Николай Чудотворец в устной традиции Усть-Цильмы
St. Nicolas the Miracle-Worker in Oral Tradition of Ust-Tsilma

Summary/Abstract: The study aims to conduct a general analysis of folklore tales about St. Nicolas the Miracle-Worker in one of Northern Russian traditions, namely, that of Komi Republic Ust-Tsilma Region (Pechora river). The study is based on field records from the Folklore archive of Syktyvkar State University, collected by University researchers since the 1980s. A late 18th-century local story from a mid-19th-century Ust-Tsilma manuscript century is used in the analysis of one of the plots. Popular characteristics of the Saint and his various abilities (protection of home and domestic animals, assistance during a voyage, in the forest, on the water, etc.) are revealed in prayers, legendary narratives, beliefs and rituals. The miraculous appearances of St. Nicolas icons are examined separately. These vague legends matter because of their local historical context. The importance of St. Nicolas holidays in spring and autumn in Ust-Tsilma popular calendar is noted. The attempted analysis sets a long-term goal — to compose an index of the key motifs in the St. Nicolas legends of Ust-Tsilma. This task will allow to systematize the voluminous and diverse information in order to compare it with similar items from different localities for a deeper examination of this uniquely profound image of the saint in the tradition in question.

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