SAINT NICHOLAS IS A SYMBOL OF GENEROSITY AND A FRIEND OF CHILDREN: PATRIARCH DANIEL

Romanian Patriarchate 

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel Sunday said that Saint Nicholas is a symbol of generosity and a friend of children.

“Saint Nicholas is a helper of orphans, of the sick, of people in difficulty, but especially he is a friend of children.”

The Patriarch said that during this period, children often confuse Saint Nick with Santa Claus.

“St. Nicholas shows the goodness of God the Father, the merciful love of God Who sends His only begotten Son into the world to save the world, and this merciful goodness of God the Father is personified by Santa Claus.”

“In other words, Saint Nick is somehow a forerunner of Santa Claus and children perceive him as a merciful, generous saint, a discreet friend. He is a man of discreet good deeds.”

According to His Beatitude, St. Nicholas has become in history the “symbol of generosity” and a symbol of a civilization that emphasizes primarily the “goodness of the soul.”

“He was not a great theologian, but his theology is a theology of merciful love shown in good, immediate, concrete deeds,” the Patriarch stressed December 6.

A popular saint

In his speech, the Patriarch of Romania said that Saint Nicholas became popular both in the East and in the West.

“In 1087, in order not to be captured and desecrated by Muslims, his holy relics were moved from Myra of Lycia to Bari in Italy, where they still remain today in the church of St. Nicholas.”

The Patriarch reminded that a part of Saint Nicholas’ hand is kept at the New St George Church in Bucharest. The relics were brought there through the generosity of Prince Michael the Brave.

Saint Nicholas is also the most popular saint in Bucharest, the Patriarch of Romania noted.

“In Bucharest, there are almost thirty churches dedicated to Saint Parascheva, a very merciful saint, but the number of churches dedicated to Saint Nicholas or placed under his protection, be it the first, second or third patronal feast, is higher. Only in the city of Bucharest, without surroundings, there are 44 churches placed under the protection of Saint Nicholas.”

“This is explained by the fact that the people of Bucharest understood that the essence of the Christian life is the goodness of the heart, the humble and merciful or generous love. The City of Joy, as it was called in the past centuries, in Greek, the city of Bucharest, is a city of joy insofar as it remains a city of almsgiving, benevolence, and merciful love.”

“Let us pray to Saint Nicholas to help us be merciful. He urges us to prepare the cave of the body and the manger of the soul so that we can receive Christ.”

“We can prepare ourselves through more prayer, confession and more frequent communion with the Holy Mysteries,” said the Patriarch.

He congratulated the over 800,000 Romanians who celebrate their name day on the feast day of Saint Nicholas.

“We wish them many years with good health, much help from God, and much joy in doing good works and gaining salvation.”

Healing of the Infirm Woman

During his homily at the Chapel of St George of his patriarchal residence, Patriarch Daniel referred to the Gospel reading, which presents the Healing of the Infirm Woman.
The Patriarch called this woman “a model of faith with patience.”

“She did not ask anything from anyone, but only patiently prayed; she listened to the word of the Lord by reading the Holy Scriptures, and prayed with the community of the synagogue.”

“The Saviour Jesus Christ heals this woman not because someone asked Him, neither the woman nor the leader of the synagogue, but Christ the Lord through His merciful love knowing the righteous soul of this infirm woman and knowing her patience in faith lifted the heavy burden of this infirmity.”

After being healed, she showed much gratitude and became a “teacher of gratitude.”

The gospel calls us to rise from the “infirmity of the soul,” said the Patriarch, “which is often brought about by temptations from the devil. The disability brought to the soul by sin which becomes a burden on the soul does not allow it to raise enough to praise and thank God.”

“The gospel is one of mercy, and it shows us that good must be done at all times,” His Beatitude said.