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A tourist trip to these amazing, history-rich places near Antalya is considered mandatory and standard. And, indeed, to be 150 km from the Lycian Worlds, where St. Nicholas the Pleasant preached, and where the ancient mysterious ancient world, hiding behind every stone and hill, powerfully declares itself, and not to visit here would be a flagrant spiritual crime for our souls . Therefore, the trip to Mira was planned in advance, but then, I did not even suspect that I would get something more than just a trip on an interesting and obligatory excursion “for show”.
The trip turned out to be very eventful and rich in impressions. Of course, this is the temple of St. Nicholas the Pleasant in Mir, a well-preserved ancient Greco-Roman amphitheater in Mir and a Mediterranean sea walk with a visit to the mysterious and enigmatic sunken ancient rock cities of the island of Kekova... I must say that in these ancient places you just can’t look anywhere - numerous traces of past civilizations and shadows of past events are visible everywhere, which is truly breathtaking... History powerfully, but not intrusively, opens its mysterious embrace to you here and, at the same time, quietly whispers about the past, with longing for loss...
Let us begin with the ancient Lycian Myra, where the Christian Saint Nicholas the Pleasant and Wonderworker of Myra lived, preached and ended his glorious days.
The trip along the Mediterranean coast itself, for me personally, evokes an unconscious, indescribable delight. After all, you seem to be soaring above History, above Death and Eternal Life, past great and simple events that took place here. These Lycian mountains, covered with relict pine trees, the Mediterranean Sea, sparkling in the sun, everything reminds you that you are now in the cradle of civilizations, figuratively speaking in TV language)
The photos will not be very good, especially at the level of today's breakthrough technologies in the world of the photo industry, but it seems to me that the main thing is not even this, but that the Lycian Worlds are now in front of us and we have a unique opportunity to touch them and merge with them . This very word “Peace” already reveals a state of peace, tranquility, being at peace with oneself, others and the world in general. Perhaps in this photo below you can somehow express something similar. Then we stopped on the coast to take a break and drink freshly squeezed pomegranate juice from fruits picked straight from the tree.
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Myra (Greek: Μύρα) is a large city in the confederation of ancient Lycia, located near the sea coast, 5 km at the foot of the coastal mountains, on the Andrak River, at the mouth of which there was once the harbor of ancient Andriake. At the end of the 4th century. BC e. Lycia was part of the empire of Alexander the Great. After his death it passed to Nearchus, and in 295-197. BC e. belonged to the Ptolemies. In 197 BC. Lycia became one of the possessions of the Seleucids. Later, many cities in the region united into the Lycian Union. In the 1st century BC e. As an autonomous state, Lycia was part of the Roman state.
Geographically, this ancient city is located next to the modern small Turkish city of Demre (Antalya province). According to one version, the city received its name from the word “myrrh” - the resin from which incense is made. According to another, the name of the city (“Maura”) is of Etruscan origin and means “place of the Mother Goddess,” which only later, due to phonetic changes, turned into Mira.
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Wikipedia, author Ivanchay
Being one of the major cities of Lycia, Myra, since the time of Theodosius II (401 - 450 AD - Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire), has been its capital. In the III-II centuries BC. she received the right to mint her own coins. During this period, Mira was part of the Lycian Union. The decline began in the 7th century, when the city was destroyed during Arab raids, as well as flooded by mud flows from the Miros River.
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Saint Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in 270 in the Greek colony of Patara in the Roman province of Lycia into a family of wealthy Christian parents. Patara was, in fact, a Hellenistic city, both in cultural and in its appearance. The future saint chose the path of Christianity as his own, becoming a priest. His parents could not have children for a long time and made a vow that if they had a son, they would devote him to serving God. Their prayer was heard: the Lord gave them a son, who at holy baptism received the name Nicholas, which means in Greek “victorious people.” Already in the first days of his infancy, Saint Nicholas showed that he was destined for special service to the Lord. A legend has been preserved that during baptism, and then the ceremony was very long, he, unsupported by anyone, stood in the font for three hours. From the very first days, Saint Nicholas began a strict ascetic life, to which he remained faithful until the grave.
The pious life of young Nicholas soon became known to all residents of the city of Patara. The bishop in this city was his uncle, also named Nikolai. Noticing that his nephew stood out among other young people for his virtues and strict ascetic life, he began to persuade his parents to give him to the service of the Lord. They readily agreed, because even before the birth of their son they had made such a vow. His uncle, the bishop, then ordained him a presbyter.
While performing the Sacrament of the Priesthood over Saint Nicholas, the bishop, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophetically predicted to the people the great future of the Pleasant of God: “Behold, brothers, I see a new sun rising over the ends of the earth, which will be a consolation for all the sad. Blessed is the flock that is worthy to have such a shepherd! He will feed well the souls of the lost, feeding them in the pastures of piety; and he will be a warm helper to everyone in trouble!...” ...When his parents died, Saint Nicholas inherited their fortune and gave it to those in need...
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The initial period of Saint Nicholas' activity as a clergyman dates back to the reign of the Roman emperors (reigned 284-305) and Maximian (reigned 286-305). In 303, Diocletian issued an edict legalizing the systematic persecution of Christians throughout the empire. After the abdication of both emperors on May 1, 305, changes occurred in the policy of their successors towards Christians. As a result, Christian communities began to develop rapidly. The bishopric of St. Nicholas in Myra (province of Lycia of the Roman Empire) dates back to this period.
Saint Nicholas is traditionally the patron saint of seafarers, to whom sailors often turn when the situation threatens drowning or shipwreck. According to his biography, as a young man, Nikolai went to study in Alexandria, and on one of his sea voyages from Myra to Alexandria he resurrected a sailor who fell from the mast in a storm and fell to his death. On another occasion, Nicholas saved a sailor on his way back from Alexandria to Myra and, upon arrival, took him with him to serve in the church.
