb hit the trench, and everyone who remained there was killed.”
Tatyana Ivanova-Suvorova, 47 years old, Lukyanov, Russia.
THE CATCHER
“My older brother, when he was two years old, got lost in the forest. The whole village searched for him, but to no avail. A day later, after crying, he was found on the edge of a cliff, above the river, on brushwood. The finder wanted to dress him warmly and feed him. But the child said: “I don’t want to and I’m not cold.” He was dressed lightly, and it was freezing at night. “Grey-haired grandfather warmed me up and gave me some bread.” All this happened on May 25th. The grandmother sincerely believed that it was Nikolai the saint who saved her grandson.”
Natasha Sidorova (Ulogova), 33 years old, Lobnya, Russia.
HUNGER
“It was in 1946, during the post-war famine. My mother was 9 years old. A handful of cereal - for the whole day, they ground acorns and made cakes from them, ate roots. My mother's two younger sisters were in the hospital due to exhaustion. It was a sunny summer day, and my mother was sitting on the rubble and playing with the ashes from the stove. Suddenly an old man appeared from around the corner. According to my mother’s story, my grandfather was very pleasant-looking: not very tall, with blue eyes and dressed all in white. His hair, eyebrows, and beard were completely gray. The suit was also white, the shoes were light.
In those days when everyone wore rags, it was impossible to see a person in such clothes. Grandfather approached mom and asked if she wanted to eat? And he gave mom two potatoes, bread, and two tomatoes. To celebrate, my mother didn’t even understand where this grandfather had gone. A neighbor came running to my mother and asked what kind of miracle it was? She saw all this from the window. She said that after giving mom the groceries, grandpa walked around the corner and... disappeared!!! They talked about this incident for a long time in the village, suggesting that it was St. Nicholas the Wonderworker himself! My mother often tells this story. She remembers everything, down to the smallest detail. And my mother is already 74 years old.”
HAPPY MARRIAGE
Tatiana Stivrinya, 49 years old, Jelgava, Latvia.
“I have a friend who got married through prayers to St. Nicholas. She is already over 40, she was divorced, but really wanted to find her soul mate. She was told that she should pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for marriage. She works in the church, so at every opportunity she began to approach the icon and ask for painful things. One day, when she was wiping the icon, a man her age approached her. “I’m watching you, you’re always at this icon.” She answers him so simply: “I ask the Lord for a husband.” He laughed and said: “Here I am!” It’s already the second year since we got married, and now the Lord has sent a child.”
Svetlana Lakhina (Chikantseva), 39 years old, Belaya Kalitva Sukhumi, Russia.
“I really wanted a baby, but I couldn’t carry it for more than 10 weeks. I was asked in Sunday school to embroider an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the holiday of the Day of Love, Family and Fidelity. While I was embroidering, I asked St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for help. And 9 months later our daughter Juliana was born. Isn't it a miracle?
Galina Kovalenko 38 years old, Maykop, Russia.
“I couldn’t give birth for a long time - there were miscarriages. I prayed to Nicholas the Wonderworker. I became pregnant again, but I no longer believed, I thought nothing would work out. And late in the evening I was leaving work, an old man came towards me and said: “Happy holiday!” And it slipped my mind that it was Mother’s Day, I thought he was tipsy and joking. I replied: “And you too!” He laughed and said: “Ehhh! It’s me who congratulates you on Mother’s Day!” I replied: “Thank you!” And she moved on. And for some reason I immediately remembered about Nikolai Ugodnik. I turned around, and the old man was nowhere to be found... I realized that this was a sign, and that this time everything would be fine. My daughter was born!”
Lyubov Fedoseeva.
“I didn’t have children for seven years. Everyone I knew knew about infertility. I was advised to go to Turkey, to the temple where St. Nicholas the Wonderworker himself once served. There is still a church there, it is not active, but services are held there twice a year. Saint Nicholas bequeathed: “Whoever comes with good intentions to this temple, everything will be fulfilled.” My husband and I were traveling to ask for children. I cried when I was there, I believed and prayed. I returned from Turkey pregnant, a miracle happened! A daughter was born.
I wanted a lot of children, but again I couldn’t get pregnant for a long time. And I went to Turkey again. I asked Nikolai for twins. I had a dream: “It will be difficult for you to bear two children at once, since you had a caesarean section. You'll have better weather." After this dream I became pregnant. In the fifth month of pregnancy she fell ill with hepatitis. I couldn’t believe it, because my child was blessed by St. Nicholas the Wonderworker! I had to go to the hospital.
I prayed all night. Saint Nicholas himself appeared in a dream and said that I was healthy. I woke up and told my mom about it. Mom said that if this comes true, she will believe. I arrived at the hospital, they took tests, and I turned out to be healthy. The doctors were against pregnancy, insisted on an abortion, and scared me that I might die. I believed only Nikolai. A son was born. According to your faith, so be it to you. I know that for sure. I have three children - Lyubov, Maria and Bogdan. Thank God. Thanks to Nicholas the Wonderworker. These were the greatest miracles of my life.”
Irina Postarnak, 46 years old, Belgorod, Russia.
HOUSING PROBLEM
“My husband met another woman, I could no longer live in his lies and debauchery. He said: “If you don’t want to live with me, go wherever you want!” The director offered to move into an apartment with a shared apartment. The neighbor thought that we were having a fictitious divorce in order to get an apartment. The court decided to evict me. I came to church and stood on kneeled in front of the icon of Nikolayushka, and in her own words began to ask for help to send me some housing. I met the mayor of the city in the morning, I was going to work, for some reason I stopped, I saw sympathy in his eyes, and he told me to come to such and such an office. The next day I received a warrant. When help comes from above, all doors are open, no connections or money are needed.”
Leonid Kichko, 53 years old, Lipetsk, Russia.
PLITTERING
“By profession, I am a repairman of technological equipment. After one of the repairs, the unit’s performance did not meet the norm: it was disassembled and reassembled three times, and commissioning was delayed. Frustrated, I went to the temple. Standing at the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant, he asked him for help. To be honest, when I returned to the site, I forgot about the request. Having disassembled and reassembled once again, without finding any reason, we made a hopeless decision about a test run. Imagine the surprise of everyone present when the unit began to work. Nobody could explain what was happening. Having visited the temple, I remembered the request and thanked St. Nicholas. Not knowing prayers, I asked in my own words.”
EMERGENCY DOCTOR
Irina Vladina, 42 years old, Kostroma, Russia.
