E04953: The Life of *Nikolaos of Sion (abbot and bishop in Lycia, ob. 564, S00559) recounts the foundation of the monastery of Holy Sion in the village of Pharroa in Lycia (south-west Asia Minor) and the miracles of Nikolaos, its first abbot. A number of shrines of different saints are mentioned in the narrative. Written in Greek in the late 6th c., probably at the monastery of Holy Sion. Overview entry

Life of Nikolaos, Abbot of Holy Sion and Bishop of Pinara (BHG 1347)

Summary (references to shrines, festivals, visions and relics of other saints are in bold):

The origins of Nikolaos and the foundation of Holy Sion (first narrative)

1. A holy man called Nikolaos [from here on 'Nikolaos of Akalissos'] from the village of Pharroa, in the district of Traglassos, lives with his spiritual father, the archimandrite [abbot] Sabbatios, at the monastery of Akalissos. There, they decide to establish the monastery of Holy Sion.

2. Near the site of Holy Sion, Epiphanios and Nonna, relatives of Nikolaos of Akalissos, have a child, whom they call Nikolaos [the saint]. On the day of his birth, the infant stands upright for two hours, surprising his parents who take him to his uncle, Nikolaos of Akalissos. The latter prophesies that the boy will be a famous man of God.

3. Education and first miracle of Nikolaos at the age of seven.

4. Nikolaos of Akalissos requests leave from the archbishop of Myra to build a shrine at Pharroa. The foundations are blessed and the shrine is named Holy Sion.

5. Nikolaos grows up and is ordained a reader.

6. Returning from his ordination, Nikolaos visits Nikolaos of Akalissos at the shrine of *John (ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου, i.e. the monastery of Akalissos) and receives his blessing.

7. At the age of 19, Nikolaos is ordained priest, and shortly after Holy Sion is dedicated. He is appointed as its abbot, and takes with him his brothers, Artemas and Hermaios, as helpers. Artemas becomes priest and deuterarios [assistant].

The foundation of Holy Sion (second narrative)

8-9. Nikolaos travels to the Holy Land.

10. After the journey, Nikolaos urges his disciples to pray, and he continues the building of the church of Holy Sion. An angel reveals to him that the monastery will be an image of Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

11. He recounts that, before his own birth, Sabbatios of Akalissos had had visions of a light denoting the place of Holy Sion, but no-one believed him.

12. When Sabbatios died, his deuterarios Nikolaos (of Akalissos) prayed that the site of Sabbatios' visions be revealed to him.

13. *Michael the Archangel appears to Nikolaos of Akalissos and reveals to him the mountain of the future church. He also tells him of the birth of Nikolaos, son of Epiphanios and Nonna, at the same place. Nikolaos is chosen by God to excel in holiness at that shrine. This was recounted by Nikolaos of Akalissos himself, who died and was buried in the Monastery of John in Akalissos.

Miracles of Nikolaos in the villages of the region

14. As the boy Nikolaos grows up, he is granted the grace of miracles.

15-19. Invited by the inhabitants of the village of Plakoma, Nikolaos exorcises and cuts down a large haunted tree. The enormous tree is sawn by woodcutters from the village of Karkaba and transferred to the church of Holy Sion.

20-24. The inhabitants of Arnabanda invite Nikolaos to their village, because their spring of water is haunted and causes people and animals to die. A villager confesses his incredulity to the saint and is forgiven. Together with the local clerics, Nikolaos visits the mount of Kaisar nearby, where he miraculously helps them to spot the site of a water spring.

25. Nikolaos offers a banquet to the local clergy, during which he causes a miraculous multiplication of wine.

26. Nikolaos exorcises a possessed man called Nikolaos from the locality of Presbaios in the district of Andronikos. He uses oil from a lamp.

Journey to the Holy Land. Miracles on the ship and in Egypt

27-31. Nikolaos sets off for a second pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On the way, the ship is struck by a storm, which is calmed by the saint's prayers. He also raises a young sailor who has died from falling off the mast of the ship.

32-34. They arrive in Egypt and, invited by the sailors, Nikolaos visits their village, which is called Diolkos. He stays at the church of *Theodoros (ἐκκλησία τοῦ ἁγίου Θεοδώρου) for four days. He heals a blind man, using oil from the lamp of *Theodoros. He also heals a man who had suffered from severe constipation, and had not eaten for four months.

35. Nikolaos arrives in the Holy Land and venerates the Cross, Jerusalem, the holy sites, and the holy fathers as far as the Jordan. An angel instructs him to return to Lycia.

36-38. Nikolaos embarks on a boat sailing to Constantinople, and returns to Lycia.

39. While stone was quarried for the building of Holy Sion, Nikolaos decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (the same pilgrimage as recounted above?). During his absence no stone could be quarried, because only he had the grace to direct the work.

Miracles of Nikolaos at Holy Sion

40. Nikolaos helps a couple from Zenonopolis have a child.

41-42. He heals a paralyzed virgin woman, who was brought by two couples from the village of Damasei, in the territory of Sabandos.

43-44. Nikolaos and his brother, Artemas, are tempted by a demon. The holy man drives him away.

