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Because
of
his
extraordinary
example
of
wisdom,
leadership
and
charity,
especially
toward
children,
the
delegates
to
the
9th
Annual
Conference
in
Akron,
Ohio,
in
1958,
chose
Saint
Nicholas
the
Wonderworker
to
be
the
Patron
Saint
of
The
American
Romanian
Orthodox
Youth.
We
pray
that,
through
the
intercessions
of
our
Patron
Saint
Nicholas,
we
may
be
strengthened
as
we
strive
to
live-up
to
our
organization's
motto,
"Dedicated
to
Orthodoxy
Through
Faith,
Knowledge
and
Good
Works." |
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Tropar,
tone
4
O
Father
and
Hierarch
Nicholas,
the
holiness
of
your
life
was
set
before
your
flock
as
a
rule
of
Faith;
an
example
of
meekness
and
a
teaching
of
temperance.
Wherefore
you
acquired
greatness
through
humility
and
spiritual
wealth
through
poverty.
O
Hierarch
Nicholas,
pray
to
Christ
God
that
He
will
save
our
souls!
Troparul,
glas
4
Indreptător
credinţei
şi
chip
blāndeţelor,
īnvătător
īnfrānării
te-a
arătat
pe
tine
turmei
tale
adevărul
lucrurilor;
pentru
aceasta
ai
cāsāştigat,
cu
smerenia
cele
īnalte,
cu
sărăcia
cele
bogate,
părinte
Ierarhe
Nicolae,
roagă
pe
Hristos,
să
māntuiască
sufletele
noastre.
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|
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One
of
the
most
popular
saints
of
the
Christian
Church
of
both
the
East
and
West,
Saint
Nicholas
has
in
modern
times
been
so
inaccurately
portrayed
as
a
part
of
the
Christmas
scene.
The
true
greatness
of
this
beloved
saint
is
hidden
in
the
shadows
of
legend,
obscuring
the
identity
of
one
of
the
most
enduring
of
our
saints.
Nothing
is
known
of
the
early
life
of
Nicholas,
but
it
is
known
that
he
was
born
at
the
turn
of
the
fourth
century
in
Asia
Minor
and
was
a
bishop
of
Myra
in
that
area
which
is
now
Turkey.
Of
a
quiet
and
studious
nature,
he
attended
the
council
of
Nicaea
in
A.D.
325
and
played
an
important
behind-the-scenes
role.
His
importance
was
recognized
by
the
Emperor
Justinian,
who
had
a
magnificent
cathedral
erected
in
his
memory
in
Constantinople.
Prior
to
his
elevation
to
Archbishop,
Nicholas
had
suffered
imprisonment,
harsh
treatment
and
torture
at
the
hands
of
the
enemies
of
the
Church.
It
was
not
until
the
reign
of
the
Christian
Emperor
Constantine
that
he
was
able
to
lead
the
normal
and
peaceful
life
of
a
prelate.
His
leadership
in
Myra,
which
did
not
offer
very
hospitable
surroundings
for
the
Christians
of
the
day,
was
so
effective
that
his
fame
and
popularity
gave
rise
to
many
legends
that
were
well
intended
but
served
only
to
screen
the
true
character
of
this
very
real
and
industrious
saint
who
labored
for
Christ
all
the
years
of
his
life,
echoing
the
truth
of
Christianity
uttered
centuries
before
by
the
Apostles.
So
great
was
Saint
Nicholas'
popularity
that
he
became
the
symbol
of
protection
of
children,
merchants,
sailors,
and
scholars,
and
was
a
protective
symbol
for
travelers
against
highwaymen.
In
the
late
11th
century,
the
residents
of
Bari,
Italy,
where
Nicholas'
popularity
had
grown
with
the
years,
hatched
a
plot
to
recover
the
remains
of
the
saint
from
Turkey.
They
were
able
to
outwit
the
dangerous
natives
of
Asia
Minor
and
succeeded
in
removing
the
body
of
Saint
Nicholas
and
transporting
it
back
to
Bari.
There
it
was
paraded
in
triumph
through
the
streets
before
being
properly
enshrined
on
May
9,
1087,
after
which
a
magnificent
basilica
was
erected
in
his
honor.
In
a
rare
ecumenical
gesture,
the
Roman
Catholic
Church
offered
some
relics
of
Saint
Nicholas
to
the
Greek
Archdiocese
of
North
and
South
America
in
1972,
where
they
repose
in
honored
glory.
The
most
widely
accepted
story
of
how
Saint
Nicholas
came
to
be
associated
with
the
gift-giving
Saint
Nick
is
that
which
tells
of
how
he
secretly
gave
dowries
to
the
three
daughters
of
an
impoverished
parishioner,
thus
saving
them
from
the
disgrace
that
was
the
lot
of
the
spinster
of
those
days.
Eventually,
that
carried
over
to
the
Christmas
season
and
was
associated
with
the
Dutch
Santa
Claus.
In
fact
he
was
generous
to
all
people,
but
his
fondness
for
children
makes
him
especially
revered.
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