W
hether you think of him as St. Nick or as Santa Claus, that rotund and jolly white-bearded man is the embodiment of the spirit of giving at Christmas. So who exactly is the man in the red suit? It all starts with St. Nicholas. According to historic accounts, Nicholas was born around 280 A.D. in the Greek village of Patara, now located in modern-day Turkey, and was raised by wealthy parents to be a devout Christian. Left a young orphan when they died in an epidemic, Nicholas gave away his entire inheritance, became a monk, and traveled the countryside helping those who were sick and in need. Much admired for his piety and acts of charity and kindness, St. Nicholas became Bishop of Myra, and was the subject of many legends over the decades. He was widely known as a protector of children and sailors until his death on December 6, 343 A.D. To this day St Nicholas continues to be venerated by Catholics 44
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and Orthodox and honored by Protestants as a model of compassionate life. By the Renaissance, St. Nicholas was the most popular saint in Europe. St. Nicholas’ feast day, celebrated on the anniversary of his death, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In much of Europe, December 6th is still the main day for giftgiving. But in Belgium, instead of a reindeer and sleigh for transportation, St. Nicholas arrives via steamship from Spain to ride a white horse to deliver gifts. In the Netherlands, St. Nicholas is celebrated the evening before the feast day by sharing candies, initial letters made of chocolate, small gifts, and riddles. Carrots and hay are placed in Dutch children’s shoes for St. Nicholas’ horse in hopes that they’ll be exchanged for small gifts. When the first Europeans arrived in the New World, they brought their love of St. Nicholas with them. On December 6, 1942, Columbus named a Haitian port for St. Nicholas. Closer to home, the Spaniards first established Jacksonville
as St. Nicholas Ferry. Since the Protestant Reform tried to stamp out the importance of saints, the first colonists, who were primarily Puritans, did not commemorate or celebrate St. Nicholas. After the American Revolution, however, New Yorkers proudly resurrected the nearly-forgotten Dutch roots of their colony. (continues)
