Today, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of this Christian village. Every year on December 19 (the date of his feast according to the Orthodox Julian calendar) people there honor Nicholas with a festival, parades, prayers, and parties.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church stands in the area where Nicholas lived. A relic believed to be that of St. Nicholas is kept at the church, and people believe that the saint has protected them from armed conflicts throughout the centuries. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War over Israeli independence, a parish priest saw a man with a white beard standing on top of the Greek Orthodox Church, his arms wide open as if protecting the city.
- Little White Book, Diocese of Saginaw