Who Was St. Nicholas?

Who Was St. Nicholas?

1 Nearly everyone has heard of Santa Claus with his gifts and Christmas Eve sleigh ride. It's a magical story that has captured the imaginations of people all around the world. Have you ever wondered who the original Santa was?

2 The legend of Santa Claus actually begins in the country of Turkey in the Middle East in the third century A.D. It all started with a man named Nicholas.

3 Nicholas came from a wealthy family in the town of Patara. His parents raised him to be a kind and generous man. When he was grown, he used all of his inheritance to help the poor, the sick, and those who were suffering. As a result of his actions and beliefs, he was still a young man when he was made Bishop of Myra.

4 The Roman Emperor, Diocletian, hated Christians and did everything he could to stop them from practicing their faith. He put so many church leaders in the prisons that there was almost no room for thieves and murderers.

5 Nicholas was imprisoned but was later released after Constantine became emperor of Rome. Then in A.D. 325, Constantine called the first Council of Nicea. This was where many of the church's leaders came together from all over for a big meeting. We know Nicholas was a real person because his name was on several attendance lists for the council. He died on December 6, A.D. 342 or 343.

6 Right after his death, legends began to spring up about him. At least one appears to be based on actual happenings.

7 The first of the legends involved three young women. In those days, a father had to offer a dowry for each daughter to get married. Young men expected to receive a valuable gift from a girl's father. If he could not pay it, she would probably never get married. The larger a girl's dowry, the better her chances of gaining a good husband.

8 Near Nicholas' home there was a poor man who had three daughters. He had no way to give them dowries. With no one to marry them, they might be forced to become slaves.

9 One night a bag of gold coins was tossed through the window of the house into the older girl's shoes as they sat by the fireplace. The money became her dowry, and she was able to marry well. Later, the same thing happened for each of the younger daughters as well. This marked Nicholas as a great giver of gifts.

10 Another story tells of how three children or students were killed by an evil man. Nicholas dreamed of the crime while staying nearby and raised them from the dead. This showed Nicholas to be the patron saint of children.

11 Nicholas used his money and influence to feed the hungry and to get justice for the unjustly accused. His spirit of giving secretly, expecting nothing in return, marked him as a great man among his people.

12 It is no wonder that the person of Nicholas of Myra is linked with love, generosity, and the giving of gifts. St. Nicholas Day honors the life of a man who loved to help others. Even after all these years, many people still celebrate his life and good works.