The most famous story of the life of St. Nicholas from the Catholic tradition is about three girls whom he helped. Their father, unable to raise a dowry, planned to profit from the beauty of his daughters, essentially forcing them into prostitution. Having learned about this, Nikolai decided to help the girls. Being modest, he secretly snuck into their house and left the dowry wallet for the eldest daughter. He soon did the same for the middle one. The father, realizing that someone was helping him, decided to thank him, waited for the required date for the third daughter, hid in the room, and when Nikolai brought another wallet for the youngest daughter, he took him by surprise. Nicholas refused to accept the man's gratitude, declaring that his father should thank only God. According to another version, Nicholas, having learned about the poor man's monstrous plan, threw his donation down the chimney, where it eventually ended up in his youngest daughter's sock, drying over the fire. It was this legend that gave birth to the fairy tale about Christmas Santa Claus and a gift in a sock...
During his lifetime, Saint Nicholas became famous as a pacifier of warring parties, a defender of the innocently condemned, and a deliverer from needless death. Saint Nicholas died at a very old age, according to various sources. December 6 (old style)342 or 351 years. and was buried in the small cathedral church of Myra.When miracles began to occur at his tomb and pilgrims were healed after long prayers, St. Nicholas began to be revered as a miracle worker.
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Frescoes depicting how St. Nicholas helps three girls...
In the 11th century, the Turks devastated the Byzantine possessions in Asia Minor, accompanying their cruelties by insulting holy temples, relics, icons and destroying books. According to legend, in 792, Caliph Harun Ar-Rashid sent the commander of the fleet, Humaid, to devastate the island of Rhodes. Having plundered the island, Humaid went to Myra Lycia with the intention of breaking into and plundering the tomb of St. Nicholas. However, instead of it, he allegedly destroyed another one, which stood next to the tomb of the Saint, and barely the sacrileges had time to do this, when a terrible storm arose at sea and almost all of Humaid’s ships were then broken and swept away by the elements... Such desecration of Christian shrines outraged not only Eastern, but also Western Christians. Christians in Italy, among whom there were many Greeks, were especially afraid for the relics of St. Nicholas, and this is what happened next...
In 1087, Barian and Venetian merchants went to Antioch. Both of them planned to pick up “and protect” the relics of St. Nicholas on the way back to Italy and take them to Italy. Two residents of Bari were sent on reconnaissance, who, upon returning, reported that everything was quiet in the city, and in the church where the relics were located there were only four monks. Immediately 47 people, armed, went to the Church of St. Nicholas. To begin with, the merchants offered the monks 300 gold coins for the relics. But the monks angrily refused the money and wanted to notify the residents of the misfortune that threatened them, but the Italians stopped this attempt by tying them up. The Italians smashed the church platform, under which stood the tomb with the relics, and saw that the sarcophagus was filled with fragrant holy myrrh. A young man named Matthew began to extract the relics of the Saint from the sarcophagus overflowing with the world. The events took place on April 20, 1087. Due to the absence of the ark, Presbyter Drogo wrapped the relics in outer clothing and, accompanied by the Barians, transferred them to the ship. The monks, who were subsequently released, told the city the sad news about the theft of the relics of the Wonderworker by foreigners. Crowds of people gathered on the shore, but it was too late...
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On May 8, the ships arrived in Bari, and soon the “good” news spread throughout the city. The next day, May 9, the relics of St. Nicholas were solemnly transferred to the Church of St. Stephen, located not far from the sea. The celebration of the transfer of the shrine was accompanied by numerous miraculous healings of the sick, which aroused even greater reverence for the great saint of God. A year later, a church was built in the name of St. Nicholas and consecrated by Pope Urban II.
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Currently, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are kept in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari. There, in Bari, is the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to some information, part of his relics (fragments of jaws and skull) located in the Antalya Archaeological Museum.
The sailors from Bari then took only half of the relics of the saint, leaving all the small fragments in the grave. They were collected by Venetian sailors during the first crusade and taken to Venice, where the church of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, was built. The authenticity of the relics was confirmed in two scientific studies in Bari and Venice, which proved that the relics in the two cities belong to the same skeleton.
In Rus' in the 11th century, veneration of the saint spread quite quickly and everywhere. The Russian Orthodox Church established the commemoration of the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bari on May 9 shortly after 1087 on the basis of the deep, already strengthened veneration of the great saint of God by the Russian people.
This is what Saint Nicholas could have really looked like according to the reconstruction of his face.
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Having finished with the necessary historical calculations, I will move on to my immediate impressions of visiting this place, holy for all Orthodox Christians.
Modern Demre as a city is not particularly remarkable, except for the fact that it is one of the largest places for growing tomatoes, sent for export, you know where. The main spaces of this fertile valley are occupied by a fantastic number of banal vegetable greenhouses, which come close to the miraculously surviving Lycian historical monuments.
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To begin with, we were unobtrusively led straight to the local specialized market of St. Nicholas, giving us the opportunity to purchase icons and other attributes of the cult associated with the saint and more.
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There are even images of Nicholas on wall tiles.
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It must be said, however, that the products here are mostly of very high quality and it is not a shame to buy them as a souvenir. I purchased this small icon of St. Nicholas on a wooden base for $25. As traders reported, this icon from Mount Athos was made by local monks, and, moreover, was already consecrated.
And now let’s get to the main event, for which we came here - to visit the Church of St. Nicholas of Myra.
The Church of St. Nicholas is a wonderful monument of the Byzantine era. According to some sources, the church was originally built in 343 AD. on the ruins of the temple of the goddess Artemis, destroyed by an earthquake in the 2nd century AD, where the remains of the saint were buried in a marble sarcophagus.
The church was destroyed many times, but was invariably revived and rebuilt several times. It was plundered during the Arab raids in 1034, when Myra and all of Lycia were completely devastated. The ruins of the church with the relics of the saint in an ancient sarcophagus located there were abandoned, although they were preserved by local monks. In the 11th century, under the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX, the church restored and surrounded by walls. The dating of the frescoes and floor mosaics dates back to the same period. Later in the 13th century, the church was flooded by the waters and mud of the Miros River due to strong earthquakes, as a result of which the course of the Miros River turned back. The church was completely covered with mud and silt to a depth of 3-4 m and only a small part of the bell tower was visible from it.
