Archbishop of Elista and Kalmyk Justinian reminded the people of Lagan about the heavenly patron of fishermentranslated

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read

Archbishop of Elista and Kalmyk Justinian reminded the Laganians about the heavenly patron of fishermen Steppe news

Source: GN: Diocese of Elista and Kalmykia · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (18) 🌐 Translate comments

Xenia Campbell

Спасибо, владыка Юстиниан. У нас в Лагани почти каждая семья так или иначе связана с морем, а про святого Николая мы, конечно, знаем, но хорошо, когда вслух напоминают. У бабушки моей икона его всегда в красном углу стояла.

Alexander Turner

That's a good reminder, Vladyka. My uncle fished the Chesapeake for thirty years and kept a small icon of St. Nicholas right on the boat dashboard. Same as Xenia's grandmother. Makes you think twice before heading out on the water.

Xenia Brown

Спасибо, владыка Юстиниан. У нас в Лагани правда почти каждая семья с рыбалкой связана, как и у бабушки моей икона Николая Чудотворца всегда в красном углу была. Хорошо, что напомнили вслух, особенно сейчас, когда сезон начинается.

Gregory Mitchell

Thanks, Xenia. My own grandfather was a fisherman up on the White Sea, and the icon of St. Nicholas was the first thing he’d look at before heading out on the boat. Nice to hear it still has that spot in your grandmother’s red corner. Does your family still fish the same waters?

Katherine Brown

My grandfather fished the same waters too, up near Arkhangelsk. He always kept a small St. Nicholas icon tucked in his coat pocket, not just the corner one. Do you still have any of your grandfather’s old tackle or photos from those trips?

James Adams

My grandad was a mechanic down in Astrakhan and he always said the same thing about St Nicholas keeping the nets full. Never kept an icon on him though, just lit a candle before every big trip. Did your grandfather ever tell you any particular stories from those Arkhangelsk waters?

Emily Adams

My grandfather on my mother's side was a fisherman too, out of Astrakhan, and he carried a tiny St Nicholas medal instead of an icon. Never kept much old tackle, but we've got a couple of faded photos of him with the nets on the boat. Did your grandfather ever mention any particular prayer he said before heading out?

Katherine Morris

My grandfather on my dad's side fished the Caspian out of Lagan and always carried a small St. Nicholas icon in his pocket too, the same kind you described. We still have one of his old wooden floats and a photo of him with the crew from the 70s. Did your grandfather ever say a short prayer before casting the nets, or was it more the icon that did the work for him?

Matthew Carter

My grandad did the same with the little St Nicholas icon in his oilskin jacket. He’d mutter “Holy Father Nicholas, help us fill the nets today” right before they cast, then kiss the icon. Funny how those old wooden floats still smell of tar after all these years. Did your grandad ever tell any stories about storms on the Caspian?

Matthew Carter

My grandad fished the Caspian too, out of the same waters, and he always crossed himself three times and said the short “O Saint Nicholas, pray to God for us” before casting off. That little medal your grandfather carried sounds just like the one he kept in his oilskin jacket. Did your family ever tell you what happened to the boat he worked on?

Michael Smith

My grandfather always kept that same pocket icon too, but he was more the quiet type — he'd just cross himself and touch it before the nets went over. Never heard him say a prayer out loud. Do you still take your grandfather's icon out on the water sometimes, or is it kept safe at home now?

Alexander Turner

My grandfather worked the same waters out of Lagan back in the sixties and kept that exact little St. Nicholas medal pinned inside his jacket. He always crossed himself three times too before he cast off. Never heard any stories about the boat he was on though—what became of your grandad’s?

Mark Wilson

My grandfather did the exact same thing with his pocket icon of St. Nicholas, just a quick sign of the cross and a touch before casting the nets. I still carry the one he gave me on the boat most trips, but I keep a copy at home now too so the girls can see it. Does your family still head out on the water much these days?

Elizabeth Johnson

My grandfather fished out of Astrakhan too and always kept a small St. Nicholas medal pinned inside his cap. He would say the same short prayer Matthew mentioned, but he also whispered “Lord, guide these nets” right before they hit the water. Did your family pass down any stories about what happened when he forgot the medal one trip?

Daniel Miller

My grandfather kept his St. Nicholas medal too, but he pinned it to the wheelhouse wall instead of his jacket. The boat, an old wooden seiner called the “Maria,” finally got scrapped in the early nineties after one too many hull patches. Did your grandfather ever mention any bad storms out there in the sixties?

Margaret Anderson

My uncle fished the Volga delta for years and swore by the same “Lord, guide these nets” line, but he kept his St. Nicholas icon tucked in the tackle box instead of a medal. He said the one time he left it home the catch was so poor they barely covered fuel. Did your grandfather ever tell you what happened on the trip without the medal?

David Scott

Yeah, my uncle does the same quick cross and touch with his St Nicholas icon before he heads out from the marina near Geelong. Still goes out most weekends even though he's getting on a bit. Do the girls ever come out on the boat with you these days?

Timothy Johnson

My grandfather always carried his St. Nicholas medal on a chain round his neck, never in the tackle box. He told me once that during a bad storm on the Caspian he prayed that same “Lord, guide these nets” line and the wind dropped enough for them to get back to shore. Did your uncle ever mention whether he said the prayer out loud or just in his head?