New Listing: Saint Nicholas of Myra
That's right, folks, it's Santa Claus! (Plus this month's coupon code.)
In the early days of the church, only a couple of centuries after Christ’s ascension, even before Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, lived a man named Nicholas. He was born in the village of Patara, located in what was then called Asia Minor, which is now the southern coast of Turkey.
His parents were devout Christians, and raised their son in the faith, but they died because of an epidemic when he was young. They were very wealthy when they died, and left him a large inheritance. Nicholas took Jesus’s teaching about wealth very seriously, however, to the point that he was so generous with his money, he eventually gave away his entire inheritance to help the needy, the sick, and the suffering.
Nicholas's commitment to serving God drew the attention of other church leaders, who appointed him as Bishop of Myra when he was still quite young, a role that allowed him to continue his charitable work on a larger scale. He was known for championing the cause of the oppressed and defending the faith against persecution. The bishop's reputation for secret gift-giving and compassion became legendary, and his acts of kindness were celebrated far and wide.
Like many other Christians living around that time, Nicholas faced persecution from the Roman Emperor, Diocletian, who exiled and imprisoned Nicholas, along with a multitude of other clergy. It was recorded that the prisons were so overwhelmed with bishops, priests, and deacons that there was scarcely any room left over for actual criminals.
After his eventual release from prison, Nicholas was invited to join the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. That’s right, folks, when you say the Nicene Creed, whether at church or during your devotion time, you might also consider saying, “Thank you, Santa Claus.”
Nicholas’s earthly journey concluded when he passed away on December 6, AD 343, in Myra. This date would later be marked as St. Nicholas Day, the feast day on the church calendar set aside to celebrate his life and legacy, and to encourage us in our own faith journey. So, if you're reading this on the day it was published, happy Saint Nicholas Day!
There are many cherished tales about this saint of the church. One of them is about a destitute man with three daughters, each of them bereft of dowries and destined for slavery. Mysteriously, on three separate occasions, bags of gold appeared in their home, providing the needed dowries. The bags, thrown through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire, giving rise to the enduring tradition of children hanging stockings for St. Nicholas to fill with gifts.
Nicholas's protective mantle extended to children even after his passing. A poignant story tells of the townspeople of Myra celebrating the saint on the eve of his feast day when marauding pirates abducted a young boy named Basilios. St. Nicholas, sent by Jesus, appeared to the terrified boy, blessed him, and returned him home. This became the inception of Nicholas's role as the protector of children in the Western tradition.
Another story tells how, during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Nicholas, then still a young man, faced a raging storm at sea. In a display of divine intervention, he prayed fervently, calming the tempest and saving the terrified sailors aboard, much like Jesus did with his disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Today, countless sailors ask Nicholas to intercede on their behalf for safe voyages.
The veneration of St. Nicholas spread across Europe, and each culture developed their own unique customs and traditions to honor him. The Dutch Sinterklaas, for example, which included an elderly, white-bearded man dressed in a red stole and cap, who left gifts for good children and punished bad children, evolved from the original St. Nicholas traditions and was then brought to America by Dutch settlers in the 18th century. Over a period of two centuries, the Dutch-American image of St. Nicholas evolved into our contemporary, Western depiction of Santa Claus, complete with his own red suit, white beard, and a sack full of gifts.
I’ve just released a new abstract watercolor for Saint Nicholas. You can find it on my Etsy shop by clicking here.
While you’re at the shop, be sure to take advantage of this month’s coupon code, available to newsletter subscribers like yourself, and get 40% off any order–no minimum, no limit! Here’s the coupon code: 40PERCENTDEC2024
You can also click on this link to automatically apply the coupon to your purchase.
I pray the upcoming Advent season would bring you closer to the heart of Father God and to His Incarnate Son, through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord be with you!