St. Nicholas

Jolly old Saint Nicholas, lean your ear this way,
don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say ...

Today is the Feast of St. Nicholas.  He was a real person - but who?  And how did he evolve into the character that we in the U.S. now know as Santa Claus?

Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).  He became bishop of his province, the capital of which was called Myra.  He died on December 6th in about AD 343 and was interred in his cathedral.  Other than that -- and the fact that he lived a life holy enough for people to herald him as a saint after his death -- we have very little information about him.

Legends abound, however.  It is said that he fought against the Christian heresies of his day, was persecuted and imprisioned for the faith, the later attended the Council of Nicea in AD 325.  He is also reputed to have been a great protector of children and young people, rescuing them from slavery, kidnapping, and prostitution.  One famous story talks about how Nicholas would provide a dowry for poor girls who otherwise may have not ever been able to get married.

Nicholas is also said to have had the habit of giving presents anonymously, leaving coins in the shoes of the needy.  This legend -- as well as a reputation for loving children -- was what probably began the morphing of a church saint into our jolly popular culture figure.  In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas (origin of the English version of the name, Santa Claus) still leaves presents in children's shoes on Dec. 6th.

The big-bellied, red-suited, ho-ho-hoing character in today's Christmas legend may not look anything like what we think of as a saint, but his name (Saint Nicholas - Sinterklass - Santa Claus) and certain attributions certainly link him to a holy man in Asia Minor many centuries ago.