“I was 7-8 years old. My ears hurt very badly, I was screaming in pain! The whole family stood by my bed, not knowing how to help. My great-grandmother Olga had an icon of St. Nicholas - a simple one, on a paper cardboard... I remembered about the icon, and through my tears I shouted: “Grandma, pray to St. Nicholas the Pleasant!” Grandmother quickly went into the room. As soon as she disappeared behind the door, the pain disappeared. Now I am 42 years old, and this miracle is not forgotten. No one had any doubts - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker helped!”
Irina Kholopova, 52 years old, Moscow, Russia.
“My relative was cured in Mir. I flew to Turkey with herpes on my back. I warned him about the consequences. But youth... He said: “I’ll anoint you with iodine and everything will pass.” And then - chills, pain. We decided to skip the sea and go on an excursion. This is how they got to the Lycian Worlds. On the way back to the hotel I noticed: no pain, no chills. The skin healed quickly, without marks.”
Vladimir Altunin, 64 years old, Sevastopol, Ukraine.
“At work we were repairing an electric motor. My crowbar fell off and I hit my elbow hard. The fingers on my left hand began to go numb. One day we stopped at the Foros Church. I stood near the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and mentally said: “I don’t believe in God, but if you help me with my health, I will believe!” At the same moment, warmth flowed through my hands, as if entering a warm bath from the cold. Five years passed, my hands never went numb again. Everyone at work knows, they saw how I suffered. Believe it if you want! It happened to me."
Liliya Kozina (Polozhnova), 36 years old, Moscow.
“About 15 years ago I had an ovarian cyst. The gynecologist prescribed therapy, after which she had to undergo surgery to remove the cyst. For exactly a month I took the prescribed pills, washed down with holy water and praying to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. On December 19 (!) the cyst came out on its own. The gynecologist, experienced and competent, was very surprised. I spent a long time looking through the ultrasound, but in the end I admitted that the operation was not necessary.”
Margarita Bozhko (Gusarova), 47 years old, Kursk, Russia.
ST. NICHOLAS - GARDENER
“I planted tomatoes on the loggia, they bloomed all summer, but none of them set fruit. In October I look at these barren flowers and think: “At least one tomato has started, for consolation.” And three days later one started. I immediately realized that it was Nikolai Ugodnik who gave me the tomato, since his icon is on the window right next to the tomatoes.”
Ekaterina Yudkevich, 49 years old, Leningrad region, Russia.
ICON ON ASPHALT
“It was at a very difficult moment in my life, when I lost a loved one, and came to St. Petersburg to get documents. It was pouring rain, and it seemed to me that I would simply die, I could not stand the grief. Near the Tekhnologichesky Institute metro station there is a very busy place, people are walking in a stream, no one notices anyone. I walked in this stream, and my soul was overcome by despair. Suddenly on the sidewalk I saw an icon standing right in the middle of the road. It is not clear how she could stand, and how people did not knock her down. I bent down and picked it up. It was an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the size of a palm, on a tree. What’s also surprising is that in the pouring rain it was completely dry! I was filled with such unexpected joy, peace, love - all this is difficult to convey in words! My confessor said that it was Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker who consoled me.”
Alexander Vorobyov 52 years old, Kaliningrad, Russia.
DEFAMATED ICON
“The incident took place in the mid-90s. We have a temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Kaliningrad. Above the entrance is an icon of St. Nicholas. One day they discovered that the icon was missing. An empty, broken icon case was found in a flowerbed. A few months later the icon was returned; the eyes of St. Nicholas were dug out. Father told us a terrible story about how the icon came to be in his possession and what happened. The woman returned the icon to the temple; she was in tears and told how it all happened.
That night, her son and a group of teenagers entered the temple territory and removed the icon of St. Nicholas. She was very beautiful and looked rich from afar. When the guys brought the icon home and saw in the light that it was simple, one of the teenagers, out of anger, took a nail and picked out the saint’s eyes. A month later, the teenager who committed the sacrilege had both eyes gouged out. When it became clear that he remained disabled for life, he told his mother about what he had done and where the desecrated icon lay. Then the woman took the icon to the temple and told the priest what grief befell them for her son’s blasphemy. The icon was restored, inserted into the icon case and installed in its original place. There is no information about what happened to the boy and his mother.”
Irina Sorochan, 49 years old, Astana, Kazakhstan.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
In July 2005, my mother died. Less than 40 days had passed, I decided to go to the cemetery alone. A man sat at my mother’s grave, looking scary. He and I looked at each other. I walk and think he will follow me now. And so it happened, he was walking along with a man still under 2 meters tall. It became scary; we had cases where people were attacked in the cemetery. And then grandfather comes out of the bushes, I still thought that he had come to visit someone. He was dressed simply, but I noticed his face: extraordinary, clean, so light that it was impossible to convey, his beard and hair were white. A familiar face, where could I have seen him? He looked at me so sternly and walked past my mother’s grave, and I followed him as if spellbound. Those two men followed us, but did not increase their pace. On the way, I went to my husband’s grave, laid flowers, he slowed down, waited for me, and those two also stopped. We reached the fork, and I saw that he was gone, as if he had sunk into the water. I returned home safely. When she came to our church, she approached the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and gasped, recognizing in that old man the beloved St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, it was him. That is, he helped me, even without turning to him. I thank the Lord for giving me such a miracle - to meet Nikolai Ugodnik."
Inna Rimskaya 41 years old, Kyiv, Ukraine.
WIZARD IN A BLUE HELICOPTER
“In 1998, my friend Olya and I went to Valaam. Money was running short, we couldn’t leave: either there was no boat, or we didn’t know about its departure. We have already gotten used to the idea that we will use our last money to travel by boat to Sortavala, because the return tickets were bought in Kyiv and we will not receive the money if we return them. Out of grief, we went to the hotel, ate all the porridge taken from the refectory, and then, for consolation, we began to read an akathist to St. Nicholas and sang glorification. When we sang the praise for the third time, a helicopter landed near the hotel and we flew away. Two hours later we were already in St. Petersburg.”
Tatyana Moskaleva (Ilyasova), 54 years old, Kansk, Russia.
POSTMAN
“I read in a magazine how Saint Nicholas helped one husband give away his daughters, and I thought: where can I get Nicholas the Wonderworker for everyone? I was in a difficult situation - I was raising my son alone, he was a freshman. Winter is outside, but he has no warm clothes. The next day I come home from work, there is a notice at the door - money has arrived from my sister. I bought a down jacket for my son. And my sister told me that she suddenly thought that we needed money more than they did.”
Marina Idadze, Kutaisi, Georgia.
