E04957: The Life of *Nikolaos of Sion (abbot and bishop in Lycia, ob. 564, S00559) mentions fifteen shrines of various saints at villages in the territory of Myra in Lycia (south-west Asia Minor), and the celebration of public feasts with sacrifices of oxen at them, organised by Nikolaos, abbot of the monastery of Holy Sion. Written in Greek in the late 6th c., probably at the monastery of Holy Sion in Lycia.
Creators: name: Erizos
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2018
Subjects: History

description: Life of Nikolaos, Abbot of Holy Sion and Bishop of Pinara (BHG 1347), 54-58.<br><br>54. Ὅτε οὖν ηὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς δοξάσαι τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ Νικόλαον, ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὸ εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου εὐφήμου ἐν Τραγαλασσῷ, καὶ ἔθυσεν ζυγὴν βοϊδίων, καὶ συγκαλεῖται πάντα τὸν λαόν. καὶ ἐγένετο εὐωχία καὶ χαρὰ μεγάλη. καὶ εὐφρανθέντες ἔδωκαν δόξαν τῷ θεῷ δοξάζοντι τοὺς δοξάζοντας αὐτόν. καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπορεύθη ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου καὶ τῶν ὁσίων πατέρων Σαββατίου καὶ Νικολάου καὶ Λέοντος, τῶν γεναμένων ἁρχιμανδριτῶν ἐν τῷ Ἀκαλισσῷ. καὶ ἔθυσεν βοΐδια πέντε καὶ συγκαλεῖ πάντα τὸν λαόν, καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἐνεπλήσθησαν, καὶ ἐδοξάσθη ὁ θεὸς διὰ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ Νικολάου. ἔτι δὲ τῇ χάριτι καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος παρρησίᾳ φερόμενος εἰς πάσας τὰς παρακειμένας ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας θυσίας ἐπέδωκεν εὐχαριστῶν τῷ θεῷ βοΐδια δέκα ἕξ, πληρώσας τὴν προφητικὴν φωνὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Δαβίδ, τὴν λέγουσαν «ἀποδώσω σοι τὰς εὐχάς μου, ἃς διέστειλεν τὰ χείλη μου καὶ ἐλάλησεν τὸ στόμα μου ἐν τῇ θλίψει μου.»<br><br>55. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐπορεύθη ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ Νικόλαος εἰς τὸ εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Γεωργίου ἐν τῷ Πληνίῳ. καὶ ἦλθον μετὰ λιτανείας καὶ τῶν τιμίων σταυρῶν καὶ ἀπήντησαν τῷ δούλῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πληνίου κληρικοὶ ἅμα τῷ φιλοχρίστῳ αὐτῶν λαῷ εἰς τὸν ἅγιον εὕφημον. καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἠκολούθησεν αὐτοῖς μετὰ ἑπτὰ βοϊδίων. καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐν τῷ εὐκτηρίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Γεωργίου ἔθυσεν ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ τοὺς ἑπτὰ βόας. καὶ συνήχθησαν ὄχλοι, ὥστε γενέσθαι στιβάδια διακόσια. ἐβάστασεν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἀναλωμάτων οἴνου μέτρα ἐκατὸν καὶ ἄρτους μοδίων τεσσαράκοντα. καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες καὶ ἐνεπλήσθησαν, καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα χάριν τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ Νικολάῳ. καὶ περιέσσευσεν οἴνου μέτρα ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἄρτοι ἑκατὸν καὶ ἐλαίου μέτρα τέσσαρα. καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἐμπλησθῆναι πάντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ.<br><br>56. Μετὰ δὲ χρόνους δύο πνεῦμα ἅγιον φαίνεται τῷ δούλῳ τοῦ θεοῦ Νικολάῳ ἐπὶ τὸ παραγενέσθαι εἰς τοὺς παρακειμένους εὐκτηρίους ἁγίους οἴκους καὶ ποιῆσαι καθ’ ἕκαστον ἁγίασμα θυσίας ἀπὸ ζυγῆς βοϊδίων καὶ δοξάσαι τὸν θεόν. τῇ οὖν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, έν ᾖ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐφάνη αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν θυσιῶν, λέγει τῷ ἀδελφῷ καὶ δευτεραρίῳ αὐτοῦ Ἀρτεμᾷ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς πᾶσιν ὅτι· «Σήμερον βουλήσει τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξελθεῖν θέλω ἕως τοῦ εὐκτηρίου τοῦ ἁγίου Γαβριὴλ εἰς Καρκάβω, ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ.» ἐβάστασεν δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ μοναστηρίου νομίσματα *** καὶ οἴνου μέτρα ἐβδομήκοντα καὶ σίτου μόδια τριάκοντα. καὶ ἀπελθὼν εἰς τὸν προλεχθέντα ἔνδοξον οἶκον τοῦ ἁγίου Γαβριὴλ τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου, καὶ ἔθυσεν τρία βοΐδια καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸν ἐκεῖ ὄντα λαὸν πάντα. καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἐνεπλήσθησαν σφόδρα καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν πάντες καὶ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ Νικόλαον. καὶ περιέσσευσεν ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐλογία πολλή, ὥστε ἀπὸ Καρκάβω ἀγαλλιώμενον τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ θεοῦ Νικόλαον ἀπελθεῖν ἐν τῷ εὐκτηρίῳ οἴκῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Θεοδώρου εἰς Καύσας. κἀκεῖ ἔθυσεν ζυγὴν βοϊδίων, καὶ συγκαλεσάμενος πάντα τὸν ἐκεῖσε λαόν. καὶ ἐμπλησθέντες ἐδόξασαν κύριον τὸν θεόν. καὶ ἐκ τῆς περισσείας τοῦ ἁγίου Θεοδώρου τῶν εύλογιῶν ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν παρεγένετο εἰς τὸν εὐκτήριον οἶκον τοῦ ἁγίου ἀρχαγγέλου εἰς Νέαν Κώμην. κἀκεῖ ἔθυσεν βοϊδίων ζυγὴν μίαν, καὶ συνεκάλεσεν πάντα τὸν ἐκεῖσε λαὸν ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου. καὶ ἐμπλησθέντες ἅπαντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεόν, καὶ ἐπεριέσσευεν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ δωρεά.<br><br>57. Καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ Νικόλαος τὴν περισσείαν ούκ ὀλίγην οὖσαν, ἐννοήσας ὅτι τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα τὸ ὀφθὲν αύτῷ μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ἀπὸ Νέας Κώμης ἀπῆλθεν είς τὸ εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀπφιανοῦ ἐν Παρταησσῷ κἀκεῖ ἔθυσεν βοϊδίων ζυγὴν μίαν, καὶ συγκαλεῖται πάντα τὸν λαόν καὶ ἔφαγον καί ἐνεπλήσθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεόν. καὶ περιέσσευσεν εὐλογία μεγάλη, ὥστε τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖον δοξάζειν τὸν θεον. καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν κατῆλθεν εἰς τὸ εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Δημητρίου ἐν τῷ Συμβόλῳ. καὶ ἔθυσεν βοΐδια δύο καὶ συγκαλεῖται πάντα τὸν λαόν, καὶ εὐφρανθέντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν διὰ τὴν πίστιν τοῦ δούλου τοῦ θεοῦ Νικολάου. καὶ πληθυνθέντων τῶν ἀναλωμάτων, εὐχαριστῶν τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὸ εύκτήριον τῆς Θεοτόκου εἰς τὸ Ναυτήν. καὶ ἔθυσεν κἀκεῖ ζυγὴν βοϊδίων, καὶ συνεκάλεσεν πάντα τὸν ἐκεῖσε ὄντα λαόν, καὶ εὐφρανθέντες ἔδωκαν αἶνον τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὸ εὐκτήριον τῆς ἁγίας Εἰρήνης εἰς Σερινῆ. κἀκεῖ ἔθυσεν ζυγὴν βοϊδίων, καὶ συγκαλεῖται τὸν λαόν, καὶ εὐφρανθέντες ἔδωκαν αἶνον τῷ θεῷ. καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὸν εὐκτήριον οἶκον τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου εἰς Τρεβένδας, κἀκεῖ ἔθυσεν βοϊδίων ζυγὴν μίαν, καὶ ἐποίησεν δοχὴν μεγάλην, δοξάζων τὸν θεόν. καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὸ Κάστελλον εἰς τὸν εὐκτήριον οἶκον τοῦ ἁγίου Νικολάου, κἀκεῖ ἔθυσεν βοΐδια δύο, καὶ εὐφράνθη πᾶς ὁ φιλόχριστος λαός, καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ ὁσίου ἀνδρός. καὶ ἀπ’ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὸν εὐκτήριον οἶκον τῆς Μελίσσης ἐν Ἡμαλίσσοις. κάκεῖ ἔθυσεν βοΐδια δύο, καὶ συγκαλεῖται πάντα τὸν λαόν, καὶ ευφρανθέντες ἔδωκαν δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ καί τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ Νικολάῳ, καὶ τότε, πληρώσας τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, ἀγαλλιώμενος ἅμα τοῖς συνοῦσιν αὐτῷ ἀδελφοῖς διὰ εἴκοσι πεντε ἡμερῶν ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ μοναστήριον αὐτοῦ εἰς τήν ἁγίαν Σιών.<br><br>58. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἦν παλαιωθέντα τὸ ἁγίασμα τοῦ ἁγίου Δανιὴλ ἐν τῷ Σαβάνδῳ καὶ συμπίπτοντα. καὶ ἀπερχομένου τοῦ μακαρίου καὶ ὁσίου ἀνδρὸς Νικολάου ἀπὸ τοῦ μοναστηρίου κατὰ τὴν λαμπρὰν Μυρέων μητρόπολιν, ἔκαμψεν ἐν τῷ Καστέλλῳ ἐπὶ τὸ εὔξασθαι καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῷ εὐκτηρίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Δανιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου καί ἰδών, ὅτι πτῶσιν ὑπομένει ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ οἶκος, μετεκαλέσατο ἕνα τῶν κληρικῶν, ὀνόματι Νικόλαον, ἀπὸ τοῦ χωρίου Δαμασεῖ, ἅμα τῷ τότε τεχνίτῃ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς, ὀνόματι Θεοτίμῳ, συνταξάμενος καὶ δώσας αὐτοῖς εὐλογίαν, αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἔδωκεν Νικολάῳ τῷ διακόνῳ ὑπὲρ τελειώσεως τοῦ ἔργου νομίσματα ὀγδοήκοντα ἥμισυ, προστάξας τὰ ἀναλώματα ῥογεύεσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγοῦς αὐτοῦ μοναστηρίου. καί ἐτελειώθη ὁ ἅγιος οἶκος, καί πάντες εὐχαρίστησαν τῷ Θεῷ διὰ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ Νικολάου.