Saint Nicholas was born in the year 270. He was the bishop of Myra, which is a city in present time Turkey. He is the patron saint of the hungry as while he was alive, he was known to indulgy in giving gifts to children and the hungry secretly. He died in the year 343 and his feast day is 6th of December.
Who is Saint Nicholas?
Saint Nicholas was known as what we would call “a cheerful giver”. He fed children and those who had no food to eat. During a famine Myra, he worked tirelessly so as to find grain to feed the people. There are different legends evolving around Saint Nicholas and his cheerful acts of feeding the hungry. One of them says; during a famine in his hometown Myra, a ship was in Port with loads of wheat for the emperor in Constantinople. Nicholas asked them for some to give to the hungry. Although they refused at first, they later obliged after Nicholas promised that they would not land in trouble for doing so. When they arrived at their destination, the sailors were shocked to discover that the weight of the wheat was still intact and miraculously, the wheat lasted the town for two years (for both feeding and planting).
How he came about being the patron saint of the hungry.
With the life of service he lived; a life of care for the hungry, he was made patron saint of the hungry. He is also the patron saint of sailors, children, merchants, repentant thieves and students.
Why we should seek his intervention.
A lot of people, due to his life of service to those who were hungry, have been so confident in seeking his intervention in times of hunger, famine and financial needs. People have given testimonies after prayers to Saint Nicholas. If you are also experiencing famine in your community or in your home, call on him to come to your aid through this prayer:
A prayer of request to St. Nicholas.
“Glorious St. Nicholas, my special patron, from thy throne in glory, where thou dost enjoy the presence of God, turn thine eyes in pity upon me and obtain for me from our Lord the graces and helps that I need in my spiritual and temporal necessities (and especially this favor [mention your request], provided that it be profitable to my salvation).
Be mindful, likewise, O glorious and saintly Bishop, of our Sovereign Pontiff, of Holy Church, and of all Christian people. Bring back to the right way of salvation all those who are living steeped in sin and blinded by the darkness of ignorance, error, and heresy. Comfort the afflicted, provide for the needy, strengthen the fearful, defend the oppressed, give health to the infirm; cause all men to experience the effects of thy powerful intercession with the supreme Giver of every good and perfect gift. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
V. Pray for us, O blessed Nicholas.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O God, who has glorified blessed Nicholas, Thine illustrious Confessor and Bishop, by means of countless signs and wonders, and who dost not cease daily so to glorify him; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, being assisted by his merits and prayers, may be delivered from the fires of hell and from all dangers. Through Christ our Lord. Amen”.