VET
“Our puppy got sick. We took his illness hard. For about a week he lay there, did not eat or drink, and breathing was almost inaudible. And suddenly, out of the blue, he shows interest in food, starts running and playing pranks... We were very surprised. And then dad admitted that he asked Nicholas the Wonderworker for the puppy to recover. As it turned out, dad was heard. But the vet refused to treat our dog! This is such a miracle..."
Evgeny Polyakov, 51 years old, Moscow, Russia.
ON VALAAM
“About 15 years ago, with Abbot Joel, we sailed to Valaam on a small motor boat. As soon as we passed St. Nicholas Monastery, our engine stalled. While the oars were being taken out, a terrible fog fell, only the domes of the St. Nicholas Church were visible. We barely made it on the oars. If the engine had stalled later, no one knows what would have happened to us. Saint Nicholas saved us from death!”
Svetlana Krykun (Arkhipova), 52 years old, Murmansk.
"YOU PROMISED"
“It was in 1988-1989, my daughter was 4 years old. At work she boasted that she had never been to the hospital with a child. That same evening, a child with larigotrachiitis was taken away. I prayed to God to have mercy on my child, and promised to go to church in case of healing and light a candle. My girl recovered, but I never went to church. A year later I had a dream, a man in a long robe was standing in the doorway, his arm was slightly bent, as if pointing to an icon, and he said: “You promised!” I didn’t know who I dreamed about. After 13 years, my daughter entered FINEK in St. Petersburg, I took her there, and I took her to the Kazan Cathedral. I went to inspect the icons, approached one, and immediately started to cry like a river: it’s him - Nikolayushka, from my dream, I’ve just never seen a full-length icon of the Wonderworker before.”
Olga Gavrilova, 44 years old, Russia, Krasnoyarsk.
"IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, GIVE SOME SIGN"
“My daughter graduated from college, received a degree as an artist-designer, went to live in St. Petersburg, and for 4 months could not find a job. And so, when my strength and patience were running out, my legs led me to the Vladimir Cathedral. There is a very old icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. She turned to him with a prayer: “If you hear me, give me some sign!” Suddenly the window opened, the wind blew out all the candles, leaving only the candle in the daughter’s hands burning. On the same day, they brought her a newspaper with advertisements where the company needed a designer. This was 8 years ago. Now my daughter has her own company. She never parts with the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.”
Tatyana Shvedova 42 years old, Zaporozhye, Ukraine.
“WHEN I SEE A TRAFFIC POST, I ASK NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER TO COVER US WITH YOUR HANDS”
“When we drive past the traffic police post, I ask St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to cover us with his hands so that they don’t see us. No one ever dared to stop us."
Flight engineer Lyudmila Maygurova, 38 years old, Volgograd, Russia.
“I LOOKED OUT THE PORTHOLE, AND I WAS STUNNED: THE PATTERN OF WINGS WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE ON THE GLASS”
“We flew on a Boeing 737-200, which is the smallest and with which disasters occur more often than others. We took off normally, gained altitude, began serving us drinks and food, people relaxed... Suddenly we entered a zone of turbulence, the plane was throwing in all directions so that glasses, plates, napkins and everything in the world were flying around the cabin. The passengers turned white with horror, the people did not know what to grab with their hands to stay in their seats...
I had with me an icon with images of Nicholas the Pleasant, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and the Lord with the traveler’s prayers to them. She took it out with shaking hands and began to read all the prayers in a row. I finish - and again. I read prayers and out of the corner of my eye I see people looking at me with such hope. And I began to read prayers not to myself, but out loud. Then suddenly everything calmed down as quickly as it started. And some guy, when I finished reading the prayers out loud, shouted to the whole plane: “Hallelujah!” I looked out the porthole and was stunned: the pattern of wings, like an angel’s, was clearly visible on the glass... Probably it was a sign. For some, but for me, it was a miracle. Thank God for everything!"
Anna Gorpinchenko, UNIAN-Religions.
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PRODUCT DELAY
We were planning to go to the countryside for the summer: our hypertensive husband needed to be taken out of the city to nature as soon as possible. It’s a long journey for us, with several transfers... With difficulty I got tickets, and suddenly three days before departure my husband fell ill. In desperation, I ran to return the tickets. It was already the end of May, it was time to plant vegetables, the locals had planted everything a long time ago, but here the planting was being disrupted. I’m going to our St. Nicholas Cathedral for help from St. Nicholas. I’m standing at a prayer service, praying fervently, my condition is terrible. And suddenly, after the prayer service, an amazing calmness, peace and joy descends on me... In my entire life, I have never experienced such a feeling. Soon my husband recovered, I took the tickets again, and we hit the road. And only as we approached the village did I understand why God had sent us this delay: to get to us, we had to cross the river, but during the flood the bridge broke. It had been repaired all spring and had only just been repaired when we arrived: our car was the first car to cross the new bridge.
Marina DENISYUK, Arkhangelsk region.
THREE CASES
This happened in the summer of 1997. My youngest son was 12 years old and he went on a sailing trip around Estonia as part of a boat crew. In Pärnu Bay, a squall hit them and capsized the boat. Everyone was saved, although not immediately. Our son was the youngest in the crew. Thank God that my wife and I gave our son a small icon of the Saint with us!
The second case of miraculous help from the Saint occurred in the same year. It was a very difficult period financially for our family. I couldn’t find a job for a long time, my pension wasn’t enough, my wife didn’t work either. At that time I was a parishioner of the Church of St. Nicholas in Tallinn. During confession, I told the priest about the difficulties. He says to me: “You come up to this icon of the Saint and ask him for help, he will help.” He said this simply and casually, as if he were talking about something already decided and everyday. I prayed to Saint Nicholas as best I could, venerated the image and went home. I didn’t even light a candle - there was no money. It was on Sunday. On Monday, an acquaintance called me and offered me a job, and on Wednesday, my friends offered me another one.
And the third case happened here, in St. Petersburg. On St. Nicholas of the Winter in 1998, I was in Vyritsa, in the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Kazan". After the Liturgy and prayer service, the pilgrims went out into the street and began a religious procession around the temple. A cloudy, rainy day with clouds that, it seemed, nothing would ever break through, was illuminated in a few minutes by the bright sun. Light was everywhere. Raindrops played with millions of rainbow crystals on the pine needles around. People's faces shone, tears sparkled in their eyes. While the choir and parishioners were singing, the soul prayed: “Father Nikolai, because you are here, next to me, touch me, let me feel you!” When they entered the temple again, people passed under the icon of the Saint. I passed under the icon at the beginning of the stream of people. The female servant turned to me: “Young man, hold the icon while the procession of the Cross passes under it.” And I stood with the icon of the Wonderworker until everyone passed under it. And only when I was already on the train home, it dawned on me that the Saint had heard my prayer and immediately fulfilled it, handing me his image.
