This agreement was reached last year at a historic meeting in Cuba. Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill. Saint Nicholas- one of the most revered saints among Catholics, Orthodox, and indeed all Christians. For the majority of Orthodox Christians in Russia, a pilgrimage to Bari is difficult, although hundreds of our compatriots come there every year.
Where and when you can bow to the relics
From May 22 to July 12, the relics will be available to pilgrims in Moscow at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. May 22 from 12.00 to 21.00. From May 23 to July 12, pilgrims will have access from 8.00 to 21.00. From July 13 to July 28, the relics will be in St. Petersburg.Who is Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nicholas the Pleasant and even Santa Claus - this is the name of one of the most revered saints in the world, the righteous archbishop, who lived in the years 270-345 in Byzantium. On a boat trip to Palestine, he pacified a storm and resurrected a sailor. The miracle-working image of St. Nicholas of Mozhaisky is evidence of the mercy of Nicholas the Wonderworker for our country and for our ancestors. During the siege of Mozhaisk by the Mongols, an amazing sign appeared in the sky. Saint Nicholas appeared to be standing in the air above the cathedral: in one hand he was holding a sword, and in the other an image of a temple enclosed by a fortress, which made the Mozhaisians happy and frightened the enemies. The enemy was terrified by the vision, lifted the siege and fled.
The marble throne over the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the crypt of the basilica in the Italian city of Bari. Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Yuriev
What is the history of gaining relics
No-ko-lai Mir-li-kiy-sky died, as the chroniclers wrote, having reached a deep old age "at the age of over 70 years." "After a short-lived forest sickness, he passed into an eternal blissful life." Saint-te-l Ni-ko-lai was for-ho-ro-not-n about-lo of the church, in which he served, on the territory of modern Turkey. In the IX century. im-pe-ra-tor Va-si-liy I so-bi-ral-sya pe-re-carry-ti-ti-ty-te-la Ni-ko-lai to Kon-stan-ti-no-pol, but was stopped at two- ryah in a certain miraculous manner. Then, "very angry-angry-shit", he told me to-print his power in white stone sar-ko-fa-ge and in stand under half a hour-ow-no - pri-de-la church-vi Si-o-na, so that "no one else could take the remains." In 1087, in the go-ro-de Bari, the saint Ni-ko-lai appeared in a dream to an honest and bla-go-go-wei-no-mu saint and shouted: “Go and tell the people and all the so-bo-rus-tser-kov-no-mu, so that they go and take me from Mir and lo- live in this city, because I can't stay there empty-handed. " And by that time, the inhabitants of the city of Mir Lycian really left it, fearing enemies. Only a few monks remained in the sarcophagus. An expedition of Italians managed to transport part of the relics to Bari in a wooden box - an ark - in 1087. From that moment on, the relics of the saint never left Bari.
What part of the relics will come to Russia
“The relics are covered with a three-layer marble slab with a small hole in order to get the myrrh exuded from the relics of the saint, - says rector of the Patriarchal Compound of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari, Archpriest Andrei Boytsov... - Before in Bari there was no practice of separating particles from relics. The only time the relics of St. Nicholas rose from under the slope, from under the throne, in 1953 in connection with fundamental restoration work in the basilica - then they were kept in a nearby church. At the same time, by the way, one part was sealed in a sealed flask, and there, as well as from the main part of the relics, myrrh was formed. It was decided to remove part of the relics through the hole for collecting peace. Physicians specially invited by the Archbishop of Bari raised the left rib with the help of modern equipment. I find it especially touching that exactly the part that was next to the heart of St. Nicholas, a heart full of Christian love for God and neighbor, will arrive in Russia. "
The worse the powers that are stored in Russia
“Here we touch upon the issue of the authenticity of the shrines, the authenticity of these particles,” says Archpriest Andrei Boytsov. - When the relics of the saint from Bari are brought to Russia, we have a one hundred percent guarantee. After all, the Barians took the relics from the shrine where they rested, and no one touched them for 930 years. If we are talking about genuine particles of relics - of course, the grace of God acts everywhere, including through icons and relics. It doesn't matter whether whole or through particles. But a pilgrimage is a kind of feat. The bringing of the relics is a historic, epoch-making event. Of course, I recommend everyone to come and bow to them. "
What does the miracle worker help with
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants and children. He is also the patron saint of prisoners and all unjustly convicted. It helps everyone get married, even desperate old maids, and helps childless couples in finding children. In general, Nikolai Ugodnik is the quickest assistant for everyone. Therefore, it is to him that they most often turn with a variety of requests.