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The modern building of the temple was built approximately in the 8th century. Externally, it is a basilica in the shape of a cross with one room, covered in the middle with a dome with two halls on the sides. The floor is partially covered with mosaics with geometric patterns, and on the walls you can still see frescoes from the 11th-12th centuries. The roof of the church was originally crowned with a dome, but during the restoration it was replaced with a vault.
During the Crimean War in 1853, Princess Anna Golitsyna bought a plot of land around this temple with the aim of establishing a Russian settlement here and a monastery in honor of St. Nicholas received special permission. Excavations and reconstruction of the church had already begun, but all this began to cause discontent among the population of Demre, and the Turks backed down, revoking their permission.
The church began to be excavated again in 1956; it was almost entirely buried in sediment. During subsequent excavations carried out in 1989, premises were found in the north-eastern part of the church building. To date, the original floor of the church is 7 m below ground level.
From the outside it is very difficult to see this ancient church. It is almost completely covered by external protective structures.
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This area is in front of the entrance to the temple itself.
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There is a sculptural image of the saint and several marble columns under a canopy.
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The church itself is very interesting and exciting. After all, our most revered Orthodox saint spent almost his entire life here.
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Around there are many found fragments of former religious buildings that were once located on this site.
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Perhaps there are also some surviving architectural details of the ancient Temple of Artemis, which was once located here...
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Here you are overcome by a thick, unusual wave of understanding of historical events and the countless emotions of people who visited both the sanctuary of Artemis and, subsequently, the Church of St. Nicholas. The walls of the church seem to speak to you, you just have to open your heart...
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Ancient portals make one remember Artemis and a series of lost events in the darkness of centuries associated with this place of Power...
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Here, even today, sand, pebble and mud traces of sediment from the once raging river elements are still visible.
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For some reason, the wonderful cross-flooded (sail) vaults made my heart beat faster... It’s as if you were remembering something, but you just can’t remember how after a bright, intense dream from which all that was left was a feeling of the event and a strange feeling that something very important...
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This is perhaps the second place in terms of impact and importance on the visitor to the church, after the sarcophagus of the saint. Church services took place here. This is the throne. Just imagine, the saint stood here countless times, turning to God in prayer. I had to wait until the throne was visually without tourists in the frame)
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Mosaic floor from Byzantine times...
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According to tourist tradition, visitors “bless” icons and crosses purchased at the icon market by placing them on the sarcophagus where the relics of St. Nicholas once rested. The guide tried his best to dissuade them from performing these manipulations with the sarcophagus (obviously the authorities oblige them to do this) and persistently offered an alternative - a throne, access to which, unlike the sarcophagus, is complete and unhindered...
Touching the throne caused me an unexpected response and a burst of inner light, as if everything had darkened and the sounds and images had sharply moved away... Ragged flashes of vague images, colored spots, figures of people rushed past my consciousness, and unusual and unfamiliar sounds of a church service were heard. They were deep, solemn, gloomily, sadly, victoriously sublime. Stern images of saints looking straight into your soul filled my inner vision and state...
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Completely shocked by this unexpected impression, I suddenly found myself still standing in front of the throne, touching it with my hand, and at that time the tourists were busily laying out plastic bags on the throne, with their newly purchased icons and crosses for “blessing”... Consciousness slowly, heavily and reluctantly “returned” and I, having come to my senses, also took out my icon of St. Nicholas and placed it next to the others...
So, here's how it's done. A few minutes is enough, by general silent agreement...)
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It was the capital of the ancient state of Lycia.
Not far from Myra, in Asia Minor, in the 3rd century in the Greek colony of Patara in the Roman province of Lycia, Saint Nicholas or Nicholas of Myra was born.
Nicholas of Myra is known to us under the names Nicholas the Wonderworker, Nicholas the Pleasant, St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas, Santa Claus.
He was a very religious child from childhood and completely devoted his life to Christianity.
After the death of wealthy parents, Saint Nicholas inherited their fortune and distributed everything to those in need.
Around 300 AD, Saint Nicholas became bishop of Myra, where he preached Christianity until the end of his days. He died in 343. His body was buried in a small white marble sarcophagus, decorated with various reliefs and floral designs. After his death, healings occurred among believers who came to venerate his relics. The Church of St. Nicholas was built in the 4th century, immediately after the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It was built on the ruins of the temple of the goddess Artemis, destroyed by an earthquake in the 2nd century AD.
This church became a place of pilgrimage where people came to his ashes for miraculous healing.
The church was destroyed and looted many times at different times. The worst destruction occurred in 1042.
The relics of St. Nicholas were repeatedly attacked, and despite the fact that they were guarded in every possible way by monks, and under the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX and Empress Zoe (11th century), the church of St. Nicholas was restored and surrounded by walls; in May 1087, Italian merchants nevertheless took possession of the relics of the saint and transported them to the Italian city of Bari, where they declared him the patron saint of the city. The relics of St. Nicholas are still kept today in the Cathedral of Bari.
The reason that the Italians tried in every possible way to remove the relics of St. Nicholas from the country was the Seljuk Turks, who staged attacks on the Greek Empire, including the Second Rome, which at that time was the Byzantine Empire. They desecrated Christian shrines: churches, relics and icons. An attempt was made to desecrate the relics of St. Nicholas, but a terrible storm with thunder and lightning did not allow the Turks to do this.
Church sources say that Saint Nicholas appeared in a dream to a priest in the city of Bari and ordered that his relics be transferred from Mir to Bari. The priest conveyed the Saint’s desire to his fellow citizens. The merchants equipped three ships and took out the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra in Lycia in an ark. This act was explained by the desire to save the Christian shrine from destruction by the rampaging Muslim Turks.
As a result of various natural disasters, the church was flooded by the waters and silt of the Miros River, covered with mud and silt, only a small part of the bell tower was visible. The Church of St. Nicholas was discovered by accident.
In 1853, the Russian ambassador to the city of Constantinople N.P. Ignatiev, on behalf of Princess Anna Galitsina, bought a plot of land with the ruins of the New Zion monastery, where the empty tomb of St. Nicholas was located. Excavations and work to restore the shrine were carried out for almost 10 years.