I described only three cases of the Saint’s help that I was able to see in my life. And how many of them passed by my eyes due to mental blindness! Sainted Father Nicholas, pray to God for us!
r.B. Alexiy, Estonia
AT THE CLOSED DOOR
A few years ago, my daughter and her little nephew went to my mother's house, where no one had lived for a long time, to pick up some things. I got there a little later, called, my daughter went to open it, but the door wouldn’t budge. They started pushing her hard - no result. The situation was desperate: my daughter and nephew were locked in a cold house, it was starting to get dark, there were no neighbors nearby... Again and again we tried to open the stubborn door: my daughter pushed it with her shoulder, I pulled the handle - all in vain. Having lost my last hope, I prayed: “Help us open the door, Nicholas the Wonderworker!” And at that same second the door opened softly and smoothly, completely easily. With tears we gave thanks to the Lord and the Saint.
Irina YURYATINA, Tbilisi
EXPENSIVE SURGERY
Doctors prescribed me heart surgery, which cost 40 thousand rubles. I, a disabled person of the second group, did not have that kind of money. Not long before this, I read the book “Nicholas the Merciful” and decided to ask the Saint for help. Every morning I read him an akathist and begged him to help in my grief. On the third day, a woman was admitted to my room; I told her about my misfortune, and she gave me the address of a person who helps financially everyone she sees fit. I perked up. Two months later, that person responded to my request, and two months later the operation took place.
Nina PUSHKARSKAYA, Voronezh region.
ABOUT FAMILY HAPPINESS
After divorcing my drinking husband, I raised my son alone. Now he has graduated from university and has three beautiful children. It occurred to me that now I too have the right to my share of family happiness. I began to constantly pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker that he would send me a husband - smart and teetotal, albeit of ordinary appearance. And the Saint sent me exactly the kind of person I asked for. We got married, got married, go to church together, and I am grateful to the Lord and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the happiness that befell me at the end of my life.
r.B. Valentina, Moscow
HOW I WAS PUNISHED
As a child, I received a miraculous healing at the spring of St. Nicholas. I had streptoderma - a nasty skin disease. I was treated for a month - nothing helped, but at the source, despite the prohibitions to treat the sore, I washed my face, and a day later there was no trace of streptoderma.
Since then, I often turn to the Saint, and he always helps me, but one day I managed to greatly anger God’s Pleasant, and he punished me greatly for this. I was on a pilgrimage to the Sanaksar monastery. It was 1994 - there were constant problems with gasoline, money, etc. In a word, we got to Sanaksar, but back - no gasoline, no passing transport... The civil New Year was coming, and I certainly wanted to celebrate it with relatives in Belarus. At first I simply prayed to St. Nicholas to send us a passing car, and then go ahead and say: “Well, that’s it, St. Nicholas, because you don’t send me a car, I won’t pray to you anymore and light candles. That’s it!” She said it and forgot. We got home, sometimes on foot, sometimes by hitchhiking... And at home, the Lord revealed to me the worthlessness of this New Year, and I realized with horror that I had lost the intercession of Nicholas the Pleasant. This was manifested in the fact that I could not read the akathist to the Saint - I felt with my whole being that he was not listening to me - and when I lit candles for him, they either went out or fell... I realized the disgustingness of my act and really regretted what I had done. . Finally, I confessed, received a scolding and penance from my confessor: read an akathist to the Wonderworker every Thursday. How hard this reading was for me! But before, I knew the akathist almost by heart. But gradually, gradually, my prayer began to reach the Pleasant, and everything fell into place.
Lyubov DEMENTYEVA, Barnaul
"WHY DIDN'T YOU PRAY?"
In our village, a woman named Anna fell ill with cancer. One day she was lying on the stove at home, when suddenly some old man came in and said to her: “If you, servant of God, pray, you will live!” She began to pray, and soon felt better, and even began to work. But work distracted her from prayer, and she stopped praying. Then that old man, in whom she had already recognized Nicholas the Wonderworker, appeared to her again, and said to her: “Why don’t you, servant of God, pray?..”
Anna KORCHAGINA, Altai region
FIRE ICON
My great-grandmother told me that during the Great Patriotic War she had an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. My great-grandmother lived in one of the villages in the Mogilev region. When the Germans set fire to this village, my great-grandmother’s house was the only one that survived the fire. Fellow villagers, watching the fire go around the hut, were surprised, but the great-grandmother remained calm: she firmly believed that St. Nicholas, through prayers at his icon, would save her home. As a child, I saw this icon and remember well how the wonderful light emanating from it was refracted through the window glass and reflected on the evening snow. Great-grandmother also said that the icon of the Wonderworker always glows.
After the death of my great-grandmother, the wonderful image was given not to me, but to my relatives, but St. Nicholas is still close to me. Recently in the village. Oredezh, near where I live, they built a chapel in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. When it was consecrated, a lot of people gathered. It is interesting that most of those gathered were drivers, who see the Saint as their heavenly patron.
N.I. Vasilyeva, Leningrad region
PAINT SMELL
I have long suffered from severe allergies - intolerance to the smell of oil paint. This summer I was relaxing at the dacha. Suddenly the neighbors started painting their house; smelled of paint. I began to pray to Saint Nicholas, asking for help. And help came. The neighbors continued painting, and then, after a short break, resumed it, but there was no longer any smell. This was felt not only by me, but also by my dacha owner, who was very surprised at the lack of smell.
And quite recently such an incident occurred. Suddenly my phone stopped working. It was Friday, which meant that the master would not come to me until Monday. I am a middle-aged person and live alone. The silence of my phone could cause a commotion among my relatives and friends. And I prayed: “Father Nikolai! Please fix my phone.” And after 20 minutes the phone started working.
r.B. Larisa DANILOCHKINA
WORK IN YOUR SPECIALTY
It so happened that my husband did not work in his specialty after graduation. The need to return to my acquired profession arose 10 years after graduation. But enterprises that needed such specialists did not want to hire a person without work experience and offered a salary that was impossible for a family with a small child to live on. Then we turned to St. Nicholas: together we prayed to him for help every day with bows. About two weeks later, by luck, we called a company that did not advertise at all that it needed a specialist, but was simply located not far from our house. It turned out that they just needed an employee, and the husband was hired, and his salary was 2-3 times higher than what was offered in other places, and moreover, he was given the opportunity to improve his skills. And this case of the Saint’s help, of course, is not the only one.
Evgenia ANTONOVA, Moscow region.
