Christmas is coming, and, as it happens, I have a new translation for you. This is another piece of the medieval St Nicholas of Myra material, all edited by G. Anrich in Hagios Nikolaos back in 1902.
In the Greek orthodox church, various days are marked as saints’ days, and a short life of the saint is included in the church service for that day. These materials for each saints’ day are included in a 12-volume collection known as the Menaion, or the Synaxarium.
There are two versions of the Life of St Nicholas in the manuscripts, a longer one and a shorter one (itself in two versions). Anrich printed them all as section VIII of his book. These are translated below. They are BHG 1349s.
- Nicholas_of_Myra-Synaxarion-2017 (PDF)
- Nicholas_of_Myra-Synaxarion-2017 (Word .doc)
These were translated by Fr Albert Iustinos. This is the pen-name of a monk on Mount Athos. I think that he has done a splendid job, and I am looking forward to a translation of the Vita Compilata (Anrich section IX) in due course. Thank you very much!
As ever, these are public domain. Do whatever you like with them, personal, educational or commercial.
How splendid to have an acquaintance on Mt. Athos! And it is always nice to know you have another person praying for you.
You could even visit him, if you got lucky. Though that seems like a pretty strenuous vacation, depending on where on Mt. Athos that he lives.
Now that is an idea! I hadn’t even thought of that.
You should have waited until the 6th of december, that’s the day we bring gifts to kids in the name of St Nicholas here in Belgium 🙂
Maybe! I didn’t think of it.
St. Nicholas arrived in the Netherlands on 18 November this year, whereupon children could begin setting their shoes in the hopes of finding little treats and presents the following morning, and so continuing until the Vigil of his Feast, the time of greater, mysterious gifts, so we could regard this excellent translation as something of the sort, given to each and all at once (if they look to find it).
Many thanks to both of you!
You are welcome!
Hi Roger,
I came across this hagiography database run by Oxford University. It is really well done and informative.
I typed in the name ‘Nicholas’ and it came up with some inscriptions and graffiti that pre- date the earliest written evidence for Nicholas that (probably) refer to him.
http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/results.php?full_text_headings=Nicholas+of+myra
It is very good indeed. I always forget to look at it.