45. Nikolaos multiplies bread in order to feed the workmen who were building the church.

46. A temptation by a demon during the night.

The plague and Nikolaos' conflict with authorities of Myra

47-51. Nikolaos has visions predicting the outbreak of the great plague. The archangel Michael reveals that he has been assigned to pray for the souls of those who will die in Lycia.

52. The plague arrives first at Myra, causing people to die within one day. The city and its environs are abandoned by the farmers, causing a lack of food in Myra.

53. A rumour has it that Nikolaos, as Abbot of Holy Sion, prevents farmers from visiting Myra. Archbishop Philippos and the governor of Myra send people to arrest him, but the villagers of Traglassos advise him not to go to Myra, because of the great calamity.

The generosity of Nikolaos after the plague: feasts at rural shrines and the restoration of a church (for the full text, see $E04957)

54-55. When Nikolaos' reputation was restored, he visited several shrines and offered feasts for the locals, slaughtering oxen. At the oratory of the Archangel Michael at Traglassos (εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου εὐφήμου ἐν τῷ Τραγαλασσῷ) he slaughtered/sacrificed (ἔθυσεν) two oxen. At the monastery of *John and the holy archmandrites *Sabbatios, Nikolaos, and Leon at Akalissos (the mother house of Holy Sion) (μοναστήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου καὶ τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων Σαββατίου, Νικολάου καὶ Λέοντος τῶν γεναμένων ἀρχιμανδριτῶν ἐν τῷ Ἀκαλισσῷ), he slaughtered five oxen. At various churches in the area, he slaughtered 16 oxen.

55. The villagers and clergy of Plenios meet Nikolaos at the oratory of the Archangel and they travel to the oratory of *Georgios at Plenios (εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Γεωργίου ἐν τῷ Πληνίῳ). Seven oxen slaughtered; 200 dining couches (stibadia) set up; 100 measures of wine; 40 modii of bread.

56. Two years later, Nikolaos is instructed by the Holy Spirit 'to visit the neighbouring oratories and offer sacrifices of one pair of oxen at each one of the sanctuaries, and glorify God.' (ἐπὶ τὸ παραγενέσθαι εἰς τοὺς παρακειμένους εὐκτηρίους οἴκους καὶ ποιῆσαι καθ'ἕκαστον ἁγίασμα θυσίας ἀπὸ ζυγῆς βοϊδίων καὶ δοξάσαι τὸν θεόν). Nikolaos visits the oratory of *Gabriel at Karkabo (εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Γαβριὴλ ἐν τῷ Καρκάβω), and sacrifices three oxen. From there, he visits the oratory of Theodoros at Kausas (εὐκτήριος οἶκος τοῦ ἁγίου Θεοδώρου είς Καύσας) and slaughters a pair of oxen. Plenty of food goes spare. The same happens at the oratory of the Archangel at Nea Kome (εὐκτήριος οἶκος τοῦ ἁγίου ἀρχαγγέλου είς Νέαν Κώμην).

57. Pairs of oxen are slaughtered at: the oratory of *Apphianos at Partaesssos (εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀπφιανοῦ ἐν Παρταησσῷ); the oratory of the *Archangel and *Demetrios at Symbolon (τὸ εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Δημητρίου ἐν τῷ Συμβόλῳ); the oratory of the Theotokos at Nautes (τὸ εὐκτήριον τῆς Θεοτόκου εἰς τὸ Ναυτήν); the oratory of *Eirene at Serine (τὸ εὐκτήριον τῆς ἁγίας Εἰρήνης εἰς Σερινῆ); the oratory of the *Archangel at Trebendai (ὁ εὐκτήριος οἶκος τοῦ ἀρχαγγέλου είς Τρεβένδας);the oratory of *Nikolaos at Kastellon (ὁ εὐκτήριος οἶκος τοῦ ἁγίου Νικολάου εἰς τὸ Κάστελλον); the oratory of *Melissa at Hemalissa (ὁ εὐκτήριος οἶκος τῆς Μελίσσης ἐν Ἡμαλίσσοις). After 25 days of feasting, Nikolaos returns to Holy Sion.

58. Nikolaos offers 80.5 nomismata from the revenue of his monastery for the restoration of the shrine of *Daniel the Prophet at Sabandos (ἁγίασμα τοῦ ἁγίου Δανιὴλ ἐν τῷ Σαβάνδῳ/εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου Δανιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου). He found the church in a derelict state when he visited it for prayer, during one of his journeys to Myra.

Miracles at Holy Sion

59-60. The prayers of Nikolaos help a couple from Arneai to have a bountiful harvest and be delivered from poverty and famine.

61. Healing of reader called Kosmas from Eneandai, who suffered from a demon.

62. The shepherd Paulos from the same region is cleansed from a demon.

63. A certain Zenon from Arnabanda is cleansed from a demon.

64. The reader Paulos from the village of Seroiatea is cleansed from a demon.

65. A certain Kyriakos from the same village is cleansed from a demon.

Nikolaos becomes bishop of Pinara. The building of a church

67. Nikolaos has a dream of a spirit showing him a glorious throne and altar.

68. Three months later, the archbishop of Myra Philippos invites him to the city and ordains him as bishop of Pinara.

69. Three years later, Nikolaos has a vision of the Virgin *Mary, indicating to him the site of a shrine, in order that a church may be built for her there. The local notables and clergy react to Nikolaos' plans to build, and