Saint Nicholas became famous as a great saint of God and one of the most revered Saints in the entire Christian world, as an early helper in the most seemingly hopeless and insoluble problems - both spiritual and everyday.
Nikolai the Pleasant lived to a ripe old age and died peacefully in about 351. His honest relics were kept incorrupt in the local cathedral church and exuded a healing myrrh, from which many received healing. In 1087, his relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bari, where they rest to this day.
Where were the relics of the Saint
Believers can worship the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker already in Russia - for the first time in 930 years, the relics of the saint have left the Italian city of Bari.
The relics of the saint were delivered to Russia on May 21 - the relic was brought to the cathedral cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow by the beginning of the evening service, on the eve of the commemoration day of St. Nicholas. The festive service and meeting of the relics on May 21 at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
© photo: Sputnik / Sergey Pyatakov
Pilgrims' access to the shrine in Moscow will be organized on May 22 from 12:00 to 21:00. The relics of Nikolai the Pleasant will be in Russia until July 28, 2017.
Miracle worker
Saint Nicholas was born thanks to the prayer of desperate parents who did not have children for a long time. He was born in 270 in the town of Patara, which was located in the region of Lycia in Asia Minor (now the territory of Turkey) and was a Greek colony.
The parents of the future archbishop were very wealthy people, but at the same time they believed in Christ and actively helped the poor. From childhood, the saint devoted himself completely to the faith, spent a lot of time in the church. Having matured, he became a reader, and then a priest in the church, where his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patarsky, served as the rector.
After the death of his parents, Nicholas the Wonderworker distributed all his inheritance to the poor and continued his church ministry. In the years when the attitude of the Roman emperors towards Christians became more tolerant, but the persecution nevertheless continued, he ascended the episcopal throne in Mir. Now this town is called Demre, which is located in the province of Antalya in Turkey.
© photo: Sputnik / Alexander Yuriev
People fell in love with the new archbishop - he was kind, meek, fair and sympathetic. Not a single request to him remained unanswered. With all this, Saint Nicholas was remembered by his contemporaries as an implacable fighter against paganism - he destroyed idols and temples, and the defender of Christianity - denounced heretics.
During his lifetime, the saint became famous for many miracles. He saved the city of Mira from a terrible famine - with his fervent prayer to Christ. He prayed and thus helped drowning sailors on ships, led unjustly convicted people out of captivity in prisons.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint of all itinerants.
The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.
Italy is famous for its many Christian shrines, especially believers love to visit the city of Bari - the capital of Puglia. Italy ranks first in Europe in terms of the number of sights and cultural monuments. For any religious person, this city has an important value. Here is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Basilica di San Nicola) - a Russian church dedicated to the saint, revered by many believers, where his relics are kept.
The Basilica of Barsky Castle is a unique monument of Russian architecture, which is decorated with a solemn facade, richly carved and crowned with arches. The splendid architectural complex stands out among other buildings of the new city with its impressive proportions and architectural forms.
Many architectural structures arose outside of Russia, but almost all of them were built in the Moscow or Yaroslavl style. The city of Bari is famous for its grandiose complex, which resembles an ancient Russian tower. The building was made in the Novgorod-Pskov style of architecture of the 15th century. The stone one-domed church is designed for 260 people.
The Bar Grad courtyard consists of a beautiful temple, cozy buildings for receiving pilgrims, and a delightful large garden. This complex is a spiritual haven for pilgrims from Russia who visit the city in the hope of seeing the relics of the saint.
