| St. Nicholas is a religious figure in many countries and traditions. He was a dedicated servant of God who lived sometime around 270 AD - 352 AD, and is said to have died on December 6, when his Feast is celebrated. Nicholas is the patron Saint of many places and professions -- sailors, travellers, and children, to name a few. He was famous for his patronage and generosity to the poor and needy. (He is said to have inherited money from his Godly mother and father, which he used not for himself, but dispensed to the impoverished.) Many of the miracles he performed were associated with saving people's lives, or even resurrecting them from death. He faithfully suffered for justice and the Will of God. St. Nicholas may be the origin of Santa Claus tradition, and is associated with Santa Claus not only because the Feast of St. Nicholas occurs on December 6 and is a staple celebration of the Christmas season, but also because of the many gifts he bestowed on people. Perhaps the most famous legend about St. Nicholas is the story of a man who had fallen into hard times and didn't have money for the needs of his family. The man had three beautiful daughters, and the only solution he could find to his situation was to send them into the streets, to earn money by any means necessary. St. Nicholas, probably by divine inspiration, knew of the man's plight and also of the evil thoughts in the man's mind. In order to save the family, St. Nicholas would give them a considerable amount of gold coins. However, he had to find a way to do this without it being known who the benefactor was, because he didn't want to offend the girls' father, and also because he did not want credit or praise for the good deed, in accordance with God's command for humility, and Christ's words that one should not let the "left hand know what thy right hand gives." So in the cover of night, the saint threw a sack of gold coins through the man's window. The man was astonished, and praised God, knowing that His divinity had saved the family. This money was used to pay his oldest daughter's dowry so that she could be given into a righteous marriage. Upon the marriage of the second oldest daughter, another sack of gold coins appeared through the window. The father prayed to know who was saving his family, and when the last daughter was to be married, he waited awake for several nights until the sack of coins appeared. He ran after Nicholas in the night and when he caught up to him, fell at his feet to thank him. St. Nicholas made the father promise to keep their secret. In this same legend, it is also said that the gold coins were tied in a stocking, and this is perhaps where the tradition of stockings at Christmas originated. St. Nicholas is famous the world over, and it is still said in some faiths that he brings gifts for the good, clothes for the poor, and money for the needy. The Dutch called him Sinterklaas, a variation of the name "St. Nicholas" and brought his legends and traditions with them to New Amsterdam, which later became New York City. America is a melting pot, and as time went by, the legends of many good men and benefactors merged to create the image of today's Santa Claus, but St. Nicholas is certainly one of the most influential of them. |
| "St. Nicholas." Orthodox America On-Line. Copyright 1998 - 2000 by Nikodemos Orthodox Publication Society. http://www.roca.org/oa/5/5m.htm "St. Nicholas Day December 6th." Instructional Materials Center. http://www.umkc.edu/imc/stnick.htm [31 October 2002] Michael Ott. "St. Nicholas of Myra." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Online edition copyright 2002 by Kevin Knight. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11063b.htm [2 December 2002] |
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