TROPARION The sincerity of your deeds has revealed you to your people as a teacher of moderation, a model of faith, and an example of virtue. Therefore, you attained greatness through humility, and wealth through poverty. O Father and Archbishop Nicholas, ask Christ our God to save our Souls.

St. Nicholas is the Patron Saint of the Byzantine Catholic Church. During his life and in his death, many miracles were associated with him. Thus, he earned the name "St. Nicholas the Wonderworker".

St. Nicholas was born in a town in what is now Turkey in the middle of the third century. He was born into wealth, but gave up his wealth and dedicated himself to the service of the Lord. Under the persecution of Diocletian, St. Nicholas not only suffered torture, but also suffered imprisonment. When Constantine came into power, the church gained peace and St. Nicholas was released from prison. He was raised to the office of Archbishop of Myra which was the capital city of Lycia.

St. Nicholas dedicated himself to the care of his people and made great efforts to feed his people during times of famine. Because of these acts of charity and his observed holiness, St. Nicholas was revered as a saint even before his death. At the Council of Nicaea, St. Nicholas defended the true nature of Christ against the Arian heresy and helped write the Nicene Creed.

After a life of work in the vineyard of the Lord, St. Nicholas died on December 6th. The year he died is uncertain. He was a most revered saint of the early church and Justinian honored St. Nicholas by making December 6th a celebration of his feast day. The relics of St. Nicholas were transferred from the cathedral in Myra to Bari, Italy in the eleventh century. His body exudes even to this day an ointment called myron, which was used to anoint the sick which led to many miracles. This exuding of oil is called "manna of St. Nicholas". St. Nicholas is venerated as the patron saint of children and travelers.

Home Who Are We? Our Church Church Affiliation Church History Prayer Requests Gift Shop Links