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Icon of St Nicholas the Wonderworker in bishop’s vestments holding the Gospel, from our folding diptych

Orthodox saint

St Nicholas the Wonderworker

St Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

Άγιος Νικόλαος ο Θαυματουργός, Αρχιεπίσκοπος Μύρων της Λυκίας · Свѧти́тель Нїкола́й Чудотво́рецъ · Святитель Николай Чудотворец, архиепископ Мир Ликийских

St Nicholas the Wonderworker is remembered on 6 December (19 December on the Old Calendar). Orthodox Christians pray to St Nicholas the Wonderworker for safe journeys and a safe return home, the protection and well-being of children and a good marriage for one's daughters.

Feast days

Feast
Repose (Russian folk name: Nikola Zimny, 'Winter St Nicholas')
Kept on
6 December (19 December on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar
Next, Old Calendar
Feast
Translation of the relics from Myra to Bari (Russian folk name: Nikola Veshny, 'Spring St Nicholas')
Kept on
9 May (22 May on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar
Next, Old Calendar
Feast
Nativity of St Nicholas
Kept on
29 July (11 August on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar
Next, Old Calendar

The New Calendar is kept by the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts; the Old Calendar by the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos, 13 days later on the civil calendar.

The life of St Nicholas the Wonderworker

St Nicholas was born in Patara in Lycia, the only son of the pious Theophanes and Nonna, who dedicated him to God. He gave away his whole inheritance to the poor, always in secret. Most famously, he threw gold through a poor man's window by night so that his three daughters could marry honorably. Chosen by God's own sign as Archbishop of Myra, he was gentle with his flock yet fearless for the truth. He was imprisoned for Christ under Diocletian, stood against Arius at the First Ecumenical Council, and snatched the sword from an executioner's hand to save three innocent men. He calmed storms, fed his city in famine, and freed captives. After his repose his relics flowed with fragrant myrrh, and in 1087 they were carried to Bari in Italy. To this day Orthodox Christians everywhere, and above all in Russia, pray to St Nicholas as their "speedy helper". They call on him before every journey, for their children, for their daughters' marriages, and in any hard hour.

What the faithful ask of St Nicholas the Wonderworker

The faithful pray for

  • safe journeys and a safe return home
  • the protection and well-being of children
  • a good marriage for one's daughters
  • a good and holy family life
  • deliverance from misfortunes and illness
  • a good outcome in a difficult situation
  • justice for those wrongly accused or condemned
  • the release of captives and prisoners
  • relief from poverty
  • help in any hard hour, as a 'speedy helper'
  • the return of the straying to the true path

St Nicholas the Wonderworker protects

  • travelers from danger on the road and at sea
  • sailors from storms and drowning
  • the innocent from unjust sentences
  • the poor from want and despair
  • from floods
  • from famine
  • cities and homes from enemies

Patron of

  • travelers
  • sailors and all who travel by sea
  • children
  • the poor and those in need
  • unmarried young women hoping to marry
  • prisoners and captives
  • the falsely accused and the wrongly condemned
  • Russia and the Russian people
  • Greece and the Hellenic Navy
  • the city of Bari
  • merchants

Miracles

  1. He secretly threw gold through the window of a ruined father of three daughters, providing their dowries and saving them from being sold into sin.

    Source: OCA - Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

  2. He seized the executioner's sword from above the heads of three men unjustly condemned by a bribed governor, and saved their lives.

    Source: OCA - Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

  3. On pilgrimage to the Holy Land he calmed a storm by his prayer and restored a sailor who had fallen from the mast.

    Source: OCA - Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

  4. He appeared to an Italian merchant, leaving three gold coins as pledge, and sent him with grain to rescue Myra from famine.

    Source: OCA - Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

Where the traditions differ

The 9 May Translation feast is a Russian (and wider Slavic) feast. The OCA life notes that the Greek Church did not establish it, since Greeks regarded the loss of the relics as a sad event. The Russian folk names 'Nikola Zimny' and 'Nikola Veshny' belong to Slavic custom. Western patronages such as brewers, pawnbrokers, toymakers and the Santa Claus figure are Western only and are not Orthodox tradition.

St Nicholas the Wonderworker: icons and items in our shop

Our diptych pairs St Nicholas the Wonderworker with the Guardian Angel: the patron saint and the angel given at baptism, side by side in one folding icon.

Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you — Consecration, $49.

Ask our priest

Our priest can serve a moleben to St Nicholas the Wonderworker for the people and the need you name.

Prayer services

Name days

These names keep their name day on a feast of St Nicholas the Wonderworker:

Prayed to for

Questions

When is the feast day of St Nicholas the Wonderworker?

Repose (Russian folk name: Nikola Zimny, 'Winter St Nicholas'): 6 December (19 December on the Old Calendar); Translation of the relics from Myra to Bari (Russian folk name: Nikola Veshny, 'Spring St Nicholas'): 9 May (22 May on the Old Calendar); Nativity of St Nicholas: 29 July (11 August on the Old Calendar).

What do Orthodox Christians pray to St Nicholas the Wonderworker for?

Orthodox Christians pray to St Nicholas the Wonderworker for safe journeys and a safe return home, the protection and well-being of children, a good marriage for one's daughters, a good and holy family life, deliverance from misfortunes and illness and a good outcome in a difficult situation.

What is St Nicholas the Wonderworker the patron saint of?

St Nicholas the Wonderworker is the patron of travelers, sailors and all who travel by sea, children, the poor and those in need, unmarried young women hoping to marry, prisoners and captives, the falsely accused and the wrongly condemned, Russia and the Russian people, Greece and the Hellenic Navy, the city of Bari and merchants.

What does St Nicholas the Wonderworker protect from?

St Nicholas the Wonderworker protects travelers from danger on the road and at sea, sailors from storms and drowning, the innocent from unjust sentences, the poor from want and despair, from floods, from famine and cities and homes from enemies.

Whose name day is on a feast of St Nicholas the Wonderworker?

The name day of Nicholas, Nikolai, Nikolaos, Nikola, Mykola, Nick and Nikoletta.

Sources

  1. OCA - Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia (read 14 October 2026)
  2. OCA - Translation of the relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari (read 14 October 2026)
  3. Foma - О чем молятся Николаю Чудотворцу? (read 14 October 2026)
  4. Foma - В чем помогает Николай Чудотворец (read 14 October 2026)
  5. Azbyka - Святитель Николай Чудотворец (житие) (read 14 October 2026)
  6. Wikipedia - Saint Nicholas (patronage list) (read 14 October 2026)
  7. Wikipedia (ru) - Никола Зимний (read 14 October 2026)
  8. Wikipedia (ru) - Никола Вешний (read 14 October 2026)