Currently, this temple is not an active church, but services are still sometimes held here, which attract many pilgrims.
We were lucky to visit this amazing place. There we met a historian guide who told a lot of interesting things about the church itself, its history and the life and work of St. Nicholas.
At the time we visited the church, restoration work was underway there.
The temple is a basilica in the shape of a cross, with one large room in the middle covered with a dome with two halls on the sides, in the north with a small quadrangular and two rooms.
The walls of the church were decorated with frescoes from the 11th and 12th centuries, fragments of which can still be seen today, and the floor was paved with mosaics with geometric patterns.
The sarcophagus in which the relics of St. Nicholas were located is located in the southern nave of the church. It is covered with glass or fiberglass.
In front of the entrance to the church there is a monument to St. Nicholas. It was created by Grigory Pototsky for the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ.
Currently, there is a dispute between Turkey and Italy about the return of the relics of St. Nicholas, which in the 19th century were taken from Antalya devastated by the Turks and are still located in the Italian city of Baria, back, since the Turks declared that the holy relics are the property of the state.
In Christianity, Saint Nicholas is revered as a miracle worker and is considered the patron saint of sailors, merchants and children. Even during his lifetime, Saint Nicholas became famous as a pacifier of warring parties, a defender of the innocently condemned, and a deliverer from vain death. He is the most revered Saint in Orthodoxy, and in his honor, even before the baptism of Rus' and to this day, many churches and temples were erected. It seems to me that there is not a single city where there is no St. Nicholas Church.
Church of St. Nicholas in the Lower Myra, located in the Turkish province of Antalya, namely in the city of Demre. If you are in Turkey, I recommend visiting this place regardless of your religion.
Our friend went on an excursion to the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Turkey, in Demre (Mitra), where St. Nicholas the Pleasant lived and served as bishop until his death, was buried there, and a temple was built in his honor. And those who are interested in a strong prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which changes fate, are sure not only to say it at the icons, but also go to Turkey to venerate the sarcophagus, where the relics of St. Nicholas previously rested, and often receive the fulfillment of their fervent requests. Natalya tells how people were traveling with her on the bus, who were visiting this temple for the third or fourth time, they told how, through their prayers at the sarcophagus, their cherished desires were fulfilled - who got married, who gave birth to children, who set everything right in their lives , and so on.
Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker
O all-praised, great wonderworker, saint of Christ, Father Nicholas!
We pray to you, be the hope of all Christians, the faithful protector, the hungry feeder, the weeping joy, the sick doctor, the steward of those floating on the sea, the poor and orphan feeder and the quick helper and patron of everyone, may we live a peaceful life here and may we be worthy to see the glory of God’s elect in heaven , and with them unceasingly sing the praises of the one worshiped God in the Trinity forever and ever. Amen.
And then ask Saint Nicholas for your deepest desires, God help you!
But let's find out about everything in order - what the temple to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Demre is, the history of the sunken church, a description of the temple, look at the photos, find out what excursions and at what price you can buy in Demre and the sunken city of Kekova, how to get there, what icons are there can be purchased and so on.
History of the temple
Saint Nicholas was born in Patara, into a not poor family. But earthly blessings were alien to him, since he led a life from childhood that was different from ordinary children. Having matured a little, Nikolai began to show an active desire to get closer to God (o). At one time, Nicholas was ordained a priest, became a bishop, served in Myra and died and was buried there.
After his death, a church was built in Myra, which was destroyed by earthquakes, and a basilica was erected in its place, which the Arabs also destroyed in the 7th century. In the 8th century the basilica was built again. Then, after another earthquake, several cities went under water, including Kekova, which is near Demre, and the basilica itself was covered with water and silt right up to the dome. In the 19th century, the Russian traveler Muravyov visited the ruins, and efforts began to restore the temple.
What is the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
This is, in fact, a cruciform basilica with a courtyard. The temple walls are decorated with ancient frescoes and ornate inscriptions, and mosaics decorate the floor.
The painted domes of the temple are interesting.
In the room there is a sarcophagus in which the relics of Nicholas the Pleasant originally rested, which then, before the barbarian raid, the Italians stole and transported to Baru, where they are still stored, although Turkey periodically tries to take them back from the Italians, but to no avail.
Although there are no relics in the sarcophagus, it does not lose its miraculous powers, and tourists from everywhere go to the temple so that, by venerating the sarcophagus, they will receive healing, some help in business, some in marriage, some in childbirth, and everyone with faith in the sarcophagus Those who venerate expect miracles, for which they thank the saint of God. Saint Nicholas helps those traveling, especially by sea, helps out in various troubles, and grants healing to people with his strong prayers before the Lord.
The temple has well-preserved wall frescoes, giving the church an unusual and impressive appearance. 
Interesting are the card suits depicted on the wall, which have Christian symbolism: worms symbolize Christ’s heart, his wounds represent diamonds, spades represent a spear, they inflicted wounds on Jesus on the cross, and clubs, as they explain, symbolize the crucifixion of Christ. This explains why card games are a sin, it is the same as mocking what is holy for a believer - the crucifixion of Christ.
How to get there, excursions
Those who visited Mir on their own spent less money, of course, since an excursion to Demre and the sunken city of Kekova is not cheap. But - Turks understand little of the language, and you need to make a lot of transfers if you move on your own, so many prefer to go with a guided tour - they will show and tell you a lot of interesting things, and you won’t get lost anywhere. But, we must warn you - on the territory of the temple there is a shop where they sell icons - so we do not recommend buying anything there, the prices there are simply off the charts, one small icon costs 60 USD. tightens. It’s better to take at least a tiny one from home with you and attach it to the sarcophagus, and not spend a lot of money there in the temple. You can buy magnets as a gift.
From Antalya, the excursion will cost 60 USD, the excursion will last all day, try to take some food with you, because it will be very expensive to buy something to eat there. From Kemer 25 dollars, 10 for entrance, and another 5 dollars for candles.
