St. Nicholas In Jerusalem: History,Facts, & Services

St. Nicholas in Jerusalem is a Greek Orthodox church, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, near the Jaffa Gate. It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the 4th century bishop of Myra in Lycia (part of modern-day Turkey). It is believed that the current building follows the location of a Crusader church built over an Early Christian Byzantine Church. The church is known for maintaining relics associated with Saint Nicholas, and for services celebrating the Feast of Saint Nicholas every December. St. Nicholas in Jerusalem History The site has been continuously associated with Saint Nicholas and his relics since the Reformation of 1054. Italian pilgrims, in particular, built the first known church at the site in 1209, devoted to Saint Nicholas. During the Siege of Jerusalem in 1099, Godfrey Boulogne, the duke of Normandy, was said to have borne a relic belonging to Saint Nicholas into the city. Following the Crusader period, the church was used as a storage facility and remnants of a chapel remained visible until the 19th century. St. Nicholas in Jerusalem Facts The church was reconsecrated in 1904 and its revival is credited to the Protopresbyter Georgios Papageorgiou, from Myra in Lycia, who collected money and rebuilt it in 1895. In 1928, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem gave the property ‘in perpetual usufruct’ for having been ‘attained and cleared from Turkish occupation’. St. Nicholas in Jerusalem Services The church today has several Mass services throughout the year for both pilgrims and tourists. The main celebration is on the Feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6th. This service is celebrated with a solemn processing of a relic that Saint Nicholas is believed to have given to the Duke of Normandy who was responsible for liberating the city in 1099. Pilgrims also come to venerate a relic from the Myra Saint Nicholas Church and to receive special blessings as part of the service.

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City:
Jerusalem
state:
Jerusalem
country:
Israel
country code:
IL
postcode:
225