HOW I WAS ROBBED
In 1999, on May 27, I closed the church, put the keys in my purse, and had only walked about a hundred meters away from the church when someone snatched the purse from my hands. At first I didn’t understand anything, but then I saw that there were three attackers. I noticed them a long time ago: they followed me for an hour, circling near the Church of St. Nicholas, where I work, but not together, but at a distance from each other. It was strange to me that they still didn’t leave. Sometimes they even came up to me, bought candles and - just think! - they were placed near the icon of the Saint. And so they robbed me. I immediately called the police, a police car arrived, and we drove together in the direction where the robbers had fled. How I cried in this car! - Only the Lord and Saint Nicholas know how I felt. She cried bitterly and begged the Saint for help at the top of her voice. The policemen looked sideways at me as if I was crazy, but did not laugh, but consoled me. And the Saint heard me, a sinner. Imagine: in just an hour we caught one of the bandits. But in such a big city as Odessa, finding a person is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack!
r.B. Tamara, Odessa
THE CHARGE WAS DISMISSED
At our plant, expensive equipment was stolen in one of the workshops. Suspicion fell on a worker named Anatoly. The rumor about this quickly spread throughout the enterprise and began to acquire various speculations. Anatoly was even offered to give a bribe to anyone in order to hush up the matter. But to give a bribe means to admit guilt, and Anatoly rejected the slander that was leveled against him. His case was supposed to be dealt with just on the eve of St. Nicholas the Winter. There was little hope that it would end favorably for Anatoly. It was then that he was advised to go to the St. Seraphim Convent of the Intercession, which is located in our city, to pray before the miraculous image of St. Nicholas and ask for help in trouble. Anatoly was not a church person at all, but he listened to the advice and went to the image.
A day or two later, his case was resolved, all charges against him were dropped, and from then on, Anatoly, feeling grateful to God, began, albeit not often, to visit the temple, to the joy of all of us - the Orthodox residents of our city.
Mikhail KAZANIN, Kemerovo region.
PAINT POISONING
In the summer of 2002, I came to my daughter in Tambov to spend the night with her, and the next morning go to Zadonsk to venerate the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. My daughter was having her apartment renovated, and I decided to help her by painting the balcony. My daughter tried to dissuade me, but I continued to paint and worked until I inhaled this poisonous paint to the point of nausea. Then I felt very bad, and every minute I felt worse and worse. The daughter called an ambulance, but the doctor arrived and said that they could not treat paint poisoning. Then my daughter ran to the pharmacy, and I, left alone, began to pray to the Mother of God, St. Tikhon of Zadonsk and Saint Nicholas, so that they would help me get to the monastery the next day. 5-7 minutes passed, I got up from my knees and immediately felt a significant improvement. For a long time I could not believe it, but it soon became clear that the malaise had completely passed. I managed to go to the monastery quite safely.
Another time, my granddaughter developed a very painful, itchy rash. The girl was worried that summer was approaching, and she would not be able to sunbathe or swim. No matter what ointments they prescribed for her, it was all to no avail. Then I gave her the book “Miracles of St. Nicholas in our days” to read and said: “Pray to St. Nicholas the Pleasant, he will help!” The granddaughter did so, and soon the rash disappeared.
Galina LIKHACHEVA, Tambov region.
SICK ARM
Once, while reading the book “Nicholas the Merciful,” I thought: after all, Saint Nicholas helped me more than once. How many times, when I was late for a train, I prayed to the Wonderworker for help, and the train was delayed at the station just long enough for me to catch it! How many times did the Saint send me rides on those roads where cars go once a month!.. And so, remembering all these cases of miraculous help, I decided to bother the Saint again with my requests. Due to my line of work, I have to deal with construction mixtures and various aggressive liquids, and as a result, I developed severe irritation on my right hand, which did not go away for more than six months. My hand itched painfully all the time, and it looked simply terrible. I asked Saint Nicholas to heal my sore hand and promised that I would write about his help in the newspaper “Rule of Faith”. Exactly a week passed, and there was no trace of irritation, although I did not use any medications. Now I still work in the same unfavorable conditions, but by the grace of God my illness does not return.
r.B. Evgeniy, St. Petersburg
SOURCE IN TAMBOV REGION
Saint Nicholas is the heavenly patron of my father. When one day dad became seriously ill with pneumonia, the doctors in our hospital could not cure him. Our whole family - there are nine of us children - prayed for our father to St. Nicholas, and so our father was sent to Moscow. There a professor examined him and found that dad was intolerant to penicillin. He was treated with other medications and soon recovered. So the Lord, through the prayers of St. Nicholas, gave our father another 13 years of life.
Now I’ll tell you about what I heard from my friend, Mother Nina. One day she found out that in the Tambov region, in the Michurinsky district, in the village of Dubovo, there is a miraculous spring of St. Nicholas, which has very great healing powers. Mother Nina is a sick person; for almost two years she could not sleep in bed and slept sitting in a chair. The first time she came to the spring with several women. They settled down for the night in an empty house. Mother Nina slept in her chair, which she made with her own hands, and in a subtle dream she saw how a gray-haired old man came into the house and said: “To receive grace, you need to come here three times.” She came to the source for the second time. Now their group included two guys who took a bottle of vodka with them and wanted to drink it at the source. They were told that they could not drink in the holy place, but they did not listen. At the source they put the bottle on the ground, and for no reason it broke into pieces. The guys came to their senses, asked St. Nicholas for forgiveness, and prayed. The third time, Nina took with her to the spring a patient who was already preparing for death and did not even want to go, because she did not feel strong enough. They begged her, put her in a car, and at the source, along with everyone else, they doused her with water - 12 buckets were poured for each person. When we returned to Tambov, this patient was healed and went home herself. Mother Nina was also healed and now sleeps not in a chair, but on a bed. This is what a powerful source St. Nicholas gave us!
Nina KOLOSOVA, Tambov
HOUSING AND WORK
Last summer, my uncle, in whose apartment I lived after divorcing my husband, asked me to leave. I had to move in with my parents, and their place is already cramped. I was very worried and was sure that now I would have to hang around other people’s houses all my life. But then the icon of St. Nicholas arrived in our city, consecrated in the city of Bari on the relics of the Wonderworker. My mother and I prayed at this icon, read akathists, and - what a miracle! My believing friend told me how to properly apply for a loan from Sberbank to purchase a home. Soon I bought myself a good apartment - but just recently I could not even dream of this. But the miracles are not over yet. In the new apartment, the balcony was in disrepair, and the neighbors were selling “burnt” vodka, and streams of drunkards flowed to our site day and night. But the Pleasant of Christ Nicholas did not leave here without his help. They built a balcony for me two months later, free of charge, and the neighbors moved in six months later, and now quite decent people live in this apartment.
