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Licznik odwiedzin
| Today | 393 |
| Total | 313638 |
| About St. Nicolas |
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The bishop of needy There are many stories about the support given by the St. Nicolas to people in need. Thanks to his earnest pray he sawed sailors from drowning. In Constantinople he personally intercede for three young man from Myra sentenced to death for minor violation by the Constantine the Great. The Saint with a pray restored to life three boys who were killed by the innkeeper after it turned out that they have no money to pay their due. He served ill people during the plague, putting his life into danger. There is also a story about the help that St. Nicolas gave to the poor father of three daughters. He discretly tossed a bag of gold through the window, providing needed dowries. Presents for children, boxes for poor girls The most renown custom related to the cult of St. Nicolas is giving presents to children on 6th or 24th of December. Primary those presents were very modest like apples, nuts painted in gold, gingerbread but sometimes birch. The tradition of endowing children with presents is to commemorate the generosity of the Saint given to three poor girls. In Poland the custom of endowing presents on the 6th of December was spread by the priest Piotr Skarga who founded in Krakow special box of St. Nicolas. Each year on the day of the Saint feast money collected in the box were shared among poor girls enabling them to get married or to enter the cloister. At the beginning of 19th century St. Nicolasâs procession came to Poland from Alsace. A men dressed in bishopâs robe was companioned by another dressed as an angle and other as a trashy looking old men. The last character was finally changed into a devil. On the 6th of December they were visiting houses where children have lived. Nowadays St. Nicolas feast day is widely celebrated with gift giving and merrymaking in Poland as well as in Europe. What do we know about St. Nicolas? St. Nicolas was born in the place called Patra in Asia Minor around year 270 A.C. His name originates in Greek words nike â victory, laos â people and literary means âvictorious peopleâ. St. Nicolas was a very much look forward child by his wealthy parents. Since childhood he was distinguished for the extraordinary piousness and sensitivity to human misfortune. After death of his parents St. Nicolas willingly shared his inherited wealth with needy. Thanks to support of an uncle he become a priest. One day St. Nicolas come to Myra (presently Derme) where he spent a night praying at the door of a temple. On the very next day, when the temple was open, he was warmly welcomed by bishops gathered inside who asked him to accept the dignity of bishop of the city.. During persecution of Christians at Diocletian and Maxymian reigns (beginning of 4th century) the Saint was imprisoned. He was released only in 313 A.C by the power of Edict of Milan. St. Nicolas also took part in the first Ecumenical Council in Nice in 325 A.C. Died on the 6 th of December being 72-80 years old. St. Nicolas was buried in Myra where he rested until 1087. It was at that time that Italian traders managed to get the permit form Turks to take relic of the Saint. On May 9, 1089 they were brought to Bari. On September 29, 1089 Pope Urban II ceremonially consecrated St. Nicolasâs tomb in basilica erected to commemorate him. In this very place, by the tomb of St. Nicolas in year Ecumenical Council took place which aimed for rejoining the Orthodox and the Roman Church. Nowadays St. Nicolas is the main patron of Bari though formerly it was St. Sabin. The Cult of St. Nicolas The oldest information about the cult of ST. Nicolas come from 4th century. At that time emperor Justinian erected one of the most beautiful basilica in Constantinople in memory of the Saint. The cult of the St. Nicolas gained great popularity what can be proved by the number of temples devoted to him. For example in Rome the number reaches dozen or so. In Poland the number of temples of St. Nicolas is the second, just after of those devoted to St. John the Baptist and before those devoted to St. Peter and Paul. He is recognised as one of the fourteen helpers. Moreover he is the patron of sailors, bakers, yang girls, students, children and shepards. The Saint is also very important for the Orthodox Church. He is the patron of Russia. |