Every year during Advent we are barraged with carols, artwork, and traditions about a fat man dressed in red who climbs down the chimney with gifts. There is nothing wrong with the comfort that these images bring to most of us, but they water down the true story of St. Nicholas, who was far from an overweight man in a sled.
Santa Claus in the red coat is a result of generations of marketing for the Advent season, but St. Nicholas lived during a far more tumultuous time in the history of Christianity. He had thicker skin and a fiery temper. Most importantly, St. Nicholas would point the Christmas celebration to Christ and not to himself.
Centuries of myth and legend make it difficult to paint a clear picture of St. Nicholas, but some very important details are agreed on about the life of this great Saint who was almost martyred. Let us celebrate him for greater things than reindeer and sleds.
St. Nicholas’ Childhood
It is difficult to pick the truth of St. Nicholas’ life from the pit of folklore. What we know is that he was born in the fourth century, a time when being Christian could lead to torture and death. He was the only child of Christian parents who were concerned that their son be well-educated in the faith.
He was pious from his childhood. It is said that he would only eat on Wednesdays and Thursdays, according to the canon. He loved to study and was lauded for his sharp mind. His knowledge of the holy religion would later earn him the title of Bishop.
An epidemic killed both of Nicholas’ parents when he was a young man, leaving him in the charge of his uncle, the Bishop of Patana. He would stay with his uncle until he was old enough to live life on his own.
The Gifts Down the Chimney
Our secular myth of Santa Claus crawling down the chimney with presents originated from a great act of charity performed by the real St. Nicholas when he was a young man.
In Patana there lived a citizen who had lost all of his money. He had three daughters to support, but could not marry them off because poverty had left them without dowries. Desperate to keep his family alive, the man began to speak of giving his daughters over to prostitution so that they would not starve to death.
When Nicholas heard of this, he would not allow it. His parents had left him a sufficient inheritance to stop the desperate father from destroying his daughters’ lives. He decided that this family needed the money more than he did.
One night he filled a bag with gold and tossed it through the man’s open window. It contained enough gold to provide the eldest daughter with a dowry for a marriage. Two more times he did this, securing dignified futures for all three women.
Ol’ Saint Nick, Bishop of Myra
Nicholas’ piety and intelligence began to spread in the region, giving him a great reputation and earning him the respect of the laypeople and clergy. When the city of Myra gathered to select a new Bishop for the region, God indicated that Nicholas was the man to fill the position.
He accepted, despite the dangers that came with the job. This was during the fourth century persecutions, in which thousands of Christians were arrested and tortured.
Nicholas preached to his flock at the risk of death. He encouraged them to keep the faith despite the threat of the Empire, telling them never to desert the Lord Jesus.
This had the Bishop of Myra arrested. Nicholas was tortured and locked in prison with the other Christians, where he waited in chains until the reign of the religious emperor Constantine. This great emperor released the Christian prisoners and gave them freedom to practice their faith in public.
The Death of the Bishop
St. Nicholas’ death is one of the details that has been muddled by folklore. It’s likely that he died on December 6, 343. Miracles were associated with his intercession at once, assuring the people that he was still looking after his flock from Heaven.
Though several countries claim to have the remains of St. Nicholas, most experts believe they are housed in a crypt in Bari, Italy. His miracles are not limited to that crypt, though, for he is now a Saint.
His gifts shower on us in the form of miracles every day of the year, no reindeer or sleigh required. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not dependent on such things; for this reason, we should turn to the Saints for help acquiring our most desperate needs.
Conclusion
We celebrate Christmas in different ways, but the life of St. Nicholas should not be lost in the festivities. He did great things to help the young Church grow, risking his life to stand for the Truth.
As you celebrate Christmas this year, give thanks for our holy family in Heaven, the Saints and martyrs who did not allow themselves to be bribed away from Jesus. Because of them, we are free to wear crosses around our necks.
This coming year, remember not to take your freedom of religion for granted. Many people died for lack of it, refusing to give up on hope for a better world.
