Many legends surround Nicholas

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	St. Nicholas When: Third-fourth century Where: Asia Minor What: Bishop and friend of children Feast: Dec. 6 Patron: Children, prisoners, sailors caught in storms and of Greece, Apulia, Sicily, Lorraine and Russia

Perhaps no one has ever put together a Top Ten list of the most popular, best known or most loved saints. But St. Nicholas would definitely be on it - right up there with Mary, Francis of Assisi, Peter and Christopher.

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This kindly saint, who at least in the popular imagination has been transformed into Santa Claus, was the bishop of Myra, a rundown diocese in what is now Turkey. (Incidentally, St. Nicholas impersonators who dress like him by wearing a bishop's garb should not use the pointed miter of Western Rite bishops, but the cylindrical one Eastern Rite bishops wear.)

Nicholas was probably born into a wealthy family at Patara, Lycia, Asia Minor. Because of his reputation for holiness, zeal and miracles, the Emperor Diocletian had him imprisoned during a persecution of Christians.

Some accounts say he attended the Council of Nicaea (though there is no proof) and was among the bishops who denounced Arianism, a heresy that taught that the Son was not of the same substance as the Father. He died at Myra.

That is all we really know about Nicholas. But many stories have grown over the years about his care for the poor. For example, a father who could not afford dowries so that his three daughters could marry was about to sell them into prostitution. But Nicholas saved them by throwing bags of gold into their house so that each one could marry.

He is said to have destroyed pagan temples and forced Eustathius, the governor, to admit that the order to execute three innocent men was the result of a bribe. The men were then freed.

It's also said that he appeared in a dream to Emperor Constantine asking him not to execute three wrongly-convicted officers. Legend says he saved sailors from a deadly storm off the coast of Lycia.

Because of these legends, he is the patron of many things.

In 1087 his relics were brought to Bari, Italy, where his shrine became a great pilgrimage center.

The stories of his generosity with children led to the evolution of his name by the Dutch to Sint Klaes and eventually Santa Claus. Dutch Protestants living in New York brought the custom of Christmas gift giving with them to North America in the 1600s, a custom still celebrated in Dutch areas by gifts of fruit or candy, which often are placed in children's shoes.

While sharing the name, the American Santa Claus has a different origin. He is not Christian and is based on the Germanic god, Thor, who was associated with winter and the Yule log. He was pulled in a chariot by two goats, Cracker and Gnasher.

True or not, the stories about St. Nicholas say a great deal about our desire for people who act compassionately and charitably toward others. That's in keeping with the highest forms of Christian stewardship.