Nikolai Ugodnik also helped me in the service. I worked in a very prestigious, well-paid place, but my boss suddenly began to outlive me. It seemed that there would be no end to the bullying, I went to work as if I was going to execution, and did not stop praying to the Lord, the Mother of God and especially St. Nicholas for help. And then on December 19, on his feast day, the Saint showed a miracle: my boss was kicked out in disgrace, and I was offered a new position - in my specialty. Truly, nothing is impossible for God!
r.B. Natalia, Volgograd
FREE PLACE
I was going to go to the village, but I missed the last bus. The driver did not stop and drove past me. I stood, upset, and prayed to St. Nicholas. I wanted to catch a ride, but they didn’t want to take me. Suddenly another flight is announced. I heard about him for the first time. However, there are no tickets for it. I go to the driver and ask him to take me without a ticket, but it’s no use, all the seats are taken. I completely despaired, cried, but continued to pray to the Saint. Five minutes passed. Suddenly the driver comes up to me and says that one passenger didn’t show up and there is now room for me. It is difficult to convey my feelings, but I gave my word to St. Nicholas that I would write about this incident in the newspaper “Rule of Faith.”
Natalya MALYASOVA, Cheboksary
EAR HURT...
Two years ago I was at the dacha, and there my ear hurt. I treated him with everything possible, but the pain did not subside. I went to the doctor and it turned out that I had an infection in my ear. I used the medications that the doctor prescribed for me, but it only felt better for a while, and then my other ear also started to hurt. I started to despair. But then something happened that seemed completely incredible to me at that time: I bought the blessed oil of St. Nicholas in the church, prayerfully anointed my ear with it, and soon the illness completely disappeared. Then this amazed me extremely, and now I understand that our intercessor, Saint Nicholas, is generous with such miracles.
Galina STEPANOVA, St. Petersburg
EATEN SHASHLIK...
I am 51 years old. About five years ago I was visiting, where I was treated to barbecue. After this treat, my gallbladder and pancreas began to hurt; severe pain began that lasted six months - I couldn’t even drink an extra sip of water, everything was burning inside. The doctors, not particularly concerned about my problems, prescribed some medications, but they were of very little use. A friend took me to some healer who supposedly heals with the blessing of the priests, but she not only did not cure me, but also did not find the cause of the pain. On Nikola’s next day, December 19, I went to church and asked the Wonderworker there to save me from pain. I decided: even if I feel really bad in the church, even if I fall, I will not leave until the end of the service, I will pray to St. Nicholas for help. After the service, I drank some water and went home. Everything about me still hurt, but I went shopping, forgot myself, got hungry, ate at home, and then I realized that nothing hurt me anymore. Since then, my pain has completely disappeared, I don’t take pills, I just take care of myself so as not to eat something extra. So Saint Nicholas helped me for the sake of his holiday.
Lyudmila ZHUKOVA, Nizhny Novgorod region.
RESCUE DAUGHTER
My daughter was spinning in the chair and, losing her balance, fell to the floor and hit her head hard. I immediately realized that the blow was serious. She immediately sank, cried, moaned, refused to eat or drink... Then she began to feel sick. The face showed all the signs of a concussion. We need to go to the hospital, but the hospital is far away. The husband insisted: we need to go urgently! But I knew from my own experience that if a child is brought to the hospital overnight, they will begin to treat her only after 12 o’clock the next day. And I made a decision: not to treat the child, let her lie quietly, and tomorrow, depending on the state of her health, decide what to do.
She fell asleep well, and I went to pray. I asked St. Nicholas for his constant help and did not even doubt that this help would follow. In the morning I woke up and a healthy child came out to meet me.
r.B. Nina
WE HAVE BEEN REPAIRING...
We were undergoing renovations - long, seemingly endless. And he didn’t even walk, but stood, because the housing office was dragging its feet on replacing the pipes. We were already starting to get seriously worried and nervous. And then the newspaper “Rule of Faith” fell into our hands. I read how the Saint helps people through their prayers, and I say: “This is how people pray, but I ask and don’t believe that I will receive.” Mom echoes: “And I pray, but I myself think that I pray badly.” And yet both of us, as it turned out later, prayed separately as best we could. And so, when we had already agreed that pipes would be installed for us for a fee, they called from the veins. offices: tomorrow they will do everything for us for free! Moreover, they called at 7 pm, and their working day ends at six!
And the next time we had a problem with a housing office, I prayed to the Saint with more hope. I came to the appointment, and they told me that everything would be ready tomorrow. "Is it really tomorrow? It doesn't happen like that!" - I said, but according to the prayers of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, everything turned out that way.
r.B. Maria
COMFORT
My soul was very heavy - too many troubles had piled up: my disabled son was beaten on the street, my daughter-in-law had a trial that could not be resolved in her favor... I prayed intensely, with tears, to the Lord, the Mother of God and St. Nicholas , asked for their help and promised to write to the “Rule of Faith” if the outcome was favorable. And suddenly the court is decided in favor of the daughter-in-law, and on the same day my son and I receive an invitation to come to the St. Nicholas Monastery for half the price (this is very significant for us). In the monastery we were able to confess and receive communion, and also venerate the myrrh-streaming icons of the Mother of God and St. Nicholas. We both received great spiritual comfort.
r.B. Larisa, St. Petersburg
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker Even during his lifetime, he became famous for the numerous miracles that he performed through prayers to God. St. Nicholas’s help to ordinary people, his virtues towards those in need, intercession, and healing are described in But a lot of miracles were performed and are being performed after the earthly death of St. Nicholas the Pleasant.
Today, everyone turns to Nicholas the Wonderworker - both simpletons and scientists, believers and non-believers, even many who are alien to Christianity, Muslims and Buddhists turn to him with reverence and fear. The reason for such large-scale veneration is simple - quick, immediate help from God, sent through the prayers of this greatest saint. People who have turned to him with faith and hope at least once know this, of course.
Below are just some evidence of St. Nicholas’ miraculous help with money, healing from illness, etc.
The priest's story about the help of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
This happened in 1993. A difficult and impoverished time of perestroika that has not yet been reconstructed. My wife and I rented a dacha in Ilyinka for the fall and winter. It was much cheaper than even the most shabby housing in Moscow; I was not yet a priest and served as a sexton and reader in one of the newly opened monasteries. We lived more than modestly, and pollock, the breadwinner, was our exquisite holiday meal. Our second child was born, we were desperately short of money, and we didn’t want to return to secular work or leave the temple.
