Day 32 - Saturday, 4th week in Lent - San Nicola in Carcere

Ancient roman arches at via Petroselli with San Nicola in Carcere in background

North facade of San Nicola in Carcere with columns from the ruined Temple of Spes

"San Nicola in Carcare SE" 

Southern facade - the Capitoline is to the right

Facing east toward the Capitoline Hill from the north rear of the church

North facade of San Nicola

Here are the traditional seven hills of ancient Rome, although still additional hills, such as the Vatican Hill and the Janiculum Hill, became incorporated into the city over time.

Seven Hills of Rome and the Servian Wall

San Nicola sits just to the left (west) of the Capitoline Hill, and faces it. Can you remember other churches that sit on the various hills?

Interior of San Nicola in Carcere

Interior of San Nicola in Carcere

High altar and ciborium

The dowry for the three virgins by Gentile da Fabriano,1425, Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome

In another version of the story, Bishop Nicholas throws one purse in the window for each of three consecutive nights, while in still another version he throws the purses over a period of three years, each time the night before one of the daughters comes of age. The third time, the father lies in wait, in order to discover their benefactor. In one account, the father confronts the saint, only to have the bishop say it is not him he should thank, but God alone. In another version, the bishop learns of the poor man's plan to learn his identity, and drops the third bag down the chimney instead.  

Over time, people of Myra began to suspect that their good bishop was behind a large number of  anonymous gifts to the poor, using the inheritance from his wealthy parents. After he died, the people in his region continued to give to the poor anonymously, and such gifts were still often attributed to St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra - the beginning of an ongoing tradition.

In 325, Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicea, the first ecumenical council. More than 300 bishops from all over the Christian world, as far away as Britain, came to discuss the nature of the Holy Trinity, and resolve the questions about the relationship between the Father and the Son.  This was the most pressing theological question of the early Church.  Arius, a priest from Alexandria, had taught that Jesus was a creature, and not equal to God the Father. This Arian controversy had shaken the very foundations of early Christianity. 

According to one account of the Council, when confronted by the obstinate Arius, who refused to recant his heresy, Nicholas slapped him in the face. In response to such a breach of decorum, Constantine stripped Nicholas of his bishop's ring, his book of the Gospels, his stole, miter and crozier, and pronounced him no longer a bishop.  He was then thrown in prison.  During the night, according to legend, Jesus, with his Mother Mary, appeared to Nicholas, bringing the book of the Gospels, bishop's stole and the other symbols of his office which had been taken from him. When he appeared at the council the following morning in possession of all the symbols of the bishops office, Emperor Constantine did not dare to refuse to reinstate him.  If you are ever looking at an icona dn wondering if it is St. Nicholas, look for small images of our Lord and Our Lady in the upper right and left corners returning the symbols of the bishop's office.  It they are there you are gazing on the face of St. Nicholas!   You can scroll back up to the photo of the icon above to see what I am talking about.  Icons are are not just "pictures".  They are always "written" for a feast day, and tell the story of the saint or event.

Saint Nicholas died on December 6, 343, bearing the scars of a confessor and survivor of the persecutions of Diocletian, having been an actor in the great Council of Nicea, old and venerable,  beloved by all.  After his death, the miracles and charity of the dear bishop, who was the protector of widows and children and the poor, as well as the defender of orthodoxy, did not cease.  Some said the strange happenings were because his goodness inspired others to be generous and loving in imitation of their beloved bishop.  Others said that truly there were miracles.  A oily substance was found to exude from his bones lying in the crypt of the church, and healings were  not infrequent.  

Here is a story about one of the strange happenings in Myra:  Many years after his death, the people of Myra were celebrating the saint on his feast day when a band of Arab pirates came into their town. They stole treasures from the Church, looted the shops, and as they were leaving town, snatched a young boy, Basilios, to take as a slave. When they returned to their country, their emir, or ruler, selected Basilios to be his cup-bearer, since he did not know the language, and would not understand what the king said to those around him. 

For the next year Basilios waited on the king, bringing his wine in a beautiful golden cup. For Basilios' parents, that year passed slowly, filled with grief. As the feast day of the old bishop approached again, Basilios' mother would not join in the festivity,  but had a simple prayer service at home for Basilios' safekeeping. Meanwhile, as Basilios was serving the emir, he suddenly found himself caught up in the presence of the good bishop, who blessed the terrified boy, and brought  him back to his home  in Myra, still holding the king's golden cup.  Needless to say, Basilios and his parents were a bit awed by the experience.

Russian icon of St Nicholas - see Mary and Jesus restoring the bishops symbols of office? 

In life and in death, St Nicholas seemed to have no lack of ability to bestow good things on all who approached him for aid.  He became the patron saint of Russia, of sailors, and of all children everywhere.  The last story I will tell you is about Bishop Nicholas's last voyage.  He had been dead for over 600 years, when this story took place.  It happened like this:

Myra and and all of Asia Minor eventually came under the Islamic control of the Seljuk Turks.  Making pilgrimages to the tomb of St. Nicholas became difficult and dangerous for Christians. In 1087, merchants from Venice and Bari in Italy financed a grand pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Nicholas in Myra, but the real purpose of  the pilgrimage was to break into the crypt, kidnap the bones of the good bishop, and carry them back to Italy, where they could be protected from the raiding Turks.  They accomplished this in spite of the protest of the Christians of Myra.   

The original tomb of St. Nicholas at the basilica in Myra.  You can see where the sailors broke into the side.

In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari, Italy succeeded in spiriting away the bones of St. Nicholas, bringing them to Bari, on the southeast coast of Italy. On the way back to Italy, the sailors stopped and built a beautiful casket for the relics, so that they sailed into Bari with great ceremony, delivering the saint to his new resting place. 

Above: The Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari, Italy 

Basilica San Nicola, Bari, Italy

Above: Interior - Basilica of St Nicholas in Bari, Italy 

A church was soon built over St. Nicholas' crypt and has been a popular site for pilgrimage ever since, to honor the saint who had rescued children, prisoners, sailors, famine victims, and many others through his charity, his compassion, and his generosity, and had blessed so many with the miracles attributed to his intercession.  Over the next century a magnificent bascilica was built over the crypt of St. Nicholas.  To the amazement of everyone, in the tomb at Bari, his bones continued to exude manna, just as they had in Myra, and with the same healing properties.

If you would like to visit a whole website to find out more about the venerable St Nicholas go here.

Below, the repository of the relics of St. Nicholas in the crypt of the basilica in Bari, Italy.

Below:  The subterranean excavation of the ancient pagan temples and passageways under the church of San Nicola in Carcere:

Subterranean passages under San Nicola, at the foundations of the ancient pagan temples

Subterranean passage under San Nicola

Subterranean Chamber under San Nicola