Nicholas, bishop – December 6th
St Nicholas (d. 350, Myra, Turkey) (Relics: Bari, Italy; Venice, Italy)
In 1993 a small grave was found on Gemiler Island east of Rhodes. Historians believe that the body of St Nicholas was originally buried in this grave and then subsequently transferred to Myra. From Myra the bones of St Nicholas were stolen by Italian merchants in 1087 and taken to the two Italian cities of Bari and Venice. The merchants from Bari raided the tomb first and in their haste they took only the large bone fragments. The Venetian merchants came later and took the remaining smaller bone fragments. A scientific study in 1992 confirmed that both collections are from the same skeleton.
First Class Relics
Basilica di San Nicolo
(Basilica of Saint Nicholas)
Largo Abate Elia
70122 Bari, Italy
*Relics of St Nicholas rest within a small urn located under the altar in the crypt of this church.
San Nicolo al Lido
(Saint Nicholas at the Lido)
Riviera San Nicolo
30126 Venice, Italy
*Small bone fragments of St Nicholas rest within this church. They are placed within a beautiful funerary monument located in the main sanctuary. Three statues placed above this monument depict St Nicholas and two other saints whose relics are also preserved here.
Churches of Honor in Rome
San Nicola dei Prefetti
(Saint Nicholas of the Prefects)
Via dei Prefetti 34
Rome, Italy
*This church is north of the Pantheon. Both the church and an altar on the right side of the nave are dedicated to St Nicholas.
San Nicola in Carcere
(Saint Nicholas in Prison)
Via del Teatro di Marcello 46 / Via del Foro Olitorio
Rome, Italy
*This church is near Tiber Island. It is dedicated to St Nicholas.
La Maddalena (The Magdalene)
Piazza della Maddalena 53
Rome, Italy
*This church is just north of the Pantheon.
*The third chapel on the left side of the nave is dedicated to St Nicholas.
*In the third chapel on the right side of the nave are the remains of St Camillus de Lellis. He lived in the adjacent monastery and died here in 1614. His rooms can be visited by asking the sacristan. One of these rooms has been transformed into a chapel and contains the relic of his heart.
Santa Maria in Campitelli (Our Lady in Campitelli)
Piazza di Campitelli 9
Rome, Italy
*This church is near the Jewish quarter.
*The third chapel on the right side of the nave is dedicated to St Nicholas.
*The body of St John Leonardi (d. 1609) is enshrined in the second chapel on the left side of the nave.
