Nicholas the Pilgrim


Nicholas the Pilgrim, sometimes Nicholas of Trani, is a saint of the Roman Catholic church.
He was born in Steiri in Boeotia, Greece, where his solitary life as a shepherd led him to contemplative spirituality, as part of which he developed the constant repetition of the phrase Kyrie Eleison. This brought him conflict and aggression in populated places, and he suffered much oppression.
He died while on pilgrimage in Apulia, where he is venerated particularly in Trani. Trani Cathedral is dedicated to him, and he is the patron saint of the city.
His feast day is 2 June. The annual procession through Trani in his honour is held in the last week of July. In Orthodox tradition he is regarded as a Fool-for-Christ.