Saint Nicholas, also known as Nikolaos of Myra, was a 4th century Christian bishop who lived in the Greek city of Myra, located in modern-day Turkey. He was known for his generosity and acts of giving, which led to the tradition of Santa Claus associated with Christmas. Though details of his life are uncertain, he likely lived from around 270 to 343 AD and was noted for his care for the poor and underprivileged. Some key facts about Saint Nicholas include:
- He was born to a wealthy Christian family in Patara, Lycia, which was a province of the Roman empire in Asia Minor. His parents died while he was young, leaving him a large inheritance.
- He became the Bishop of Myra while still a young man, known for his piety and orthodoxy amidst the Great Persecution under Roman emperor Diocletian.
- Stories spread of his generosity, including giving dowries to three impoverished girls to save them from forced prostitution, and leaving coins in the shoes of those in need. This led to the tradition of hanging stockings for gifts.
- He was imprisoned during the persecution of Christians under Roman emperor Diocletian. After the Edict of Milan ended persecution in 313 AD, he was released and continued serving as Bishop of Myra.
- He attended the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, where he defended orthodox Christianity against the Arian heresy.
- He died on December 6, 343 AD in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church. Soon after, stories of miracles attributed to him spread, and devotion to him increased.
- In the 11th century his relics were moved to Bari, Italy, where an impressive church was built for them. Devotion to St. Nicholas spread throughout Europe from this location.
Beyond these basic facts, legends and embellishments have developed around Nicholas over the centuries. It is difficult to separate fact from fiction in many cases, but some key legends include:
- He restored to life three scholars who were murdered and pickled in brine by an innkeeper. This led to his patronage of children and students.
- During a famine, a malicious butcher lured three children into his house, where he killed and butchered them to sell as ham. Nicholas resurrected the children and returned them safely to their families.
- On a journey to the Holy Land, a terrible storm threatened to sink the ship he was on. After praying, the storm calmed and the ship made it safely to port. Because of this, he became a patron saint of sailors.
- After dying, Nicholas approached the Lord, presenting Him with the Gospel book he had protected all his life. For this, he was proclaimed a saint for his devotion to Christ.
Over time, Saint Nicholas’s reputation for generosity and gift-giving transformed into the figure of Santa Claus. This process included:
- His December 6 feast day became associated with gift-giving in many European cultures.
- Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (later New York) continued celebrating Sinterklaas, their version of Saint Nicholas.
- In the early 1800s, John Pintard and Washington Irving helped promote St. Nicholas as patron saint of New York.
- In 1823 the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (now known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”) was published anonymously, cementing his imaginative connection to Christmas.
- Cartoonist Thomas Nast and later the Coca-Cola company visually shaped the modern American Santa Claus character.
Today, Saint Nicholas remains an important figure both religiously and culturally. He continues to be a staple in the traditions of Christmas and holiday gift-giving, as well as serving as a namesake for figures such as Santa Claus. Churches, organizations, and entire countries claim him as their patron saint. While factual details on the life of the historical Saint Nicholas remain uncertain, the legends and traditions surrounding him remind us of the continued power of generosity, charity, and gift-giving to transform cultures and touch lives even centuries later.
Now that we’ve covered the basics on Saint Nicholas, let’s take a deeper look at some aspects of his life and legacy:
Nicholas’ Upbringing & Early Life
Though details are uncertain, Nicholas was likely born around 270 AD into a wealthy Christian family in the Greek seaport of Patara, located in the province of Lycia in Asia Minor. His parents were Epiphanius and Johanna, and he had a brother as well. According to some accounts, his parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young, leaving him a large inheritance. Nicholas was raised as a devout Christian, inspired by his uncle, who was the Bishop of Patara. By the time he became a teenager, both of his parents had died.
As a young man, Nicholas entered the clergy, pursuing his faith passionately despite the persecution of Christians under Roman Emperor Diocletian. Writers Serr and Bidwell describe him as “a man who was shy, quiet, inward-looking, a man who liked nothing better than to be left alone to pray and meditate.” However, he also showed early signs of leadership and wisdom that would later define his bishopric.