Before entering, women must wear scarves and skirts; photography without flash is allowed. But it’s a little dark inside the temple, expect that an ordinary point-and-shoot camera might not be able to cope without a flash, but there’s a lot to take pictures of there, look at the photo.
Santa Claus
Not many people know that it is Nicholas the Wonderworker who symbolizes the modern Santa Claus, and this is not just a coincidence. At one time, Nikolai helped the poor a lot, and not for show, as many “benefactors” now act, but quietly, at night, he threw gifts to the poor. As the legend says, one of these gifts, thrown down the chimney of a poor man, accidentally ended up in a boot hanging to dry by the fireplace, and from then on it became a tradition on St. Nicholas Day to put gifts in boots or socks for children. In Demre, next to the temple there is even a monument to Nicholas in the form of Santa.
Discussion: 9 comments
Was. A very strong place, yes. But the Turks turned the temple into a courtyard, where millions of tourists trample down history, the temple is destroyed and has never been restored... They only lead excursions and make money from it... Now is the time to raise the issue of transferring the temple to the Orthodox Church.. Putin hugs Erdogan. .,this will be a real gesture towards the friendship of our countries
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We recently went on an excursion to this wonderful place. The place is really very strong, it even gives you goosebumps. It’s a shame that the sarcophagus is not visible; it’s covered with some kind of transparent plastic, but people put lips, icons, crosses, and wedding rings on it. And we included an icon purchased in an icon shop on the territory of the temple. The icons there are expensive, but they are worth it, covered with 925 sterling silver, chalked. The cheapest small one costs $45. People bought two and three
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Having read books about modern miracles through prayers to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, I thought that it would be a sin to hide from people the help that my grandfather Macarius received through prayers to the saint. This was during the hungry years. Grandfather went with his fellow villagers to Western Ukraine to exchange things for bread. We exchanged everything and went home, my grandfather was left alone, because his legs were paralyzed, although he left as a strong and healthy man.
He spent a month in someone else's house. One night he had a vision: the door opened, a handsome old man, very similar to St. Nicholas, entered and said:
- Get up, you are no longer sick.
Grandfather could not come to his senses for a long time, and then he slowly began to move his toes, which had not moved before, slowly sat up on the bed, then moved to the bench that stood under the window, and sat on it until the morning. In the morning the hostess entered the room and marveled at such a miracle. And the whole village accepted grandfather’s healing as the mercy of God.
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After reading the article, I had the feeling that I had already been to this place and seen this temple. But if he speaks the truth, then he has never visited or been to the site of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, since he has never been to Turkey. The article is remarkable because all the information included in it describes everything in such an interesting and detailed way that you immediately want to see it in person. Thanks for the article, I’m already thinking about buying tickets.)
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An interesting place, pilgrims probably visit it quite a few times; in the photo I personally see how beautiful this temple was before, during the life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It’s a shame it’s so far from Russia, otherwise I would love to visit there. I would like to console those people who cannot afford a pilgrimage or an excursion of this kind: the relics of St. Nicholas are in many of our churches, where you can just as successfully offer your prayer requests to the saint of God. Moreover, anywhere, and most importantly, sincerely, pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - he hears all your petitions, no matter where you are!
Help from St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to all of us!
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With joy and reverence every Christian sets foot on the Lycian land, which gave the world the one who became the rule of the Christian faith, the image of meekness and self-control - St. Nicholas.
Church of St. Nicholas
in the lower Worlds (Demre, Türkiye). This monument was erected near the temple in which Archbishop Nikola, the Miracle Worker of Myra, served.
According to church hymns, here he became famous during his life, and after his death, for numerous miracles and benefits.
It was here, in Lycia, in the city of Patara, in the 3rd century AD. Saint Nicholas was born and raised,
Even during his lifetime, many legends circulated about the good worldly deeds of St. Nicholas. One of them gave rise to the tradition of giving gifts on Christmas Day. One day, having learned that a very noble gentleman was broke and could not collect a dowry for his three daughters, he threw three bags of gold coins through the chimney into the house of an impoverished merchant, which allowed his daughters to get married with dignity. This is where the tradition of tying bags with gifts to the stove or fireplace came from.
Saint Nicholas became a truly historical figure when he was the bishop of the church of the ancient city of Myra (Greek: Μύρα), one of the 6 main cities in the center of the province of Lycia in Asia Minor, which has existed since the 5th century. BC e.
From the ancient city, the ruins of a magnificent well-preserved ancient amphitheater with 13-15 thousand seats have now been preserved. The Saint’s feet walked on these stones, these rocks and the amphitheater touched his gaze.
In ancient times, Lycia was an independent state. Being one of the major cities of Lycia, Myra, from the time of Emperor Theodosius II, was its capital. In the III-II centuries BC. e. she received the right to mint coins (during this period, Myra was part of the Lycian Union).
Mira's life was peaceful for many centuries, under Roman protectorate. The Romans set up their granaries here and built the port of Andriyake. It was here, by significant coincidence, that the ship on which the holy Apostle Paul was sent to Rome along with other prisoners stopped for some time, and here everyone on the ship was transferred to another ship that was heading straight to Italy.
Visitors and tourists are still fascinated by the famous Lycian tombs, carved directly into the rocks. Local residents in ancient times believed that the higher a person was buried, the better place he would take in the other world. Naturally, only rich people could afford this. During subsequent conquests, the tombs served as refuge for many.
This is what the surroundings of the city of Myra-Lycian and the ancient rock burials that existed already in the time of St. Nicholas look like today.
Most of the Lycian tombs have unusually beautiful facades and relief images. From the outside, the tombs look very rich and unusual. Thanks to the bas-reliefs that are present on the tombs, you can learn about what the buried person did during his lifetime.
Many tombs are decorated with elaborate canopies, and the entrances are often designed in the form of a temple or house.
Not far from the city is the island of Kekova, which attracts with its extraordinary nature, clear turquoise water, islands and islets with quaint shores, bays and caves.