Once during confession I complained to my confessor about life and he told me:
- Pray to Saint Nicholas, everything will be fine. I came home and told my wife about this, and we began to read the akathist.
On literally the third day, an old friend calls me and says:
- Dimitri, listen, are you still working in the church?
“In church,” I say.
- And, of course, you don’t have money.
- Of course not.
- Listen, here’s the thing, a friend, the chief accountant of the bank, was balancing the balance, and somehow she had 40 thousand hanging around, neither here nor there, as if they were extra, wouldn’t you take it? She wanted to donate to one of the believers so that they could pray.
“I’ll take it,” I say, “of course I’ll take it, I’ll take it with great joy.”
And took. And brought it home. Forty thousand rubles was a lot of money at that time. My wife and I were shocked. Incredible, unthinkable!
We decided to give half of the money to help one St. Nicholas Monastery in the Kaluga region, and for the other half we lived comfortably, I don’t remember how long, but for a long time. However, money tends to run out, and we were again despondent, but decided to take up the akathist again. And on the second day my friend called again:
- Dimitri, how is it, still in the church?
- In the church.
- Listen, it’s the same story again, only this time it’s 50 thousand, will you take it?
I probably won’t be able to write about my experiences and feelings with my wife. You need to think about this for a long time, like poetry. We again halved the money in the same areas and lived comfortably for another significant period of time, and there I became a deacon, then a priest, and life took a completely different turn. But to this day and, I hope, until death, my mother and I treat the great and most holy name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with love, fear, trepidation and delight. Through his prayers and to you all, on the day of his holy memory and all days - salvation and help from God, intercession and consolation in all sorrows, sorrows and adversities. I believe that the great Saint will wipe away with his omophorion every tear you shed, will support with his right hand everyone who has raised their foot over the perilous abyss, will warm with the fire of his heart our sinful, weak, but faithful souls who have caught a cold in the cold winds of this century.
Priest Dimitry Arzumanov
Help of St. Nicholas in healing the disease
About 4 days before the Nativity of Christ in 1887, a peasant from the Kostroma province of Buisky district, retired private Filimon Otvagin, came to the Nikolo-Babaevsky Monastery, suffering from relaxation of the entire right side of his body, and he could not control his right hand and dragged his right leg - he walked with the help of others. The certificate issued to him from the Vologda Zemstvo Hospital stated that he was there recovering from “semi-paralysis of the right half of the body, resulting from embolism of the cerebral vessels, a completely incurable disease and preventing him from engaging in personal physical labor.” On the night of December 25-26, Otvagin reports, in a dream he saw St. Nicholas the Wonderworker standing at his head, and to the right the Most Holy Theotokos. The saint told him:
- Work hard and pray with me, the Lord will grant you healing.
The Queen of Heaven told him the same thing.
When he woke up, he began to feel the strength in the previously uncontrolled members, and he brought his right hand to his head, which he could not do before, and crossed himself with his left hand. Arriving on the morning of the 26th for the early liturgy, he was already able to freely make the sign of the cross with his right hand. Now he feels healed and wishes to stay in the monastery forever.
Miraculous rescue of a baby by Nicholas the Wonderworker
There lived a husband and wife in Kyiv who had an only son—still a baby. These pious people had special faith in Saint Nicholas and the martyrs Boris and Gleb. One day they were returning after a holiday from Vyshgorod, where the holy relics of the holy martyrs were located. While sailing along the Dnieper on a boat, the wife, holding the baby in her arms, dozed off and dropped the child into the water. It is impossible to imagine the grief of the poor parents. In their complaints, they addressed especially St. Nicholas with complaint and reproach. Soon the unfortunate people came to their senses and, deciding that, apparently, they had somehow angered God, they turned to the Wonderworker with fervent prayer, asking for forgiveness and consolation in the grief that had befallen them.
The next morning, the sexton of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, arriving at the temple, heard a child crying. Together with the watchman, he entered the choir. Here, in front of the image of St. Nicholas, they saw a baby lying, all wet, as if it had just been taken from the water. The news of the found baby quickly reached the parents. They immediately ran to the church and here they actually recognized their drowned child in the child. Joyful, they returned home, thanking God and His great Wonderworker. The image of the saint, in front of whom the drowned baby was found, is still called “Nicholas the Wet”.
(Based on materials from the book “New Miracles of St. Nicholas.” Author - Vladimir Gubanov, Trim publishing house, Moscow, 1996.)
Help from St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with money
I will remember this incident for the rest of my life. This was in the very first year of my service in the temple. My close friend Mikhail helped me then. In the summer, the village authorities finally evicted the veterinary hospital that had occupied it for a number of years from the house that had already been officially transferred to the church. The former owners left us real ruins, especially in the part of the house that they did not occupy. Repairs had to be done urgently, as autumn was approaching. We soon managed to find workers and come to an agreement with them. All that remained was to get the required amount of money. Very few people went to the temple, but we were lucky again, by the grace of God we soon collected this money. When they reported this to the workers’ foreman, they heard the following from him: “You will pay us one and a half times more, or we will move to another site.”
Mikhail and I had no choice but to enter our church, among the mangled, scorched walls with protruding reinforcement, raise our hands to Heaven and turn to the true abbot: “Father Saint Nicholas, you see everything. As you please, so be it.” We didn't expect anything. Not even five minutes had passed, a man came through the door and, we ourselves were amazed, donated exactly the amount of money we needed.
“Rejoice Nicholas, quick helper and glorious miracle worker.” In the fall we already lived in the Church House.
Priest Alexy Timofeev tells
Tell us how Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker helped you
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It turns out that we know the least about our most beloved saints. We are talking about the Mother of God and about. On the map of the world it is difficult to find a Christian city where the Mother of God would not show Her miraculous love, healing and protecting people. This also applies to the Archbishop of Myra.
Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the miracle worker, became famous as a great saint of God. He was born in the city of Patara, Lycian region (on the southern coast of the Asia Minor Peninsula), and was the only son of pious parents Theophanes and Nonna, who vowed to dedicate him to God.
Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of sailors, merchants and children.
However, absolutely everyone turns to him with everyday problems: it is believed that Nikolai Ugodnik is the fastest helper, a source of spiritual support, an intercessor and savior from injustice and unnecessary death. Nicholas performed miracles both during his life and after his death. Here are some of them:
The theft that saved the shrine
Surprisingly, the most “popular” saint in Russia was born in the 3rd century after the Nativity of Christ in Asia Minor - on the territory of modern Turkey. In the town square in the Turkish city of Demre, a huge Santa Claus rises - this is St. Nicholas. Also in the city is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the southern part of the temple there is a sarcophagus in which the saint was originally buried. In 1087, the Italians stole about 80 percent of the relics of St. Nicholas from the Byzantine church and reburied them in the city of Bari.