Rise to Bishop of Myra
While still a young man, Nicholas was chosen to be the Bishop of Myra, a major hub of maritime trade on the Mediterranean coast of Lycia. He was selected by the bishops of the Lycian Council, who had been charged with finding a new bishop for Myra. The oldest versions of his story say God revealed to the council in a dream that the first man named Nicholas to enter the church the next morning should become the new bishop. When Nicholas arrived early the next day, he was quickly named as the choice.
Myra had fallen into decline under the persecution of Diocletian, but under Nicholas’s leadership, Christianity revived in the city. He became known as a bold defender of orthodox Christianity amidst ongoing persecution, earning him a reputation for courage and conviction. According to legend, he was imprisoned during Diocletian’s persecution and released upon Constantine’s edict of toleration.
Generosity & Gift-Giving
Even during his lifetime, Nicholas gained renown for his abundant generosity toward those in need. One of the most famous stories is of his anonymous gift of gold to three daughters of a bankrupt nobleman. With no dowry to offer potential husbands, the daughters faced being sold into slavery or prostitution. But on three separate occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home, enabling them to get married. The third time, the father caught Nicholas in the act of the gift-giving, much to the saint’s chagrin. This story became the basis for secret gift-giving traditions associated with Nicholas.
Another famous story tells of three scholars who were falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to death by a corrupt magistrate. Nicholas intervened, proving their innocence and securing their release. But by then it was too late – the three men had already been murdered and their dismembered bodies pickled in brine by an innkeeper. However, Nicholas miraculously restored them to life after fervent prayer. For this reason, he became associated with protection of students and scholars.
During a famine in Myra, Nicholas learned of a malicious butcher who had lured three children into his house, killing and butchering them to sell their remains as ham. Nicholas resurrected the children and returned them to their families unharmed. As these stories spread, his reputation for generosity and wonderworking made him profoundly beloved.
Attendance at Council of Nicaea
In 325 AD, Nicholas was one of around 300 bishops from across the Christian world who attended the historic First Council of Nicaea. The council was convened by Roman Emperor Constantine to address the controversial teachings of Arius, who denied the divinity of Christ. Nicholas defended orthodox Trinitarian belief, opposing the Arian position. One famous legend claims he became so enraged at one point that he slapped Arius in the face! While likely apocryphal, it reflects his passion for proper doctrine.
The council resulted in the Nicene Creed, one of the earliest and most important statements of Christian doctrine. Nicholas’s presence shows his reputation as a theologian and key bishop in the early Catholic Church. However, we have no specific record of his contributions other than defending orthodoxy against Arianism. After this famous event, Nicholas returned home to Myra and continued serving as bishop for the rest of his life.
Death & Burial in Myra
Nicholas died on December 6 in Myra, sometime between 343 and 352 AD. He had served as Bishop of Myra for over 40 years. He was originally buried in his cathedral church in Myra, built during his time as bishop. There are not many details about his later life or death, but he likely died of natural causes given his age. The precise burial place of Saint Nicholas within the cathedral is unknown.
However, the cathedral remained an important pilgrimage site after his death, attributed primarily to the many miracles reported at his shrine. As one of the key pilgrimage sites in the Christian East, worshippers traveled from across Anatolia, Greece, Russia, Egypt, and beyond to visit Myra and seek miracles from Saint Nicholas.
Translation of his Relics to Bari, Italy
In the 11th century, issues like regional conflicts and the encroaching Seljuk Turks threatened the security of Nicholas’s tomb in Myra. As a result, a group of sailors from Bari, Italy mounted an expedition to acquire the saint’s remains and bring them back to their hometown in 1087 AD. Overcoming objections from the Orthodox clergy in Myra, they succeeded in recovering half of Nicholas’ skeleton along with remains from several other saints and bishops. The remains arrived in Bari on May 9, 1087 and were interred in a newly built crypt.
A shrine and stunning basilica were constructed to hold the saint’s remains, ensuring their safekeeping in Christian hands. This also made Nicholas more accessible to European pilgrims. As a result, the cult of Saint Nicholas spread rapidly across Europe. The site remains an important pilgrimage destination, receiving around 1 million visitors annually. Some argue remains were stolen, but it brought greater devotion to Nicholas nonetheless.
