“All children ask for victory”: St. Nicholas’ residence opens in the Patriarchal House in Lviv
The Patriarchal House in Lviv is noisier than ever in early December, with no free parking spaces and children and their parents bustling around in the courtyard. In the yard, a huge sled is “crammed” with children. And inside, it’s as noisy as a beehive. The reason for this is that in the run-up to Christmas, the Patriarchal House became the residence of St. Nicholas.
The residence opened on November 26 and will be open until December 17. On weekdays, it is open from 16:00 to 19:00, and on weekends — from 12:00 to 19:00. Anyone who buys a ticket can visit St. Nicholas’ house. Moreover, all proceeds from ticket sales will go to charity — to support the City of Good International Center for Women and Children in Chernivtsi and the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is promoted not only by the charitable intentions of the organizers but also by the requests of the children who are guests of the residence. “First of all, all the children ask for victory, peace, and health for our soldiers,” says St. Nicholas*, “and then each child mentions their needs — some ask for sweets, some for toys, some even ask for a battery for a radio-controlled car… One boy once told me that he wished God would send a lot of weapons to Ukraine.”
On weekdays, about 300 children visit St. Nicholas’ residence every day, and on weekends — more than 400. Over 4,000 children have visited the residence this year since its opening.
Nicholas admits that his “job” is not easy, not only for physical tiredness. “I usually ask the children if they love their mother and father. However, several times, I heard that they have no parents. Those were the most difficult moments for me. I realized I had to say something, support the child, comfort him. A few days ago, a girl came up to me. I asked her if she prayed to God. And this girl suddenly began to cry. And I could not know whether she had any trauma or not and what kind of trauma. These moments are the most disturbing.”
Younger children are the most sincere, Nicholas notes. However, connecting with older ones requires a different approach. After all, he wants to advise everyone on something good and inspire them to pray and do good things. Communication with children inspires the saint: “I am happy to serve God here and now. I can be the reason behind their smiles. I can hug them, cheer them up, motivate them. I am getting enriched with inner joy. For me, being a St. Nicholas is a miracle. It is to be an instrument in God’s hands. It is to be the source of a child’s smile, that genuine, special joy.”
Mykhailo PhilyanetsThe UGCC Department for Information