<br><br><br>‘54. Thus when God pleased to glorify his servant, Nikolaos, he went to the oratory of the Well-famed Archangel in Tragalassos, sacrificed/slaughtered (ἔθυσεν) a pair of oxen, and invited all the people. A great feast and merriment took place. Having pleased themselves, they gave glory to God who glorifies those who glorify Him. From there, he went to the monastery of Saint John and the holy fathers Sabbatios, Nikolaos, and Leon, once archimandrites [abbots] in Akalissos. And he sacrificed five oxen and invited all the people, and they ate and were filled, and God was glorified through His servant Nikolaos. Also driven by the grace and the freedom of the Holy Spirit to all the neighbouring holy churches, he offered sacrifices of sixteen oxen, giving thanks to God and fulfilling the prophetic voice of the holy David that says I will perform my vows to you, that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. (Ps. 66 [65]:13-14)<br><br>55. In those days, the servant of God Nikolaos went to the oratory of Saint George at Plenios. And there came, in procession with the precious crosses, the clerics from Plenios together with their Christ-loving people, and met the servant of God at the holy Well-famed One [the Archangel]. From there, he followed them with seven oxen. They went to the oratory of Saint George and the servant of God sacrificed the seven oxen. Crowds came together, so that two hundred dining companies (stibadia) were set up. The servant of God brought one hundred measures of wine and forty modii of bread as provisions. Everyone ate and was filled and they glorified God who gave grace to his servant Nikolaos. Sixty measures of wine, one hundred loaves of bread, and four measures of oil went spare. When everyone was filled, they glorified God with His servant.<br><br>56. Two years later, a holy spirit [or the Holy Spirit] appeared to the servant of God Nikolaos, inducing him to visit the neighbouring holy houses of prayer and perform sacrifices of pairs of oxen at each one of the shrines, and give glory to God. On that day then, when the holy spirit appeared to him with regard to the sacrifices, he told his brother and assistant (deuterarios) Artemas and all the brethren: “Today, by the will of God, I wish to go to oratory of Saint Gabriel at Karkabo, in order to fulfil the will of God.” He took from the monastery […] pieces of gold, seventy measures of wine, and thirty modii of wheat. He went to the said glorious house of the holy archangel Gabriel and sacrificed three oxen, and invited all the people living there. They ate and were plentifully filled, and everyone glorified God and his servant Nikolaos. Plenty of their bounty went spare, so that the servant of God Nikolaos overjoyed went from Karkabo to the oratory of Saint Theodoros at Kausai. There also he sacrificed a pair of oxen, and invited all the people living there. And when they were filled, they glorified the Lord God. With the leftovers of Saint Theodoros’ bounty, he came from there to the oratory of the holy Archangel at Nea Kome. There as well, he sacrificed a pair of oxen, and invited all the people living there, from the youngest to the oldest. And when all of them were filled, they glorified God and God’s largesse went spare.<br><br>57. As the servant of God Nikolaos saw that the surplus was not small, and realising that the holy spirit that had appeared to him was with him, he went from Nea Kome to the oratory of Saint Apphianos at Partaessos, and there he also sacrificed a pair of oxen, and invited all the people. And they ate and were filled, and glorified God. And a great bounty went spare, so that the servant of God glorified God even more. From there, he went down to the oratory of the Archangel and Saint Demetrios at Symbolon. He sacrificed two oxen and invited all the people. Having pleased themselves, they glorified God for the faith of his servant Nikolaos. And as the goods were multiplied, giving thanks to the Holy Spirit, he went from there to the oratory of the Mother of God at Nauten. There as well, he sacrificed a pair of oxen, and invited all the people living there, and they made merry and gave pra