On December 5, 2024, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church addressed participants at the cultural-artistic event “Saint Nicholas Among the Children,” highlighting Saint Nicholas’s spiritual legacy as a model of generosity, humility, and faith.
The Patriarch underscored the saint’s enduring impact as a protector of children, defender of the oppressed, and helper of the needy. He reminded the audience that Saint Nicholas’s life exemplifies living the Gospel through actions, inspiring Christians to practice compassion and charity in today’s world.
Patriarch Daniel emphasized the importance of overcoming selfishness and cultivating love for others. He called on participants to follow Saint Nicholas’s example by becoming “beacons of loving generosity” in their communities.
The Patriarch also extended heartfelt thanks to event organizers, volunteers, teachers, clergy, and parents for their dedication and support in creating a meaningful celebration.
The event featured artistic performances by children, symbolizing Saint Nicholas’s enduring spiritual light in the hearts of the young.
Saint Nicholas – A Model of Generosity and Faith
Dear General School Inspector,
Reverend Fathers and Monastics,
Esteemed Teachers,
Dear Students and Parents,
Honoured Audience,
On the eve of the Feast of Saint Nicholas, we reflect on the virtues of this great saint, whose life continues to inspire all generations, especially young people in search of true role models. The cultural and artistic event “Saint Nicholas Among the Children” is a blessed opportunity to meditate on the spiritual and moral gifts that Saint Nicholas has left to the world through his life and testimony.
Known by children as Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas is a shining example of generosity combined with humility and love for God and humanity. Throughout the centuries, the Church has celebrated him in the synaxaria and divine services as an intercessor for peace and merciful love, and a teacher of the Orthodox faith. As his troparion declares, Saint Nicholas is “a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance“—virtues essential for every Christian’s spiritual journey.
His life is more than a historical account; it is a testimony of God’s work in the world through humans. Saint Nicholas demonstrates that true spiritual wealth lies in generosity and that true greatness is found in humility. His acts of kindness were not isolated charitable gestures but a way of life rooted in compassion for those in need. Through his example, generations of Christians learned that loving our neighbour means being constantly attentive to the needs of others and that every community and era are responsible for promoting solidarity and generous love.
Over the centuries, Saint Nicholas has been regarded as a protector and benefactor of children, a defender of the wronged, and a helper of the needy. His acts of mercy—saving impoverished girls from a life of disgrace, freeing the wrongly condemned, feeding the hungry in times of famine, and defending the Orthodox faith at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325)—testify to a Christian life where the Gospel was lived, not just preached. As Scripture says, “Faith works through love” (Galatians 5:6).
For us today, Saint Nicholas is a call to confess our faith in a concrete way, through our actions, amidst the challenges of contemporary society. We live in a world marked by individualism and selfishness, by the pursuit of material goods and by a growing forgetfulness of spiritual values. In this context, the example of Saint Nicholas teaches us to rise above selfishness, to cultivate love for our neighbor and to share with those in need the gifts we have received from God.
The event “Saint Nicholas Among the Children” invites us to reflect on our Christian mission in society. As we journey toward Bethlehem, we are called to be light and comfort for the sick, lonely, or sorrowful, to practice charity, and to become “physicians” of souls through love, forgiveness, and practical support.
In his acts of charity, Saint Nicholas not only offered material gifts but made visible the goodness of God among people, a merciful love that brings joy. Likewise, each of us, inspired by his example, can become a herald of compassion and fraternal communion.
Dear Children,
Saint Nicholas is more than a kindly figure who brings gifts; he is a spiritual friend of your soul, a Father encouraging you to live with love and sincerity, to be kind and generous, to grow in dialogue and collaboration. This evening’s event is a precious gift for everyone present, a testimony that the light of Saint Nicholas continues to shine in the hearts of all children.
Finally, we should thank everyone who made this event possible. We thank the children who bring so much joy and enthusiasm through their artistic moments; we thank the parents who support them on their path to what is good, beautiful and true, and the teachers who train them and the priests who guide them spiritually.
We also congratulate the priests of the six Bucharest deaneries, Father Liviu Nechita, and all their collaborators for hosting this event. We deeply appreciate the organizers from the Archdiocese of Bucharest’s Department of Education and Youth Activities, the “Young People in Action!” volunteer group, and everyone who, through their dedication and hard work, has turned this gathering into a true celebration.
We pray that Saint Nicholas will guide you throughout your lives, granting you peace, courage, and joy. In this blessed season, may his example inspire and strengthen us to become beacons of generous love among people.
We wish you all many blessed years filled with health, light, and happiness!
† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