In the 2nd century AD. In the area of the island, as a result of the earthquake, several ancient cities of Aperlai, Theimousse and Simena went under water. The ancient city of Simen can be seen through the water while sailing on a yacht. Stone stairs, the remains of cobbled streets, dilapidated arches and walls, and even the embankment, which probably revealed its beauty to St. Nicholas who lived in those lands, are clearly visible 
An interesting story is how the Lord led the future saint to this ministry. Wanting to get away from the bustle of the world, Saint Nicholas settled in the Zion monastery, founded by his uncle, the bishop, where he was received by the brethren with great joy. He thought of staying in the quiet solitude of the monastic cell for the rest of his life. But one day, during prayer, the voice of God called him to go into the world, among people, to glorify the Lord. The saint of God, obeying, headed to the capital of Lycia, the large city of Myra, where he was unknown to anyone and could easily escape worldly glory. Living in poverty and without a roof over his head, he inevitably attended all church services. Just at this time, Archbishop John died and the bishops were looking for someone who would be a worthy new chosen one. One of the bishops had a vision: the one pleasing to the Lord would be the first to come to the temple for the morning service. This man turned out to be Saint Nicholas.
Upon entering the administration of the Myra diocese, Saint Nicholas said to himself: “Now, Nicholas, your rank and your position require you to live entirely not for yourself, but for others!” His flock flourished.
According to Saint Andrew of Crete, Saint Nicholas appeared to people burdened with various disasters, gave them help and saved them from death: “With his deeds and virtuous life, Saint Nicholas shone in the World, like a morning star among the clouds, like a beautiful moon in its full moon. For the Church of Christ he was a brightly shining sun, he adorned Her like a lily at a spring, and was Her fragrant myrrh!”
Children rejoice at Saint Nicholas; the Pleasant of God gives a helping hand to all the poor and suffering. Sailors consider him their patron. And it’s no coincidence.
One day, sailors caught in a strong storm near the Lycian coast began to call on Nicholas for help, whom they had never seen. The image that appeared in front of the sailors said, “Look, I’m here, I’ve come to help you.” The sailors, who did not stop praying to God, and with the help of the saint, sailed to Mira. Immediately heading their way to the church, they met St. Nicholas there. Thanks to the bishop, they wanted to kiss his hand, but he objected: “It was not I who helped you, but your faith in God. God, who heard your prayers, saved you.”
This monument was erected near the temple in the town of Demre.
While caring for the spiritual needs of his flock, Saint Nicholas did not neglect to satisfy their bodily needs.
When a great famine occurred in Lycia, the good shepherd performed a new miracle to save the hungry. One merchant loaded a large ship with grain and on the eve of sailing somewhere to the west he saw St. Nicholas in a dream, who ordered him to deliver all the grain to Lycia, for he buys the entire cargo from him and gives him three gold coins as a deposit. Waking up, the merchant was very surprised to find three gold coins actually clutched in his hand. He realized that this was a command from above, brought bread to Lycia, and the starving people were saved. Here he spoke about the vision, and the citizens recognized their archbishop from his description.
Even during his lifetime, Saint Nicholas became famous as a pacifier of warring parties, a defender of the innocently condemned, and a deliverer from vain death.
During the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, a rebellion broke out in the country of Phrygia. To pacify him, the king sent an army there under the command of three commanders: Nepotian, Urs and Erpilion. Their ships were washed up by a storm on the shores of Lycia, where they had to stand for a long time. Supplies were depleted, and the troops began to plunder the population that resisted, and a fierce battle took place near the city of Plakomat. Having learned about this, Saint Nicholas personally arrived there, stopped the hostility, then, together with three governors, went to Phrygia, where with a kind word and exhortation, without the use of military force, he pacified the rebellion. Here he was informed that during his absence from the city of Myra, the local city governor, Eustathius, innocently sentenced to death three citizens slandered by their enemies. Saint Nicholas hurried to Myra and with him three royal commanders, who were very fond of this kind bishop, who had rendered them a great service. They arrived in Myra at the very moment of execution. The executioner was already raising his sword to behead the first of the unfortunates, but Saint Nicholas with his imperious hand snatched the sword from him and ordered the release of the innocently condemned. None of those present dared to resist him: everyone understood that the will of God was being done. The three royal commanders marveled at this, not suspecting that they themselves would soon need the miraculous intercession of the saint. Returning to the court, they earned the honor and favor of the king, which aroused envy and enmity on the part of other courtiers, who slandered these three commanders before the king as if they were trying to seize power. Envious slanderers managed to convince the king: three commanders were imprisoned and sentenced to death. The prison guard warned them that the execution was to take place the next day. The innocently condemned began to fervently pray to God, asking for intercession through St. Nicholas. That same night, the Pleasant of God appeared in a dream to the king and imperiously demanded the release of the three commanders, threatening to rebel and deprive the king of power.
“Who are you that you dare to demand and threaten the king?”
“I am Nicholas, Archbishop of Lycia!”
Waking up, the king began to think about this dream. That same night, Saint Nicholas also appeared to the mayor of the city, Evlavius, and demanded the release of the innocently convicted. The king called Evlavius to him, and having learned that he had the same vision, he ordered three commanders to be brought.
“What kind of witchcraft are you doing to give me and Eulavius visions in our sleep?” - asked the king and told them about the appearance of St. Nicholas.
“We do not do any witchcraft,” the governors answered, “but we ourselves previously witnessed how this bishop saved innocent people from the death penalty in Myra!” The king ordered their case to be examined and, convinced of their innocence, released them.
During his life, the saint provided help to people who even did not know him at all. Not only believers, but also pagans turned to him, and the Saint responded with his constant miraculous help to everyone who sought it. In those he saved from physical troubles, he aroused repentance for sins and a desire to improve their lives.
