December 6 is the Feast of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a bishop from the fourth century.
He is, of course, the model for our modern-day Santa Claus, because Saint Nicholas's generosity was legendary.
Saint Nicholas's charity was bound up with his firm orthodoxy, and it is said that, at the Council of Nicea in 325, he walked across the room to the heretic Arius, who denied the divinity of Christ, and slapped him in the face. It's hard to imagine our "right jolly old elf" doing that!
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of the Byzantine Catholic Church, and his feast day is very important to Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. Positioned about halfway between the start of Philip's Fast--the Eastern Christian time of preparation that coincides with Advent--and Christmas, the Feast of Saint Nicholas provides some relief from the austerity of this "little Lent."
The night before Saint Nicholas Day, children place their shoes in a prominent location--say, by a fireplace, or outside their bedroom door. The next morning--usually very early--the children find their shoes filled with little presents from the great saint.
Like many Advent customs, the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day reminds us that Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Christ. The love of Saint Nicholas, while great, pales in comparison with the love that Christ has for all of mankind.
(Icon of Saint Nicholas of Myra, bishop and wonderworker. Photo © Slava Gallery, LLC; used with permission.)
More on Saint Nicholas:
- Saint Nicholas of Myra
- Reader Question: Is Santa Claus Saint Nicholas?
- Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
- Invocation to Saint Nicholas
- A Prayer of Impetration to Saint Nicholas
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The “Saint Nicolas” is a big celebration day in the Lorraine region of France where he is the patron saint. There’s a parade and St Nicolas throws candy from his “chariot”.
Dear friends
as we celebrate the feast of saint Nicholas, please pray for me that God will grant me a life partner, as we wait to celebrate, the birth of Jesus,
anne
ciku26@hotmail.com\
Now that we have moved to a house with a fireplace, I think it’s time my husband and I began putting our shoes out on St. Nicholas’s Day
We have simplified our Christmas, we now buy items for the household rather than searching for trinkets for each other. This year it is a new dining table and chairs to replace the 24 year old set, which we donated to charity.
A wonderful tradition we have started in our home. A tidbit, is to celebrate the Saint of the day
Christ was born Oct. 6th. Why celebrate Dec. 25th ?
being a saint consist of to thigs be good and proclaiming salvation threw crist .nicholas counts for but for the other he does not he doesnt show any thing in the resson of his hope for eturnal life and thats we love fists but that god love us threw fist.Thats faith not we could be good enofe to go to heave but we have heaven when we esept jesus
Gregory Bible, I would encourage you to read up on the life of Saint Nicholas. You could start with the link in the first paragraph of my post. In everything that he did, Saint Nicholas proclaimed that salvation comes through Christ.
My heritage is German catholic and we have been celebrating this tradition through many generations it is a great tradition and one with a great meaning behind it i hope to celebrate it with my children so that they can pass it on
I realize Santa Clause is not real but with this explanation it helps me understand more about the real st. nicholas and, the made up santa that is not real.
Makes me a little sad too but, my Son knows Santa clause does not exist, at least not anymore he is 17 now.
I just wonder if you don’t wear green on St. Nicholas day you will get pinched? That’s what people did to me!