The church and the courtyard were built with money collected throughout the Russian Empire. Since for a long time it was not possible to restore the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Lycian World, in 1911 the Bargrad committee was founded, which was patronized by the emperor himself. The task of the organization was the construction of an inn in Bari for travelers who flocked to the relics of the great miracle worker, as well as the construction of a church that adequately reflected Orthodox art.
The celebration of the memory of the Wonderworker was established on December 19 and May 22, and then the Bargrad gathering was organized. Donations for the church from Princess Elizabeth Feodorovna in the amount of 3 thousand rubles were also transferred to the committee, 10 thousand and an impressive amount of 246 thousand rubles were received from Emperor Nicholas II, which were previously collected for the temple in Mir Lycia.
Construction project
In the spring of 1912, a project was already ready, drawn up by the famous connoisseur of ancient temple architecture A.V. Shchusev, in the personal archive of the architect there are many working drawings, sketches, various options for creating interior decoration, developed to the smallest detail. However, due to the outbreak of the revolution, the work was stopped, and the architectural monument is still without the rich interior conceived.
Italy and Russia planted their national flags on the site when construction began in 1913. In 1914, a shelter for pilgrims was already running, and later it became a temporary shelter for refugees.
Russian émigrés became caretakers of church property abroad, seeking to preserve it for a revived Russia. But in the 30s of the 20th century, the temple became the property of the city municipality, against the will of the people who built it. The inn and the church in Bari were temporarily abandoned, and the pilgrimage to the holy relics ceased.
The basilica lost almost all church property, valuable things, such as a library, old utensils, and several dozen ancient icons, disappeared without a trace. The magnificent decoration and ancient icons had already been prepared for the church, but because of the revolution it became impossible to deliver them from the Russian Empire. They were going to entrust the artist K.S. Petrov-Vodkin with painting the new church, but he could not leave.
Russian believers in Italy became much smaller after the revolution, and only thanks to the large Greek diaspora of the Orthodox faith, which especially venerated Saint Spyridon of Trimifuntsky (Salamis), in 1921 the lower parish was consecrated in his honor.
Only in 2009, Italy transferred the Basilica to the Russian department, and now the temple has again become the property and pride of the Russian Church. Simultaneously with the creation of the temple complex in Bari, the construction of a new "Bargradsky" temple in St. Petersburg was laid. The Italian and Russian Bargrad churches are even similar to each other - one-domed, square, bell towers are located above the western walls, a gable roof, domes similar to a military helmet.
Iconostasis of the Courtyard
The iconostasis is a canonical composition: the image of the Savior and the Mother of God icon with the Child - to the right of the Royal Gate, the image of St. Nicholas is to the left of them. From left to right in the iconostasis there are also icons of St. Tsarina Alexandra, St. Healer and Great Martyr Panteleimon, St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, Great Martyr and Victorious George, Sergius of Radonezh, Alexander Nevsky, St. Seraphim of Sarov, the miracle worker Spyridon of Trimyphuntsky. Further, the Basilica is decorated with icons of Saints Basil, Gregory and John, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga.
In Apulia, the icon of the holy unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian is very revered; it was placed on the north side above the entrance to the temple. The icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" was painted by the artist A. Benois-Konsky together with his wife. Below the icon of the Mother of God is the Savior on the Throne.
Among the shrines in the lower aisle there is an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, where his relics are kept. Since 1087, the holy relics of St. Nicholas have been carefully preserved in the Basilica chapel. To the right of the entrance to the upper temple of the basilica is the great temple image.
Above the entrance to the basilica, there is a mosaic icon, which depicts: the Savior, the Mother of God and Saint Nicholas with the Gospel in hand, painted by the Italian artist Niccolo Colonna in 1967.
The impressive chandelier was made in Serbia using donations from Russian emigrants. Installed in 1998, it stands out noticeably against the background of the snow-white vault. In front of the architectural complex there is a sculpture of St. Nicholas, masterfully executed by the Russian sculptor V.M.Klykov.
Pilgrimage to the relics
Even after his repose, Saint Nicholas never ceases to take care of his spiritual children, heeding their prayers and helping those who are sick and suffering. Especially his prayers help children, the elderly, the poor and sick, merchants, sailors and travelers. The saint is revered in all confessions - Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim and even pagans.
