The feast day of St. Nicholas is an important part of the Advent experience in our preparation for the celebration of Christmas. In some countries, some similarities exist between the celebration of St Nicholas and Christmas. Traditions include leaving gifts in shoes or stockings or the exchange of small gifts.
There are some interesting facts associated with St. Nicholas:
(1) He is the patron saint of many things, including sailors, travelers, clergy, and school children.
(2) He was born in the village of Patar, located on the southeastern coast of Turkey.
(3) He is buried in a tomb in Myra in southwestern Turkey. Water formed in the grave of St Nicholas; many believe this water to have healing powers.
(4) The feast of St. Nicholas is an important feast day in many Catholic countries in Europe, especially in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Tradition passes down that Nicholas was born in the year 270 AD to wealthy parents who died during an epidemic when he was young. He was raised by his uncle, also named Nicholas and a Catholic bishop. This uncle eventually ordained his nephew a priest. St Nicholas took to heart Jesus’ commandment to “sell what you have and give it to the poor” (Matthew 19:21). Nicholas gave his entire inheritance to those in need. He was imprisoned and exiled for his faith by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He was named bishop of Myra when he was still a young man. Bishop Nicholas is believed to have attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 before he died in 343.
Nicholas was immediately venerated as a saint after his death by the people of Myra. He was well-known for his generosity to the poor, his love and protection of children, and concern for sailors and ships. His popularity spread throughout Europe. Before the Protestant Reformation, there were more than 400 churches dedicated to St. Nicholas in England alone. He was named the patron of Greece, Russia, Sicily, the French province of Loraine, as well as many cities and towns.
Through the centuries, stories and legends recount Nicholas’ life and charitable actions. One story tells of a widowed merchant who went bankrupt; he had three unmarried daughters he feared would be forced into prostitution to survive. Bishop Nicholas heard about this desperate situation; one night he walked to the merchant’s house and tossed a bag of gold coins through an open window. The following two nights, he came by again and threw another bag of gold coins. On the third night, the family was waiting for him and as he threw the coins; the family opened the door and rushed outside to thank him. Today, this story is honored when gold chocolate coins are left in children’s shoes in the Netherlands on the feast day of St Nicholas as gifts for the children.
Devotion to St. Nicholas, the Catholic bishop and saint, is not as popular in the United States as it is in many countries in Europe in this same way. However, our tradition of Santa Claus comes from this same tradition of St Nicholas. In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore from New York wrote a poem entitled “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” also known today as “’Twas the Night before Christmas.” As the city of New York was originally settled by the Dutch, honoring St Nicholas was a way to honor their Dutch heritage in the early 19th century when this poem was written. The name “Santa Claus” comes from the Dutch form of St Nicolas’ name, “Sinterklaas.”
As we commemorate this first week of our Advent journey, may the Advent symbolism connected to St Nicholas encourage us on our Advent journey. Blessings to all of you - Father Lincoln.
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