One of the most sacred places of any Christian. The relics of St. Nicholas. A huge church. The main part of the church is Catholic. There are descents to the basement on the right and left sides of the altar. And that's where all the holiness is! Basement with columns and arched abutments. In the center of this hall there is a huge lattice and behind it the relics of the saint. There is a parish of the Orthodox Church in the basement. And Orthodox liturgies are also held there. And Catholic, of course, but at a different time. During Mass or liturgy, the lattices are opened while conducting services. The rest of the time it is closed. Despite the heat of the day, there is grace in the temple. At the temple, going out to the left towards the monastery, there is a shop. There are many souvenirs you can buy there: a pendant of St.Nicholas in the form of his head with a halo or an icon.
The temple itself is located within the fortress. In the old days it was the stronghold of the city of Bari. Now there are very narrow streets and courtyards. People live! Small apartments. Ancient buildings. There is a lot of granite and worn marble around. I really enjoyed walking around the fortress.
Words cannot express the feelings of visiting this holy place. I have long dreamed of visiting the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, revered by all pro-Orthodox people and venerating the relics. There is joy, happiness and grace in my soul.
The church itself is of no interest to the Orthodox, but the basilica with the relics of the beloved St. Nicholas is yes... Do you feel the presence of power