But the days of testing were approaching. The Church of Christ was persecuted by the emperor Diocletian (285-30). Temples were destroyed, divine and liturgical books were burned; bishops and priests were imprisoned and tortured. All Christians were subjected to all sorts of insults and torments. The persecution also reached the Lycian Church. During these difficult days, Saint Nicholas supported his flock in the faith, loudly and openly preaching the name of God, for which he was imprisoned, where he did not cease to strengthen the faith among the prisoners, and confirmed them in a strong confession of the Lord, so that they would be ready to suffer for Christ. Diocletian's successor Galerius stopped the persecution. Saint Nicholas, upon leaving prison, again occupied the See of Myra and with even greater zeal devoted himself to the fulfillment of his high duties. He became famous especially for his zeal for the establishment of the Orthodox faith and the eradication of paganism and heresies. The Church of Christ suffered especially badly at the beginning of the 4th century from the heresy of Arius. (He rejected the deity of the Son of God and did not recognize Him as Consubstantial with the Father.) Desiring to establish peace in the flock of Christ, shocked by the heresy of Aryan false teaching. Equal to the Apostles Emperor Constantine convened the First Ecumenical Council of 325 in Nicaea, where three hundred and eighteen bishops gathered under the chairmanship of Emperor Constantine; here the teachings of Arius and his followers were condemned. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria and Saint Nicholas especially labored at this Council. Other saints defended Orthodoxy with the help of their enlightenment. Saint Nicholas defended the faith by faith itself - by the fact that all Christians, starting with the Apostles, believed in the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
The Lord allowed His great Saint to live to a ripe old age. But the time came when he, too, had to repay the common debt of human nature. After a short illness, he died peacefully on December 6 (19 AD), 342, and was buried in the cathedral church of the city of Myra. When miracles began to occur at the tomb and pilgrims were healed after long prayers, St. Nicholas began to be revered as a miracle worker.
The church was built in the 4th century, immediately after the death of St. Nicholas in 343, on the site of the ancient sanctuary of Artemis. The church was destroyed several times. First - an earthquake. Then a basilica was erected in its place. The decline came in the 7th century, when the city was destroyed during the raids of the Arabs, who demolished the basilica. Her remains were flooded by the mud of the Miros River.
The ruins of the temple with the tomb of the saint were in disrepair and were guarded only by a few pious monks.
The modern building of the temple was built approximately in the 8th century. Externally, it is a basilica in the shape of a cross with one room, covered in the middle with a dome with two halls on the sides. The floor is partially covered with mosaics in a geometric pattern, and on the walls you can still see frescoes from the 11th-12th centuries. The roof of the church was originally crowned with a dome; during restoration it was replaced with a vault.
In the southern nave of the half-empty church, a sarcophagus made of white marble with carved patterns attracts attention. This is exactly the sarcophagus in which the relics of St. Nicholas rested.
In 1034, during the Arab raids, the temple was destroyed, but the relics of St. Nicholas were saved. In May 1087, Italian merchants managed to take possession of the relics of the saint (according to legend, when Italian monks opened the sarcophagus, the spicy smell of myrrh spread from the relics of the Saint) and transported them to Italy, the city of Bari, where he was declared the patron saint of the city and where they are currently kept . However, part of the relics was left in the sarcophagus due to haste and now this part of the relics is in Venice. In 1850, the Russian traveler A.N. Muravyov visited the ruins of the temple in Demre (Lycian Worlds) and, seeing the condition of the temple, initiated an initiative to raise funds for its restoration (it was planned to subsequently create a new pilgrimage center). As a result, in 1853, the ruins of the church and the adjacent plot of land were purchased on behalf of Princess Anna Golitsyna, a French architect was hired to restore the church, but only the chapel was completely restored, since the architect’s project did not preserve the historical appearance of the church, and the church itself did not was reconstructed.
In place of the destroyed dome, a new one was built in the Gothic style. However, starting in 1858. restoration work turned out to be short in time and did not give the desired result. The situation was significantly complicated by the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78. As a result, the remaining capital from the collected funds was transferred to the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas in Bari (Italy).
At the beginning of the 20th century, Demre was a small Greek village. There was only one priest serving in the church, and it was gradually covered with silt from the river flowing nearby. In 1920, after the expulsion of the Greeks from Turkey, the church was finally abandoned.
This timeless temple was rediscovered during excavations in Demre in 1956 - before that it was buried in the ground. In 1962–1963 At the initiative of the Turkish government, the church was cleared. Significant excavations were carried out on the territory of the monastery, during which colored mosaics made of colored marble and the remains of wall paintings were discovered.
A new stage of excavations and restoration began in 1989. Rooms were found in the north-eastern part of the church. Currently, the floor of the church is 7 m below ground level. At the same time, a temporary canopy was built over the church.
Epochs changed, entire nations changed, the church was destroyed more than once, but it was always revived to life. The church and its surroundings are visited by a large number of pilgrims who, even today, after 17 centuries of the life of the great saint of God, honor and love him, knowing from their personal experience the power of the prayer of St. Nicholas.
During his lifetime, Saint Nicholas was a benefactor of the human race; He did not cease to be one even after his death. The Lord granted his honest body incorruptibility and special miraculous power. His relics began - and continue to this day - to exude fragrant myrrh, which has the gift of miracles - the gift of giving help - through the prayers of our intercessor, and a quick helper in sorrows!
O all-praised, great wonderworker, saint of Christ, Father Nicholas! We pray to you, be the hope of all Christians, the faithful protector, the hungry feeder, the weeping joy, the sick doctor, the steward of those floating on the sea, the poor and orphan feeder and the quick helper and patron of everyone, may we live a peaceful life here and may we be worthy to see the glory of God’s elect in heaven , and with them unceasingly sing the praises of the one worshiped God in the Trinity forever and ever. Amen.
(Turkish: Aziz Nikolaos kilisesi; English: St. Nicholas Church)
Candidate for the UNESCO List
Opening hours: daily from 9.00 to 19.00 - from April to October, and from 8.30 to 17.30 - from November to March.
How to get there: to get to the Church of St. Nicholas, first of all, you need to get to Demre (Mira). You can get to Demre from Antalya (from the bus station, travel time 2.5 hours) or Kas, as well as other cities located on the D400 highway (Finike, Kemer, Tekirova, Olympos, Cirali and others). The Church of St. Nicholas is located in the very center of Demre, a short walk from the bus station.
The Church of St. Nicholas is located in the Turkish city of Demre, known in ancient times as Mira. This church is notable for the fact that the famous saint Nicholas the Wonderworker was buried here in the 4th century.
