Jolly Old St Nicholas

Tommorrow is the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra. The real St. Nicholas is VERY different from the Santa Claus that we know today. That Santa evolved from the St Nicholas that Clement Moore created for his poem A Visit From St. Nicholas, although a few of the characteristics we are familiar with did come from the real saint. Still, as the icon shows he definitely was not Santa. The holy man whose feast we celebrate was much more than just a gift giver. He was a man who dedicated his life to serving God. This is the story of the real Nicholas, bishop of Myra.

St. Nicholas was born in the coastal city of Patera, Lycia in southern Asia Minor, now a part of Turkey. The area was part of the area where St. Paul spread the Gospel. St. Nicholas was born into a wealthy & devout Christian family. They started his studies of the Christain faith when he was about 5 yrs old. His parents died while he was still fairly young. As St. Nicholas grew physically he also grew in his faith.

As a young man he was ordained a priest of the Byzantine Rite for the diocese of Myra. He made a pilgrimage to Egypt & Palastine. Shortly after his return he was in Myra when the bishop died. He was elected the new bishop. He was still fairly young at the time. It was shortly after this at the beginning of the 4th Century that the Roman emperor Diocletian began his persecution of Christians. St. Nicholas was arrested & imprisoned. He was freed when Constantine became emperor. He was able to attend the Council of Nicaea (325AD). Legend has it that when he heard them discussed at the Council, he was so indignate at the heretical teachings that Arius was spreading that St. Nicholas slapped him in the face. St. Nicholas died c 346AD.

There are many stories associated with St. Nicholas. The two of which I am going to relate here are the ones that had a later effect on the creation of the modern Santa Claus.

The 1st story is that of a man who had 3 daughters of marriagable age. Unfortunately, the man was poor, having fallen on hard times, & didn't have the money to provide for a dowery for any of them. So, the father decided to sell his 3 daughters into prostitution. It got back to St. Nicholas. Naturally he couldn't allow it. So, that night he took a bag of gold from his family fortune & tossed it in the window. He did the same for the next 2 nights thus saving the girls from a life of degredation. Depending on the version f the story the 1st bag either landed in a shoe or a stocking hung by the fireplace to dry. This is the origin of giving gifts on St. Nicholas' feast & either putting up a stocking or putting out your shoe by the bedroom door depending on the country.

The 2nd story involves St. Nicholas stopping at an inn while touring his diocese. The innkeeper was very nerveous in the presence of such a holy man. St. Nicholas knew something was wrong & confronted the innkeeper. The innkeeper confessed to killing 3 young boys, chopping up the bodies & hiding them in a picle barrel full of brine. St. Nicholas said a prayer over the barrel & made the sign of the cross. The 3 young boys srang up out of the barrel alive & fully healed of all their injuries.

God didn't stop using St. Nicholas after his death. His tomb in Myra began oozing an oil-like substance called manna. This manna had miraculous powers to heal. However, St. Nicholas is no longer buried there. In 1034 the Saracens conquered the area. In 1087 sailors from Bari, Italy stole his bones & brought them back to Bari. They arrived there on May 9th. The city of Bari has a festival every 7-9 May to celebrate the event. His new tomb in the Basilica di San Nicola still exudes the manna. As a part of the festival a priest gathers some of the manna. It is taken to the sea where the local archbishop uses it to bless the waters, asking God to bless the efforts of the local fishermen. Another part of the festival involves taking a statue of St. Nicholas in procession to the sea, putting it on a boat & reenacting his arrival. They also have dia procession with an icon. There are naturally several masses offered.

In the Byzantine liturgy, there is a prayer/hymn called the apolytikion. Here is the 1 for the Feast of St. Nicholas.

APOLYTIKION OF ST. NICHOLAS
An example of the Faith and a life of humility, as a teacher of abstinence you did inspire and lead your flock and through your truthfulness of your deeds were exalted by greatness through your humility uplifting all and by poverty gaining wealth. Father and hierarch Nicholas intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

In conclusion let me wish every one un BUONA FESTA di SAN NICOLA!!!!!