Saint of the Month: St. Nicholas of Myra

St Nicholas of Myra was a bishop in the early Church who was known as a miracle worker. Since most of the information about this man was written centuries after his death, much of what we know about him may not be entirely factual. It is certain that he was born c. 370 to a Greek family, probably wealthy and Christian, at Patara in the Lycia region of modern-day Turkey. Since we know from Holy Scripture that St. Paul visited Lycia, Nicholas’s parents may well have descended from those whom the Apostle converted. It is believed that his parents died from an epidemic when he was young. It is recorded that he became a monk, went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and was ordained at some point. After returning to Lycia, he was chosen to be the bishop of Myra, an appointment he only reluctantly accepted. Myra was also in the Lycia region, and the diocese Nicholas was given to shepherd was in a state of disorder.  It is recorded that he suffered imprisonment and torture during the persecutions under the Emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305, and that he was set free after Constantine came to the throne in 306. He was present at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which was called primarily to deal with the Arian heresy, which appallingly denied the divinity of Christ. Nicholas was a zealous adversary of the heretical priest Arius and was one of the signers of the Nicene Creed, which proclaimed Christ as consubstantial with God the Father. Nicholas died December 6, most likely in the year 350.

We do have quite a bit of information about Nicholas’s remains. His body was probably first entombed in a church near his birthplace of Patera. During the seventh century, an impending invasion caused the transfer of his remains to Myra. In 1087, when Muslim Turks had taken over that portion of the Byzantine Empire, some Italian sailors carried off most of the relics and brought them for safekeeping to the Italian coastal town of Bari, where they remain. The smaller relics were later taken to Venice. After Nicholas’s death, pilgrims came, even from great distances, to pray at his tomb. Once his relics were taken to Italy, his popularity as a miracle worker spread throughout Europe and into Asia, and his shrine became a prominent place for pilgrims. Since the fourth century, his bones have been secreting a fragrant, watery substance known as manna. The emanation of the liquid, which many believe produces miracles, continues. Every year, his tomb is opened, and the liquid is placed in a vial and removed. During the mid-twentieth century, the Archdiocese of Bari arranged for the bones to be examined by an anatomist, commissioned by the Vatican. The findings were compatible with the stories of his life, including a broken nose that he probably suffered while in prison. The manna was also analyzed and found to come from the bones. A recent carbon dating test revealed that the bones did in fact belong to a fourth century man.

Beyond these known facts about the life of St. Nicholas of Myra, there are numerous unverifiable stories that would support his reputation as a man of great charity and a worker of wonders. Nicholas is said to have calmed a raging storm during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He allegedly intervened to save the lives of three men who were falsely accused of a crime and at the point of execution and pointed out that one of the jurors had been bribed. He also is said to have rendered a miraculous multiplication of wheat during a great famine in the region, astonishing the men who were ordered to deliver a full load of wheat to the Emperor in Constantinople. He is said to have demolished several pagan temples, brought murder victims back to life, and rescued a kidnapped child.  The most well-known story associated with Nicholas is that of an impoverished man with three daughters, who had no dowries and were in danger of being forced into a life of prostitution. Nicholas is said to have tossed a bag of gold coins through the window on two separate occasions, allowing the first two girls to marry. When a third bag was given, the father witnessed the kind act of his benefactor. Whether or not these stories became embellished while being handed down through the centuries, there was something very special about this man that touched people in a profound manner. It is clear that as a bishop, he lived among his people, was very approachable, and possessed a charitable heart.  In memory of him, Europeans have been giving gifts for centuries. Nuns were known to leave baskets filled with food and clothing at the doorsteps of needy people on his feast day.  How his image has been transformed into modern-day Santa Claus began in 1809, when the New York Historical Society promoted the revival of the customs of the Dutch colonial citizens. Writer Washington Irving then wrote a piece of satire which included a description of the saint as a man who smoked a pipe, flew above the trees and delivered gifts down people’s chimneys. This myth took hold and grew in popularity. Then, in 1822, Clement Moore wrote “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, a poem that gave us the additions of a sleigh and flying reindeer and transferred the event from the saint’s feast day to the night of Christmas Eve. Commercialism took over from there, leaving us an image with no resemblance to the holy bishop of Myra. This beloved saint is the patron of dozens of groups, including unmarried people, sailors, toymakers and the falsely accused, as well as Greece and Russia. Demonstrating his historical significance, his name has been taken by five popes and two Russian czars. His feast day is celebrated December 6.