6 December
A very popular saint, St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, a city in Asia Minor, lived during the fourth century, St. Nicholas became known for his warm and generous heart, his love for children and the poor, his care for the sick and his gift-giving. Poor many he was, and continues to be, a shining symbol of Christ’s love and compassion.
The hymn of his feast-day touches on the spiritual qualities of St. Nicholas:
The truth of your deeds
has set you before your flock
as a standard of faith, an example
of meekness and a teacher of self-control.
Thus you acquired greatness through humility
and spiritual wealth through poverty.
O Father and Hierarch Nicholas,
intercede with Christ, our God,
that he may save our souls.
Dismissal Hymn
Feast of St. Nicholas
St. Nicholas is a classic example of the Christian faith. He was an ordinary person who became a vehicle of God’s grace, an instrument of God’s love in the world. His concern was not to make himself happy but to make others happy. By virtue of faith, baptism and the gift of the Spirit, each Christian is a saint. Each of us is called, like St. Nicholas, to rise above the routine of life and to be God’s ambassadors — loving, giving, helping and serving others.
Source: The Year of Grace of the Lord, by a Monk of the Eastern Church 1 A Year of the Lord, Theodore Stylianopoulos
St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church 