Commemorated on October 31
Saint Nicholas was born on October 31, 1754 at 12:00 noon. He grew up in Chios in the small town of Karyes. He was blessed to be born into a humble and devout Christian family and was raised well by his father Petros and his mother Stamato. Having a passion for the faith, he was obedient to his parents and from an early age he carried many virtues and desired to serve and please God. He was kind and meek and he had a deep patience.
When Nicholas was a young adult, at the age of 20, he lost both his mother and father. With a friend, he left Chios and traveled to Magnesia, present day Turkey. There he worked as stone-mason and made a well living for himself. Then a sickness struck him and he was unable to care for himself. People thought he had gone crazy.
Because he was in a vulnerable state, this left him as easy prey for Turks in a nearby village. Seeing he was incapable of speaking, they brought him before a judge to be converted to Islam. Because he could not answer to the judge, and the judge saw him as someone who had mental illness, they let him go without harm and sent him back to live with his sister. When his friend saw him in this state, they did not think he looked well. Around this time a rumor spread that he had converted to Islam and his name was changed. When his sister heard of this she told it among many and soon it was believed among all the villagers. The villager did not let Nicholas enter the church and eventually, the Turkish authorities got word of this. They began dressing him in Turkish clothing. He was given a new name, Mehmed and due to his physical incapacity, he worked as a sheep herder.
Nicholas was poor and did not have much means to survive. An old monk name Cyril had mercy on him, and decided to take him in with hope he would repent and come back to the Christian faith. The elder did so without knowing that the rumors he had converted to Islam were untrue.
One night Saint Nicholas laid in an old dilapidated church dedicated to Saint Anna, and a beautiful young woman came to him in a dream and told him that through God’s grace his mind and body were to be restored. She instructed him: “Go to the Elder and he will make you well. “
The next day he told his sister of the dream, and he went back to the Geronda Cyril. The Elder read to Nicholas prayers, and gave him Holy Water. From this moment he was able to speak and work. Then Cyril taught him the pure ascetic faith and Nicholas was very inspired.
He was heavily devoted to prayers, vigils and strict fasting. He did so many prostrations that others who knew him had concern. While he was in church one day, as he venerated the icon of St. John the Baptist an intense feeling came over him. He pleaded to the Saint to be worthy to be as he was and follow Christ with all his life.
He continued to fast and maintain a strict lifestyle void of any comforts or physical pleasure. Fellow Christians would chase him from the church, assuming he was Muslim and the Turks would come to kill them. This pained Nicholas and brought him to tears as all he desired was to worship Christ.
One day the Turks discovered Nicholas had been going to the Christian church.
They were upset, as they believed he was Muslim. The judge sent several Turks
to seize Nicholas and others from the village. The priest was among this group.
They took Nicholas before the judge asked and the others were imprisoned.
The judge asked Nicholas “Why do you worship Christ, as you were a Muslim, what brought this change?”
He answered boldly saying “I am a Christian, as I was born one and will always be one. I have never denied my God and I will never. I will die for Christ, as I will die a Christian. “
The Turks were both confused and embarrassed. So they took Nicholas to the jail with the others. Those from the village tried to persuade Nicholas to just say he was Muslim telling him that he was young and it was too soon for him to die.
Even an imprisoned priest feared death and said to Nicholas, “Why don’t you convert to Islam and they will free us all?”
Nicholas was fill will disgust and slapped the priest across the face. “How do you call yourself a priest of God when you attempt to steer me from Christ!”
The Turks sentenced them all to severe torments.
Then, seeing if Nicholas had changed his mind, they again brought him before the judge. Nicholas spoke before them all saying “If you do what I ask of you, I will do what you ask of me.”
Because the Judge wanted him to abide, he said “Yes, tell us what we must do.”
Nicholas answered “Be baptized Christian and I will then do whatever you ask. “
This infuriated the judge and he only sentenced them to harsher torments. They put Nicholas on a bed of nails and placed a heavy stone upon his back, so that he would be sunk into the nails. But that night there was an earthquake and the stone was broken. Nicholas rose from the bed without any pain or injury. The whole room where he had been was filled with the scent of myrrh.
After the priest saw this miracle, he asked Nicholas for forgiveness, alongside the other villagers, as they realized he was a Saint of God.
When the Turks discovered the miracle, they set free the priest and the other villagers as they feared they would spread world of the miracle as they planned to do more torture and did not want the word to spread.
The Turks were persistent to break him from the Christian faith and turn him over to Islam. One night they even threw him into the horse stables, expecting the horses to trample over him. But the large horses were gentle and kind bringing no harm to Nicholas.
The Turks continued several different tortures, until deciding to sentence him to a beheading. After seeing that he was under the protection of God they did not want word to spread of the miracles.
During all this time, Nicolas continued strict fasting and prayer. When he was brought before the Turks to be executed, they did not behead him right away hoping that with time he may convert to Islam.
They asked him again before the beheading if he wanted to be Muslim. Although Nicholas was weak he still shook his head and said “No.”
They jabbed a sharp spear in his back causing him to fall to his knees. They asked him again, and His passion for Christ only grew stronger. He still said “No.” Then the executioner struck down on his neck, only making an indent, but causing great pain to increase his suffering. They questioned him again if he wished to be Muslim, and again he said firmly, “No.”
At this time, he was growing weak so he cried out to the Panagia three times asking for her aid.
The Turk then tried to cut through his neck, but the blade would not go through. He repeated this twice but he was unable to cut through his neck. So taking a knife, he grabbed Nicholas by his hair and cut a slit across his throat as though he were an animal.
After Nicholas gave his soul willingly and bravely unto the Lord, it was noon, but a dark cloud fell over the entire island of Chios. It was so dark they could not see the road to go home. All of those on the island were disturbed as they had no idea what caused this darkness. From Nicholas’ body was the only light and the Turks saw this. This light shone from Nicholas’ body for three days and he shone like the sun.
With fear that others would see the miracle, the Turks quickly burned his body and threw it into the ocean. Although we do not know the current place of his body, some Christians went to the jail he had been and bought his clothing and belongings. These were known to heal many from illness.