By Elizabeth Agar
On December 6, Christians around the world will celebrate St. Nicholas Day. St. Nicholas is renown for his relationship to modern-day Santa Claus, but he must be among the saints with the most patronages. He is patron saint of at least 115 groups. Many of the people who call him their patron saint are connected with sailing, ships or the sea. A large part of his patronage is children and encompasses orphans, students and infants. Marriage, and lack thereof, is another category that includes maidens, grooms and brides. Those who have dealings with the legal system such as people who suffer from unjust persecutions, murderers, thieves, prisoners and those who have unjustly lost lawsuits claim him. How did this generous and spiritual man come to mean so much to so many?
Nicholas was born into a wealthy family who were devout Christians. His parents died when he was young, and taking scripture to heart, Nicholas sold his possessions and gave the proceeds to the poor. During his youth, he made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made the Bishop of Myra even though he was still a young man. However, because the Roman government persecuted Christians, he and many other clergy were put in prison. After Constantine’s rise to power, they were released. He died in Myra on December 6, 343 AD.
There are many stories about Nicholas and his generosity, but among the most famous is the time he heard about a gentleman with three daughters. He was poor and had no dowry to give, so the girls were to remain unmarried. Nicholas heard about their misfortune, so while walking by the man’s house, he tossed a bag of gold through the window. By chance, the girls had left their stockings by the fireplace to dry, and the bag went into one of the stockings. The man was able to use that money for one dowry, but later, the same thing happened for the other two girls! So, the legend grew and evolved into Santa Claus leaving gifts in stockings. Another result of this story was St. Nicholas becoming the patron saint of pawnbrokers. The three bags of gold are often symbolized by three gold balls and have remained the symbol for pawnshops.
The Bishop of Myra was also a protector of sailors. He was said to have calmed the seas on his voyage from the Holy Land, just by praying, and his reputation was shared around seaports and towns. Many cities in many countries have churches named after him.
The image and story of St. Nicholas morphed into Santa Claus in the United States in the 19th century, mostly due to the poem known as “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Moore. Moore’s poem was greatly influenced by celebrations earlier in the century when Dutch descendants formed a society to honor those roots. A member of that society, Washington Irving, wrote a tongue-in-cheek article about early New York, containing references to a jolly St. Nicholas. Moore’s poem about that jolly old elf became the image of Santa Claus.
St. Nicholas has been called an Advent saint. Because his feast day occurs early in Advent, it is looked on as a way to have a bit of fun within a season of preparation for the Christ Child. It is appropriate that he is celebrated, particularly in Advent, because his life was one of following Jesus and his teachings. Showing others, by example, kindness to those in need or trouble was his way of preparing the world for the arrival of Jesus.
The Saint Nicholas Center, stnicholascenter.org, is a wonderful resource for information about St. Nicholas and was used heavily in writing this article. Thanks to them for permission to use their website and image. Visit their site for stories, activities, and events about this famous saint. You can also visit their permanent exhibit at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia.