Patron of Children and Brides
Saint Nicholas. There is More to Him Than Just Santa Claus
Saint Nicholas is not only one of the origins of the figure Santa Claus. He was also a generous and devout Christian and Bishop of Myra.
Saint Nicholas is probably the most popular saint in popular culture. The reason for this is that Saint Nicholas of Myra is the saint credited with the origins of the legend of Santa Claus (along with the Norse god Thor).
Saint Nicholas is the Patron Saint of children, seafarers, scholars, bankers, pawnbrokers, jurists, brewers, coopers, travelers, perfumers, unmarried girls, brides and robbers. More than 1200 churches are dedicated in his honour.
The Legends of Saint Nicholas
The main legend of Saint Nicholas, and one of the main origins of his standing as Santa Claus, is one in which one of our Christmas traditions was first seen. There are a few versions of the tale but the main one is as follows.
Nicholas heard about a local family that was very poor. They had three daughters and, as it was tradition at the time that girls had to be sent to marriage with a dowry, it seemed likely that none of the girls would ever be able to marry or leave home. Nicholas wanted to help them, but being a good and modest Christian did not want anyone to know that it was him who had helped. One night he climbed onto the roof of the poor family's house and threw gold coins down the chimney into the girls' stockings which were hanging by the fire to dry. Eventually two of the girls had enough money to marry and the money kept appearing in the stockings of the third, so one day their father hid behind the chimney to see who their mysterious benefactor was. When Nicholas appeared he begged the father not to tell anyone that it had been him, but the father wanted everyone to know how kind Nicholas was and did tell everyone.
There are also legends of him saving sailors from drowning and a group of school boys from a vat of brine.
The Life of Nicholas
Nicholas was born in the third century in Patara, an area which is now on the south coast of Turkey. He was raised as a devout Christian in a wealthy family. While Nicholas was still young his parents died in an epidemic leaving a fortune to Nicholas. Nicholas used all of this money to help the sick and the poor. Shortly after he was made Bishop of Myra. The legend around this event is that this happened because Nicholas entered a church during a crisis in which the local elders were unable to choose a successor to their recently lost Bishop. They had been told in a dream to appoint the next man named Nicholas to enter the church. Nicholas entered and became the next Bishop of Myra.
At this time Rome and the Roman Empire were under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, one of the most well known persecutors of Christians who killed, among others, Saint Christopher and Saint George. Diocletian exiled and imprisoned Nicholas although he was later released. Nicholas died on December 6th 343AD. This is now his feast day.
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