Veneration and Miracles after his Death
St. Nicholas’s shrine in Myra remained famous for miracles after his death. As one early example, a biography of St. Nicholas from the 600s by a monk named Methodius recorded several healings attributed to the saint. In June of 343 AD, Methodius was deathly ill. After praying and anointing himself with myrrh from Nicholas’s relics, Methodius claims to have been completely cured. Similar stories boosted the popularity of Nicholas’s shrine.
The many miracles attributed to Nicholas after his death led to his being named a saint. The Roman Catholic Church later established an official feast day for him on December 6, which marked the day of his death. In the Orthodox Church, Nicholas is considered one of the great saints of the faith. He was proclaimed a saint long before the official canonization process began centuries later.
Interestingly, Saint Nicholas is one of the few pre-schism saints universally revered by both Eastern and Western Christians. For both Catholic and Orthodox believers, he became a champion of the poor and underprivileged based on his generosity during life and miracles after death.
Evolution into Santa Claus
Over the centuries, the lore and legends of Saint Nicholas evolved into the figure of Santa Claus – the bringer of gifts on Christmas Eve. This process included:
- Feast Day Gift-Giving: December 6, St. Nicholas’s feast day, became associated with gift-giving in many European cultures. Children would leave out food and drink for “St. Nick” on the eve of December 6, receiving small gifts in return.
- Dutch Sinterklaas Tradition: Dutch immigrants brought the tradition of Sinterklaas, their version of Saint Nicholas, to New Amsterdam (later New York City) in the 17th century. He rode a white horse and visited houses to reward good children.
- John Pintard’s St. Nicholas Society: In 1804, John Pintard established the New York Historical Society and promoted St. Nicholas as patron saint of New York. Washington Irving joined this effort through books and essays.
- “A Visit from St. Nicholas”: The famous 1823 Christmas poem by Clement Clarke Moore established the modern imaginative picture of Santa Claus and his reindeer.
- Thomas Nast: Nast’s popular cartoons for Harper’s Magazine (1863-1886) visually developed the rotund, red-suited American Santa familiar today.
- Coca-Cola Advertising: Artist Haddon Sundblom illustrated many Coke ads (1931-1964) that further popularized the Santa image of red costume, white beard, reindeer, etc.
While keeping St. Nicholas’s attributes of generosity and gift-giving, the Santa Claus figure also adopted aspects from sources like medieval folklore, Odin (the Norse god), and English Father Christmas. However, the connection to the historical Saint Nicholas remains rooted in traditions established long ago.
Continued Relevance and Veneration
Despite the Santa Claus mythology, Saint Nicholas remains an important religious and historical figure. He continues to be a central saint venerated within Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. A number of churches and organizations around the world take his name. He also remains an important cultural symbol for many countries and cities that claim him as patron saint.
In the Catholic Church, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, repentant thieves, wronged children, archers, pawnbrokers, students, faithful marriage, unmarried girls, and many cities around the world. Greek and Russian Orthodox Christians often name Nicholas as their most popular saint.
Charitable organizations continue St. Nicholas’s legacy of anonymous generosity, from the Secret Santa gift exchanges to the worldwide activities of the St. Nicholas Center. Countless churches and religious sites bear his name. Iconography of St. Nicholas remains important in both Eastern and Western Christian art. Clearly, the historical figure of St. Nicholas and the legends surrounding him maintain an enduring legacy and appeal centuries after his life.
Summary of Key Points
In summary, here are some key facts to remember about the life and legacy of Saint Nicholas:
- He was a 4th century bishop known for his abundant generosity and gift-giving
- He likely died between 343-352 AD and is venerated as a saint in many Christian traditions
- Famous stories tell of him providing dowries and saving impoverished girls
- He attended the pivotal First Council of Nicaea, defending orthodoxy
- Myra remained an important pilgrimage site after his death, attributed to reported miracles
- In 1087 AD his relics were brought to Bari, Italy, spreading devotion in Europe
- Legends and gift-giving traditions evolved into the Santa Claus figure
- He remains one of the most beloved saints, with churches worldwide named for him
This provides an overview of the key events and importance of Saint Nicholas – bishop, saint, wonderworker, giver of gifts. His life echoes even today, reminding us that generosity and compassion can make a profound difference. The legends surrounding Santa Claus evoke a sense of wonder, but St. Nicholas remains an important religious and historical figure in his own right.