Primate of UOC: We ask St. Nicholas to help us in the trials not lose the human form

Saint Nicholas is revered not only by Christians, but also by Gentiles, because he supports everyone who needs help. This was said by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine in a homily on the feast day of St. Nicholas, the Wonderworker of Myra in Lycia, during the Liturgy at the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Pokrovsky Convent in Kiev, reports Foma in Ukraine.
 
"Today, dear brothers and sisters, is the feast of St. Nicholas. Prelate Nicholas is one of the greatest saints who are deeply revered by the entire Orthodox world," said Metropolitan Onufriy.
 
"St. Nicholas helped people in various difficult everyday circumstances, afflictions, diseases; especially he helped and continues to support those who are unjustly prosecuted and undeservedly punished. Even during his earthly life he saved from the sword those who were unjustly sentenced to death, – the Primate said. – We pray him in different troubles, sorrows, but especially when we are wronged or treated unfairly."
 
According to him, St. Nicholas did not have a high secular education, because in his youth he devoted himself to monastic life and priestly ministry. But he had spiritual wisdom that "won human lofty rhetoric."
  
His Beatitude also urged everyone to keep the purity of the Orthodox faith. "We know that at the First Ecumenical Council, St Nicholas courageously defended the purity of the Holy Orthodox faith," – said the Primate. – And we know that St. Nicholas, not being philosophically educated, without knowing any tricks of speech building and misleading techniques, etc., engaged in a dispute with the philosopher-heretic Arius. And the saint, seeing that he could not answer him, slapped Aria on the cheek."
  
"We know that the bishop cannot hit anyone. And the Fathers wanted to withdraw episcopal dignity from St. Nicholas for this," – continued Metropolitan Onufriy. But the worthy men had a vision in which the Savior gave Nicholas the Gospel and the Mother of God – Omophorion. "It was a sign that God forgave the prelate that sin, as the latter hit Aria not because of his passion but for the glory of God," explained the Primate.
  
St. Nicholas is revered not only by the Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians, but also by non-Christians, Gentiles. "Many people revere him because he helps a lot. Entering the eternal life, St Nicholas did not stop supporting those who need help and who God blesses to help," said Metropolitan Onufriy and gave the example of one of our contemporaries – the captain of a submarine.
  
The captain was a communist and, upholding a "communist" moral, was an honest and decent man.
 
Once the submarine he commanded sank at a depth of 100 meters. The captain decided to rescue the crew. Since there was a shortage of oxygen cylinders – one per two sailors – they decided to lift up by two at a go. Due to the great depth and, therefore, a high risk of death, the rise had to be very slow and take a few hours. The last remained the captain himself and another young sailor. When they were already in the water, the sailor started panicking and began to rise quickly to the surface. Between them there was a struggle. The captain (atheist), seeing that he could not hold the sailor, prayed inwardly (it was rather a begging): "God, if you exist, help me." And then he saw a man in beautiful robes and with a beaming face and lost consciousness.
The captain recovered already on the water surface, next to him was the unfortunate sailor who did not survive because of a sharp pressure drop. The captain appeared uninjured.
  
That case the captain remembered for the rest of his life, but he didn’t become a believer. On retirement, he was just driving his car in the Poltava region when not far from the Mgarsk Monastery he saw the same man – his benefactor – on the road. The man was wearing the same beautiful robes. He said to the captain: "Go to the temple ... and there I'll meet you," and indicated the exact place of meeting. The captain listened to him, for the first time went to the church and, following the instructions of his benefactor, found himself before the icon of St. Nicholas.
Not knowing what the icons were, the captain decided that it was a picture of his benefactor, and noted that the image was very similar. Then he was told that in the icon was the image of St. Nicholas, who lived many centuries ago, but who even today assists everyone who needs help.
   
"And the man gained faith and changed his life. He started to fast, pray and go to church. It came very difficult to him – he used to live by different rules. But he made an effort on himself, and so righteously he completed his earthly travel – a few years ago he died, – said His Beatitude. – Here's an example of how St. Nicholas with God's blessing helps us. One should lift a humble prayer to him so that the Lord shall send him to help us."
  
"Today there are many sorrows and troubles in our earthly life. And we ask St. Nicholas to help us in all trials not lose our human form. We ask for his love towards us not to be scarce so that we can endure everything with gratitude and walk the path that leads the man to eternal life in heaven," concluded Metropolitan Onufriy.