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Some years after the famine, with his reputation as a miracle worker spread far and wide, a ship was crossing the sea to Asia Minor, when a terrible storm arose. The waves were so high that the ship took in a lot of water, the sails were torn to shreds, and the mast was swept away. The sailors, who were very afraid, called on Nicholas to help them. Suddenly the ship became steady, and when the sailors next looked at the helm they saw a stranger there. The stranger guided the ship safely through the storm until they reached Asia Minor, now Turkey, and then he disappeared.

The men went to the Cathedral at Myra, where Nicholas was celebrating Mass, to give thanks for their deliverance. But when they saw Nicholas they realized that he was the unknown helmsman who had guided them to safety. They fell on their knees and gave thanks for this miracle, and Nicholas blessed them and spoke to them. They remembered his words for the rest of their lives, and that is why all sailors now have Nicholas as their patron saint.

Three small children were gleaning wheat in the fields. As they worked and played, they wandered off into the town. Walking about and exploring, the children forgot the time.

 

When it was late and the sun was going down, the children were hungry, tired and lost. They came to a lighted butcher’s shop, knocked and said, “We are lost and hungry. May we eat and sleep here?” “Oh, yes,” came the reply, “do come in.”

 

As they entered , the butcher took a sharp knife, cut them up, and put them in a large salting tub. Seven years pass.

 

There was a knock at the door and Bishop Saint Nicholas appeared, saying to the evil butcher, “Open your large salting tub!” The saint put his hand on the tub and, appealing to God, said, “Rise up, children.” The little children woke and stood up. Their families joyfully welcome them home.

 

Ever since St. Nicholas has been the patron and protector of children.

The people of Myra were suffering from famine, One day a ship loaded with grain, but on its way to Constantinople, sailed into the harbour. When the people saw it they asked the captain if he could let them have some corn. But he refused, telling them that his cargo had been carefully weighed, and that his masters would know if he gave any away. But then Nicholas went to him and said: “If you help these hungry people, God will see that you do not lose any of your corn.” The captain then gave Nicholas some sacks of corn, which he distributed among the people.

 

When the ship arrived at Constantinople and the corn was weighed, not an ounce was missing. But the corn that the captain had left behind at Myra lasted for years, for some of it was sown in the fields, and there was plenty for everybody.

All the people of the city wanted to join in the festivities of Nicholas’ consecration as Bishop of Myra. There was one young mother who was about to bathe her baby when she heard the ringing of the cathedral bells. Quickly she put her best dress on and ran to the church, but in her excitement she forgot about her little baby, who was still in the bathtub. In those days, water for a bath was heated by placing the filled bathtub over a low fire.

 

There was a great assembly of priests and bishops at the altar of the cathedral, and the bishops all laid their hands upon Nicholas and that made him a bishop. The young mother, filled with reverence, joined all the people in singing the hymns of praise. She still did not think about her baby whom she had left at home.

 

As she entered the house, smoke and steam overwhelmed her, and suddenly she remembered her baby. In terror, imagining him burned to death, she pulled open the door, only to find him sitting in the bath, very happy and quite unharmed. She picked him up and embraced him, and then she knelt down to thank God that Nicholas had saved her baby’s life.

Not long after Nicholas return from his pilgrimage, it happened that the Bishop of Myra died. The people said that the first man to enter the church the next morning was to be their new bishop. As usual Nicholas arose very early and went to the church. The people waiting there, saw him and said: “Nicholas is to be our new bishop, it is the will of God!”

 

Though Nicholas has thought of living a life of solitude, he decided it would be wrong to ignore what had just happened. So Nicholas accepted the will of the people and on the day of his consecration there were great celebrations in Myra.

The merriment of the deliverance from the storm and their comfort, however, was dampened by grief over a fellow sailor’s death. As Nicholas prayed over the dead sailor, he was revived, “as if he had only been asleep.” The man awakened without pain and the ship finished the journey to the Holy Land. Nicholas then embarked on his pilgrimage to the holy places, walking where Jesus had walked. One night he wanted to pray at the only church remaining at the time in Jerusalem, the Church of the Room of the Last Supper on Mount Zion.* As he approached the heavy, locked doors, they swung open of their own accord, allowing him to enter the church. Nicholas fell to the ground in thanksgiving. Before returning to Lycia, he visited the Holy Sepulchre, Golgotha, Bethlehem, and many other holy sites.