After this, the temple was attacked and subsequently flooded by the dirty waters of the Miros River. But the saint’s relics were already safe - they miraculously survived.
According to church sources, this did not happen by chance: Nicholas the Pleasant appeared to one of the Italian priests in a dream, ordering his relics to be transported to Bari.
fragrant branch
The remaining part of the relics, nine years after the Barian raid, was removed from the sarcophagus in Demre by the Venetians. They dismantled the tomb, where they found only water and church oil, and then searched the entire church, subjecting the guards to torture. One of them could not stand it and showed the relics, but of two other saints - the predecessors of St. Nicholas: the martyr Theodore and the uncle of St. Nicholas, who was also a priest.
“When the Venetians were already sailing from the shore, they suddenly felt a fragrance emanating from the direction of the church. Returning there and breaking the floor of the altar, they began to dig and discovered another floor under a layer of earth. Having destroyed it, they found a thick layer of glassy substance, and in the middle - a mass of petrified asphalt. When they opened it, they saw inside another sintered mixture of metal and asphalt, and inside it were holy relics. A wonderful fragrance spread throughout the church.”
The bishop wrapped the saint's relics in his robe.
Here the first miracle took place at the relics of St. Nicholas - a palm branch brought by the Saint from Jerusalem and placed with him in the coffin sprouted.
The Venetians took the branch with them as proof of God's power.
On August 11, Christians celebrate the birth of St. Nicholas. He is revered as the patron saint of sailors, merchants and children. In addition, absolutely everyone who needs help turns to him with their problems. It is believed that it is Nikolai Ugodnik who comes to the rescue most quickly and is the savior from injustice and unnecessary death. It is no coincidence that he is called Nicholas the Wonderworker. The saint performed his miracles both during life and after death. Let's look at the most famous cases.
Rescue of homeless women
According to the description of the saint’s life, when Nicholas was still a young priest, one of his parishioners went bankrupt. He had three marriageable daughters, but no money for their dowry. The father saw only one solution to his problems: to give his daughters to harlots. Nikolai decided to save the girls and at night threw a wallet with gold into the parishioner’s house. He did this three times. The owner of the house found out who was helping him and wanted to thank him, but Nikolai did not accept the help and forbade him to talk about it.
Lucky theft
An amazing story happened after the death of Nicholas the Wonderworker with his relics. In the 11th century, the Turks ravaged the lands in Asia Minor and destroyed all traces of Christianity. Destruction also awaited the relics of St. Nicholas, which were in the city of Demre. One day, Nicholas appeared to one of the priests in Italy and asked him to hide his remains more securely. In April 1087, Christians from the city of Bari (Italy) managed to steal the relics of the saint, took them to their city and placed them in the Church of St. Stephen. Several miraculous healings of believers from ailments immediately took place here. And the temple in Demre was subjected to many attacks after that, and was later flooded by the dirty waters of the Miro River.
Sailor Rescue
They say that Nicholas often helped sailors during his travels. So, one day, on the way to Palestine, Nikolai predicted that a terrible storm would soon break out. Almost immediately a strong wind arose, the waves raged, and it was clear that the ship would not survive. The panic began. Nikolai began to pray, and the elements calmed down.
They also say that the Wonderworker was able to resurrect people. So, one of the sailors slipped and fell on the deck. After Nicholas’ prayer, the young man came to life.
Salvation of Lycia
While Nicholas was traveling to Palestine, famine began in his home country of Lycia. All remnants of food were eaten, and people were preparing for death. At this time, one Italian merchant, whose ship was full of bread, saw the Wonderworker Nicholas in a dream. He ordered him to take the bread to Lycia and even gave him three gold coins as a deposit. The merchant woke up and found money in his hand and believed in the dream. So he went to Lycia, where he sold all his grain and saved the population.
Zoya's standing
One of the most amazing events happened in the city of Kuibyshev in 1956. On New Year's Eve, the girl Zoya did not wait for her groom. All her friends were dancing, and she was the only one who didn’t have a partner. Then she took the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and began to dance with it. To the cries of her friends, she replied: “If there is a God, let Him punish me!” And suddenly the girl seemed to be petrified - she froze in place with the icon of the saint pressed to her chest, and no one could move her. The girl did not move, but her heart continued to beat. When this story reached the authorities, the house was blocked off, and police were posted around. On the day of the Annunciation, some old man begged the guards to let him through to the girl. Entering the house, he asked Zoya: “Well, are you tired of standing?” The guards looked into the room, the old man was no longer there. Zoya stayed until Easter - four months.
People say that Saint Nicholas still performs miracles today. Everyone who turns to him for help receives it. That is why in the cities where the relics of the saint are brought, huge queues of sufferers line up.
On October 19, 2009, in Perm, the gas pedal of a bus driving along the main street jammed. He couldn't stop on his own. It happened during rush hour in the morning, when everyone was going to work. The bus rushed through the city center for about three kilometers - and not a single one was seriously injured. The video footage shows how the pedestrian miraculously avoided being run over. Mild concussion in four people. The driver followed what turned out to be the only safe route. On his way, he did not come across any trams, trolleybuses, or buses, although he crossed many intersections. He turned slightly just in front of the former cathedral and the Church of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh - towards the monument to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. And he stopped on the stairs towards him: the wheels hung in the air.
Eyewitnesses say: “If the driver had made a sharper turn, he would have gone head over heels; if he had continued straight, he would have rushed past the gallery and, most likely, would have fallen from a height of 3-5 meters onto the embankment.” People perceived it as a miracle, Vesti says.
Alena Belyaeva told the Pravoslavie.ru portal that one day she and her family went on vacation to the sea by car. Mom insisted on taking the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with her. Having argued, the young people finally took the icon and, not having had time to drive 100 km from the house, they witnessed an accident: “Another car flew into the car in front of us from the oncoming lane at speed, and they, hitting their heads, began to spin in front of us... Glass, plastic, spare parts were flying at us, and the cars themselves were flying at us... I realized that I wouldn’t have time to read the prayer. At that time, my husband was turning the steering wheel in different directions so that we were thrown from side to side. We woke up. 200 meters later, when we realized that the mangled cars were left behind, and there was not a scratch left on our car. My husband said that when he tried to avoid the collision, time slowed down, like in the movie. That’s how Nikolai the Wonderworker helped us. It was a miracle. "