Thousands of Russian pilgrims come to the city of Bari every year. Orthodox pilgrims have the right to perform services and prayers, to contemplate the healing relics of the saint. Many travelers receive divine healing help from the great saint of God. The city of Bari can be proud to have such a shrine as the venerable icon of the saint and his relics.
Useful information
- Address: city of Bari, Basilica of St. Nicholas (Basilica di San Nicola)
- The church is open daily from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm. the entrance is free.
- Every Thursday at 10:30 the church begins worship with the Eucharist (except for Great Lent).
- Prayer with akathist: Thursday - 16:00, on other days - 11:00.
- How to get there: a ferry goes to the city of Bari to the port, the temple is located next to the sea coast. From the port to the church you can walk in 10 minutes, the train station is 15 minutes walk.
- Official site: bargrad.com
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One of the most important helpers for believers is Nicholas the Savior, who, during his lifetime, answered the requests of those in need. After his death, people pray in front of his image, and the main place of pilgrimage is the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker. You can ask a saint about solving various problems.
How did you get the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?
After his death, the saint was buried in a city called Mira. At that time, wars took place in these lands and people tried to leave the cities, moving to more secluded areas in the city. The Barians decided to take advantage of this, who wanted to get the relics of the saint, since in their city he was considered the main patron saint. In the history of how the relics of Nicholas were taken out, it is indicated that in 1097 a detachment attacked the temple and stole most of the relics of the saint. According to the new style, the relic was delivered to the city of Bari on May 9.
Where are the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker?
After the abduction of the remains, part of the relics remained in the city of Mira, but they also did not remain in their homeland and were stolen. As a result, they ended up on the island of Lido in Venice. The bulk of the remains of the saint are in Bari. After the transportation of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, they were located in the local Cathedral, and after a while a temple was built, which received its name in honor of the saint. In 1989, the shrine was housed in an underground chapel in the Basilica. Every year the clergy collect myrrh from the relics, dilute it with holy water and distribute it to the pilgrims.
How do the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker help?
The saint helps people in different situations, so near his relics you can ask for many things:
- He is the patron saint of wanderers and sailors, so if close people are on the way, then you can ask the Wonderworker for their well-being and a successful return home.
- The worship of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker can be done in order to protect children from problems, to strengthen their health and direct them to the righteous path.
- The saint is an assistant in the reconciliation of warring people.
- Lonely girls and guys turn to the Wonderworker to help them find a soul mate and find them.
- There is a lot of evidence that the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were healed of various diseases.
- The saint helps people who want to reform and embark on a righteous path. Relatives pray for the innocently convicted people, asking for their release.
How to worship the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker correctly?
Sometimes the relics are transported to other churches so that believers in other cities can venerate the shrine. There are certain rules that apply to visiting the temple in which the relic is located. Use the following tips on how to worship the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker:
- After a person enters the temple, he must be filled with deep faith. The relic must be approached without haste. It is important to remember that this is a holy place, so there is no need to push.
- Before bowing to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, approaching the ark, mentally read a prayer addressed to the saint.
- In front of the shrine, bow twice in the belt, crossing yourself. After that, you can kiss the relics, and then, step aside, and cross yourself a third time and bow.
- The pilgrimage to the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has not stopped for a long time and people from different parts of the world come to the relic, although worship does not take a few seconds.
What do they ask of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?
If a person managed to touch the relic, then he can ask for the most cherished, for example, healing, the birth of a child, the search for a robot, marriage, and so on. It is important that admiration for the relics is accompanied by sincere prayers, and every word should be spoken from a pure heart. The priests claim that the saint helps everyone who deserves it, but first of all, you need to pray that he will help to enter the eternal kingdom of the Lord.
How to pray to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker?
When visiting the temple where the relic is located, it is imperative to read a special prayer addressed to the saint. There are several prayer texts and they are all approved for use. A visit to the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is an important event in the life of believers, therefore it is recommended to memorize the text. There are short prayers and one of them is presented above. After visiting the temple, it is recommended to pray in front of the image of the holy house.
The relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker - miracles
There are many stories that prove God's strength and power of the relic, so a huge number of believers strive to bow to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker in order to experience all the benefits.
- When the second part of the relics was taken out of the city of Myra, the bishop placed next to them a palm branch, which had been brought from Jerusalem. After a while, people noticed that she gave shoots.
- Pilgrims come to the shrine with terrible diagnoses, for example, many women dreamed of a child, but doctors talked about infertility, and a year after the application to the relics, women came to the temple again to baptize their babies. There is evidence of healing for cancer and other serious illnesses.
About seventeen centuries have passed since the time when Saint and Pleasant of God Nicholas, the great Wonderworker, Archbishop of Mirlikia, lived and asceticised on earth. He is honored and glorified by the entire Christian family. The Providence of God was pleased to send Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker to earth in one of the most difficult times for Christianity.
And now modern pilgrims rush to the place where the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker are located.
Brief the history of the saint's life
Svyatoch was born about 270 in the city of Patara, in the Lycian region (now it is the territory of modern Turkey).
His mother and father, Nonna and Theophanes, came from a noble and pious family and were very prosperous. But wealth and noble title did not prevent them from being reputed to be merciful to the poor and zealous to the prayer of God. For many years they prayed to the Creator to give them a son, "in return" the couple promised to devote his life to serving God. Their prayer was heard and from Above the family was given a son, named in Holy Baptism Nicholas.
The parents understood that their child was destined for a special service to God, so they paid special attention to his upbringing, instilled in Christian values and directed him to the righteous path.
Nikolai did well in his studies. He was not interested in conversations with peers about worldly things, everything bad was alien. He avoided sinful entertainment, was chaste and spent his free time reading the Holy Scriptures, divine books, and prayed a lot.
Soon Nicholas was ordained a reader and later a presbyter.
The Lord vouchsafed Nicholas to live to a ripe old age. At the end of his years, he fell seriously ill and peacefully departed to Christ, to the heavenly abodes on December 6, 342. The burial took place in Mira in the cathedral church.
Temples consecrated in honor of Nicholas the Pleasant:
Holy relics
After 700 years after the death of the benefactor, ruin and devastation reigned in Lycia, this happened after the invasion of the Saracens - nomads, robbers, Bedouins.
On the ruins of the temple, where the remains of the saint rested, monks were on duty. In 1087, Nicholas came to one of the Bari presbyters in a dreamy vision and ordered to urgently transfer his body to Bari. For this, three ships were equipped, and presbyters and noble townspeople settled on them under the guise of merchants.
This precaution was necessary because the Venetians wanted to intercept the procession and bring the holy remains to their city.
Merchants sailed through Egypt and Palestine, conducting trade on the way so as not to arouse suspicion. Finally, they ended up in Lycia. They opened a white marble tomb.
To the surprise of those present, she turned out to be filled to the brim with a fragrant world, and the body of Nicholas rested in it. The baryans could not take the heavy tomb with them, so they transferred the remains to the prepared ark and went to their homeland.
The relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the city of Bari, Italy
After 20 days, on May 9, 1087, they arrived in Bari. Here the Liturgy was served with many clergy, and the relics were assigned to the Church of St. Eustathius. And after 2 years, the crypt of the new church was consecrated in the name of Nicholas the Pleasant, and the remains were solemnly transferred there.
Important! The incorruptible body still streams myrrh, and many miracles are performed from it. With faith to those who are anointed, the saint bestows healing from bodily and physical ailments, drives away unclean spirits.
At the end of the 11th century, the holy relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker were transferred to the city of Bar.
How to kiss the remains
There are unspoken rules for applying to holy remains:
- when approaching cancer, one should not rush, push, crowd;
- it is undesirable to have bags, packages with you;
- kissing the shrine with painted lips is prohibited;
- before approaching the shrine, it is necessary to bow twice and cross, and make the third bow after applying;
- you cannot kiss the saints on the face.
Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
The image of the saint
In 1953, restoration work was carried out in the church in which the crypt is located. One of the anatomists received permission from the Vatican to examine the bones, according to which a conclusion was made.