BELOVED, let us love one another, for love is of God….I John 4
THE INVOCATION
Hold the cross in your hand, say
IN THE NAME OF THE (+) FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AMEN
St Nicholas was a defender of the historic faith and was said to be present at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. So, holding the cross we say:
THE NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and (+) the life of the world to come. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER is said on the single bead that follows
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
THE BLESSED NICHOLAS is said on each of the three beads
BLESSED NICHOLAS, victorious saint,
Teach us to love and care for all in need;
Holy Bishop, servant of Christ, join in our prayer,
Enliven us with a spirit of generosity, joy, justice and peace,
As we seek to serve God’s world today Amen.
Then the GLORIA PATRI is said
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
A COMMEMORATION OF THE LIFE OF
ST NICHOLAS IS MADE IN EACH OF THE FIVE DECADES
Large bead pray: OUR FATHER,
On each of the ten beads say BLESSED NICHOLAS...
After the tenth bead, say
BLESSED BE GOD IN THE ANGELS
AND IN THE SAINTS
This sequence is then repeated.
THE FIRST COMMEMORATION
St Nicholas, his miraculous birth, Patron of children
Pray for parents and children, children with special needs, orphans and neglected and abused children and those who care for them; for nurses, doctors, and midwives
THE SECOND COMMEMORATION
St Nicholas, Bishop of Myra
Pray for all Christian leaders, pray for Christians persecuted for their faith in Christ, and all who have lost their faith; Pray for the Shrine at Bari, for the restoration of the Myra Church; Pray for schools, institutions societies and churches dedicated to the saint
THE THIRD COMMEMORATION
St Nicholas, Help of the Innocent
Pray for those in prison, for all that are falsely accused and mistreated, for the victims of war, corrupt governments and disease
THE FOURTH COMMEMORATION
St Nicholas, Patron of Sailors
Pray for all that travel on land, sea or air, for all mariners and seafarers and those who are tossed in the tempests and storms of life
THE FIFTH COMMEMORATION
St Nicholas, Helper of the poor
Pray for those living in poverty all over the world,
Pray for those who have power over the lives of others, Pray for a just use of all creation and fair-trade
THE ST NICHOLAS PRAYER
ETERNAL GOD,
in your great love you gave your servant NICHOLAS
a perpetual name for deeds of kindness on land and sea.
Grant that your Church may never cease to work
for the happiness of children, the safety of sailors,
the relief of the poor and the help of those who are tossed
by tempests of doubt or grief; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD,
who lives and reigns with you and the HOLY SPIRIT,
one GOD, now and for ever, Amen.
(ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA).
A BLESSING
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Nicholas and all the saints
pray with us, may the angels of God protect us, and may
Almighty God bless us, (+)Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. Amen
THE HYMN
Saint Nicholas the children's friend
Joyful sing we
His miracles a blessing send
Joyful sing we
All the people shout with glee
Now the blessed saint to see
May we all right merry be
Happy Day, Holy Day
Celebrate with gladness
The sailors, captives, all are free
Joyful sing we
The daughters three new life now see
Joyful sing we
All the people shout with glee
Now the blessed saint to see
May we all right merry be
Happy Day, Holy Day
Celebrate with gladness
He comes with gifts beyond compare
Joyful sing we
He tells us of God's love and care
Joyful sing we
All the people shout with glee
Now the blessed saint to see
May we all right merry be
Happy Day, Holy Day
Celebrate with gladness
Tune: Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) – Text J M Rosenthal
St Nicholas, Bishop of Myra and Saint in Bari
Saint Nicholas was born in 260AD in Patara, a coastal town in what is now Turkey. The poor knew him throughout the land for his generosity, his love for children and being associated with ships, the sea and sailors.
Our western tradition of Santa Claus originates with Nicholas. Many churches and many countries observe the feast on December 6th,
During the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian, Bishop Nicholas was imprisoned and tortured for his beliefs The new Emperor Constantine eventually released him. Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 with many other bishops, a meeting that produced what we today call "The Nicene Creed".
Images of St Nicholas in paintings, icons, statues, collectibles and stained glass often show him alongside three young men in a barrel that he brought back to life after an innkeeper murdered them. He is almost always seen with three bags or balls as well, symbolising the three bags of gold he tossed through the chimney of the home of a poor man in his village for the daughters' dowry, so they would not be sold as slaves. Thus he is also seen as the "gift-giver". A ship and the sea are also common symbols of the saint. Western and Eastern depictions of Blessed Nicholas differ in style and costume.
Saint Nicholas is a patron of many places and people. He closely associated with Russia, Greece, Holland, Austria, Belgium, Aberdeen and New York. Pawnbrokers, travellers, unwed persons, children, sailors and many others claim a special relationship to the saintly figure.
The bishop died in 343AD and his body buried in Myra. However, in 1087, Italian sailors who were fearful that the bones would be desecrated or forgotten by the armies invading the country at that time removed the remains of his bones, called relics. They were taken to Bari, Italy, where they rest in a major basilica The feast of the relics is May 9th.
