{"id":2196,"date":"2025-09-04T21:06:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T21:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyaphil.com\/?page_id=2196"},"modified":"2026-05-27T23:48:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T21:48:40","slug":"saint-nicolas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/voyaphil.com\/en\/saint-nicolas\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint Nicholas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saint Nicholas<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Welcome to the Saint Nicolas de Myre website<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\u26ea Church of Saint Nicholas of Myra: sacred memory and universal legend<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udccd Location<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • The church is located in the town of Demre<\/strong>, formerly called Myre<\/strong>, in the province ofAntalya<\/strong>, in the southwest of Turkey.<\/li>\n
  • It is nestled between the Lycian Mountains and the calm waters of the Mediterranean, in a region rich in ancient remains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \ud83e\uddec Origins and history<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    • Built in the 6th century<\/strong>, the church is dedicated to Saint Nicholas<\/strong>, bishop of Myra in the 4th century, famous for his generosity and miracles.<\/li>\n
    • It was built on the foundations of an older sanctuary<\/strong>, where Saint Nicholas is said to have officiated and perhaps been buried.<\/li>\n
    • Over the centuries, it was attacked, restored and enlarged<\/strong> : notably by the Byzantines in the 11th century and by the Russians in the 19th century, who added a bell tower.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f Architecture and atmosphere<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      • The church is a Byzantine masterpiece<\/strong>, with :<\/li>\n
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        • A central nave<\/strong> lined with columns,<\/li>\n
        • A marble floor decorated with opus sectile<\/strong> (geometric mosaics),<\/li>\n
        • The murals<\/strong> representing scenes from the life of the saint,<\/li>\n
        • The low vaults<\/strong>, the side chapels<\/strong>, and a silent and sacred atmosphere<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        • The original ground level is lower than the current level<\/strong>, which gives the impression of go down into the past<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          \ud83d\udd4a\ufe0f Saint Nicholas: a universal figure<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • Born in Patara<\/strong>, Saint Nicholas was bishop of Myra and participated in the Council of Nicaea<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          • He is known for his acts of charity<\/strong>, especially towards children and the poor - which later inspired the figure of the Santa Claus<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          • His cult spread throughout the world, and today he is patron saint of sailors, children and travelers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            \ud83e\udded Place of pilgrimage and memory<\/strong><\/p>\n

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            • The church has become a major pilgrimage center<\/strong>, especially for the Orthodox Christians<\/strong> from T\u00fcrkiye, Greece and Russia.<\/li>\n
            • Recent excavations suggest that the original tomb of the saint<\/strong> could be found under the floor of the church, although his relics were transferred to Bari, Italy, in the 11th century.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              \u2728 Why this site is unforgettable<\/strong><\/p>\n

              It is a place where religious history meets popular legend<\/strong>, where the stone preserves the memory of a man who became a myth<\/strong>, and where the silence of the frescoes dialogues with the prayers of the whole world<\/strong>. The Church of Saint Nicholas of Myra is moving, timeless and deeply human.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>