When Nicholas was a young man, his parents died, and left him a large fortune, and he made it his business to give it away. Not all at once in one big lump, but in his own way.

He would ride through town in the night throwing a little bag of gold pieces through a window or a doorway. For years Nicholas did this, seeking out those who had the most need; a father who needed money, a farmer who needed a new ox, a widow who needed food for her children. He would see to it that they got the gold to take care of their needs.

Nicholas gave presents to children that weren’t really needed, but it made their eyes sparkle with joy, and their feet jump up and down. He gave them fruits and nuts and clothing and candy.

When all of the money was given away, Nicholas said, “Now I can become a priest, and give away more than money.”

The first thing Nicholas did once he became a priest was to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and had to do this by boat. On the 2nd day out, when he was still trying not to be sea sick, a ferocious storm grabbed the boat and tossed it about on the waves like an empty cracker box. The old captain, who had weathered many storms, had never seen a tempest such as this. He and the crew grabbed onto anything fastened down and held on for dear life. Nicholas knelt down on the tilting deck, raised his eyes to heaven, and prayed that all would be saved.

“I’ve only just begun Lord, and I have so much to do!” Nicholas prayed. The captain yelled above the roar of the wind, “What good are prayers now? Don’t waste your breath; I’m going to tie you to the mast before you are swept over… just then the waves stopped churning and the sun began to shine so brightly that it made rainbows in the drops of water everywhere. I said, “You see, nothing is ever past praying for.”

Nicholas’ parents died of the plague while he was still young, perhaps in his mid- to late-teens. As Theophanes and Nonna had prospered during his childhood, Nicholas received a large inheritance. He went to live with his beloved Uncle Nicholas, who took responsibility for the youth. Nicholas lived with his uncle, the abbot, and the other monks of the monastery where he continued to study, to grow in faith, and to love and serve God.

 

Nicholas heard about a man who had lost all his money. He had three daughters who were old enough to get married. But in those days young women had to have money in order to get married. This money was a “dowry” and it was used to help the new family get started. If you didn’t have dowry money, you didn’t get married.

 

This family was so poor they had nothing left to eat. The daughters were going to be sold as slaves because they couldn’t live at home any longer. They were very sad. They wouldn’t be able to have families of their own. And they would have to be slaves—no longer able to decide where they would live or what they would do.

 

The night before the oldest daughter was to be sold, she washed her stockings and put them in front of the fire to dry. Then all of them went to sleep—the father and the three daughters.

 

In the morning the daughter saw a lump in her stocking. Reaching in, she found a small, heavy bag. It had gold inside! Enough to provide food for the family and money for her dowry. Oh, how happy they were!

 

The next morning, another bag with gold was found. Imagine! Two of the daughters would now be saved. Such joy!

 

And the next night, the father planned to stay awake to find out who was helping his daughters. He dozed off, but heard a small “clink” as another bag landed in the room. Quickly he jumped up and ran out the door. Who did he catch ducking around the corner?

 

Nicholas, the young man who lived with his uncle. “Nicholas, it is you! Thank you for helping us—I hardly know what to say!” Nicholas said, “Please, do not thank me—thank God that your prayers have been answered. Do not tell others about me.” Nicholas continued helping people. He always tried to help secretly. He didn’t want any attention or thanks.

Nicholas was born to parents who were “devoted Christians, not so poor as to be scorned by others, but neither so rich as to be boastful; they had enough to support themselves and still give to the poor.” Young Nicholas grew in an atmosphere that allowed him to flourish mentally, physically, and spiritually.

 

The name Nicholas derives from two Greek words, Niki (“victory”) and laos (“people”). Thus, Nicholas means “one who is victorious with the people.” He is “victorious through his saintly life. St. Nicholas always seems to move people to imitate his virtues of charity, love and zeal.”

 

As Nicholas was growing up, he regularly went to study and learn with his teacher. One day as he was on his way he came upon a woman with a withered hand. Stopping, he approached her, laid his hand on her, prayed toGod, and made the sign of the cross. The hand miraculously became whole.