St. Nicholas

Nicholas was born during the 3rd century AD in Patara, then Greece, now Turkey.  His  wealthy parents raised him as a devout Christian.  Obeying  the words of Jesus, to sell what you own and give the money to the poor, Nicholas used his inheritance to that end.  He dedicated his life to serving God and as a young man was made Bishop of Myra (modern day Demre).  He was known throughout for his generosity to those in need, love for children and concern for sailors and ships.  Under one Roman Emperor, Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled, imprisoned, and eventually released.  He attended the Council of Nicea in 325, the first council called to preserve the unity of the church.  He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his church.  The date of his death is a great celebration day in many European countries.  There are over 2000 churches named for him throughout the world.

THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS


The church to honor St. Nicholas and contained his tomb, was built in AD 520 on the foundation of the older Christian Church where St. Nicholas served as Bishop.  Over time the river changed course and the church was eventually fill with silt and buried.  In 1862 the Russian Tsar, Nicholas I, began restoration of the church.  Restoration is still ongoing, and beautiful mosaics and frescoes are being gently uncovered and restored. This church is regarded as the 3rd most important Byzantine structure in Turkey.

There are plenty of signs to direct you to the spot

Views from around the outside; restoration clearly in progress

Frescoes and Mosaics.  The Frescoes never cease to amaze me nor the intricacy of the mosaic designs.

Views inside the complex.  The upper photo appeared to be some water source, but in some literature, they say it could be a tomb;  they use such a variation and size of materials to rebuild the walls

Inside the actual chapel; the ceiling was a sort of brick; the columns marbles and granites; the alter is small, there in the center; you can see in the background photo the coins left by the thousands of visitors on the altar.

Hallway holding the tomb of St. Nicholas

 The tomb of St. Nicholas became a popular place of pilgrimage.  Because of unrest in the region of Myra, the Italians, in 1087, took it upon themselves to break into the sarcophagus and remove the bones of St. Nicholas and transport them to Bari, Italy.  The Turkish Government, in 2009, have asked for the remains to be returned to their rightful resting place.

The empty, broken sarcophagus

St. Nicholas, (Sinterklass, the Dutch name from which all other names originated, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Pa Pa Noel,  here in Turkey, Ba Ba Noel, and countless other names around the world), has continued to be honored throughout the ages for his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, and for living a compassionate life.  Maybe at this time of year it would be appropriate to reflect on the real St. Nicholas and his mission in life rather than the jolly man in red that seems to have taken his place.