Nicholas the Wonderworker (or as he is also called Nicholas the Pleasant) is a saint in Orthodoxy and Catholicism, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. He is revered as a miracle worker and considered the patron saint of sailors, merchants and children. During his lifetime, Nikolai became famous as a pacifier of warring parties, a defender of the innocently convicted, and a deliverer from needless death.
Saint Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in the 3rd century AD, in the Greek colony of Patara, in the Roman province of Lycia, at a time when the region was Hellenistic in its culture and appearance. Nicholas was very religious from early childhood and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. From childhood, Nikolai excelled in the study of Divine Scripture; During the day he did not leave the temple, and at night he prayed and read books. His uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patarsky, made him a reader, and then elevated Nicholas to the rank of priest, making him his assistant and instructing him to speak instructions to the flock. Nikolai grew up in a very wealthy family, and when his parents died, he inherited their fortune, but gave it to charity.
While still a young man, Nicholas set off on a journey to venerate the holy places of distant Jerusalem. Returning from Jerusalem to Demre, Saint Nicholas became the bishop of Myra, where he preached until his death, giving all his knowledge and strength for the good of people.
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of seafarers; sailors who are in danger of drowning or shipwreck often turn to him. When Nicholas went to study in Alexandria, and on one of his sea voyages from Myra to Alexandria, he resurrected a sailor who had fallen from a piece of ship's equipment in a storm and crashed to his death.
According to one of the stories of inexplicable miracles, Nikolai once saved three boys from death who almost died in a barrel. At that time, in his homeland, famine was raging, Nikolai, being a bishop, stopped at one inn. The owner of the yard had nothing to feed his guests, and he killed three boys, cut their bodies into pieces and salted them in a barrel. The saint resurrected these boys, and the owner of the inn escaped.
Saint Nicholas is perhaps the most revered Saint in Russia. In his honor, starting even before the baptism of Rus' and to this day, many churches were erected, and, probably, there is not a single city in Russia where a Temple in honor of St. Nicholas would not be erected, and his name was the most popular when naming babies , until the beginning of the 20th century. In front of his icons they pray for a prosperous marriage, for travelers, sailors, and for deliverance from slander.
Saint Nicholas died at a very old age, after a short illness, on December 6, 345 or 351. He was buried in a small tomb outside Myra. Later, in the 4th century, a chapel was erected on this site, which was destroyed by an earthquake, then a basilica was erected in its place, destroyed in the 7th century by the Arabs. The modern building (cruciform basilica) was built around the 8th century. But she also suffered many sad events.
In the 11th century, the Turks devastated the Byzantine possessions in Asia Minor, accompanying their cruelties by insulting holy temples, relics, icons and books. In 792, Caliph Harun Ar-Rashid sent the commander of the fleet, Humaid, to devastate the island of Rhodes. Having plundered the island, Humaid went to Myra Lycia, with the intention of breaking into and plundering the tomb of St. Nicholas. However, instead of it, he broke open another tomb that stood nearby, after which a terrible storm suddenly arose at sea and almost all of Humaid’s ships were destroyed.
According to church sources, in 1087, Saint Nicholas appeared in a dream to a priest in the city of Bari, and ordered that his relics be transferred from Mira to Bari. In the same year, noble and Venetian merchants went to Mira. To facilitate their actions, they revealed their intentions to the monks guarding the shrine and offered them a ransom - 300 gold coins for the relics of St. Nicholas. But the monks angrily refused the money and the Italians tied them up and placed their guards at the door.
Then the merchants broke the church platform, under which stood the tomb with the relics, and saw that the sarcophagus was filled with fragrant holy myrrh. Presbyters Lupp and Drogo performed a litany, after which a young man named Matthew began to extract the relics of the Saint from the overflowing sarcophagus. The relics of St. Nicholas were wrapped in outer clothing and transferred to the ship. Currently, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker are kept in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari.
The modern Church of St. Nicholas in Demre was found during excavations in 1956, before which it was buried in the ground. In 1989, rooms were found in the northeastern part of the church. Currently, half of the church is 7 meters below ground level.
The Church of St. Nicholas is a basilica in the shape of a cross, with one large room in the middle covered with a dome, with two halls on the sides, in the north, and two rooms.
In front of the entrance to the church there is a courtyard and a double narthex with cross vaults. In the courtyard there is a monument to St. Nicholas, created by our contemporary, Grigory Pototsky, for the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ.
The antique columns located at the entrance, more consistent with the Corinthian order, eloquently indicate that, apparently, the church was built on the ruins of a pagan temple; there is an assumption that it was the temple of Artemis or Phoebe, destroyed by an earthquake, which were very common in Roman era.
The walls inside the church are decorated with frescoes from the 11th and 12th centuries, depicting various biblical and historical events, fragments of which can still be discerned today. They painted both the vaults and walls of the temple, as if returning man to the origins, to the history of the emergence of religion. On the fresco depicting the Ecumenical Council, there is the latest and, perhaps, the most reliable image of Nicholas the Wonderworker himself.
In the semicircular part of the central nave there was a syntronon, with a row of seats for priests, a bishop's pulpit and a lower gallery. The floor is paved with mosaics with geometric patterns. Also, on various plates, there is a Maltese cross and an anchor, symbolizing the patronage of this saint for sailors.
The sarcophagus, which originally contained the relics of St. Nicholas, is located in the southern nave of the church, located between two columns, behind a destroyed marble partition. It is believed that the saint was buried in it. The sarcophagus is made entirely of marble, it is completely imbued with symbolism, the lid is in the form of fish scales, as a symbol of Jesus, doves and olive branches, as symbols of eternal peace and tranquility.
Currently, there is a dispute between Turkey and Italy about the return of the relics of St. Nicholas, which were taken from Turkey and, to this day, are in the Italian city of Bari, back to Demre, since Turkey has declared that the holy relics are the property of the state.
The Church of St. Nicholas is the personification of the old Orthodox icon, giving peace and hope, the personification of true faith in God, in the Saints, and in divine miracles...
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