Biography
He was born in Patara, in southern Turkey, in the 3rd century, into a devout Christian family. From a young age, he was deeply religious. Following the example of the young rich man from the Holy Scriptures, he decided to give away his inheritance to the poor. He was chosen as the Bishop of Myra. During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian, he was imprisoned but later released. He attended the Council of Nicaea in 325. Saint Nicholas passed away on December 6, 343.
Famous Stories About Saint Nicholas
One of the most well-known stories about Saint Nicholas involves a father who had three daughters ready for marriage but lacked the money for their dowries. Without dowries, the daughters were at risk of falling into prostitution. Saint Nicholas, upon learning about their plight, came to their house late at night and threw a bag of coins through the window, then quickly fled before being recognized. With this money, the father was able to marry off one daughter. This event occurred two more times, but on the third occasion, the father caught Saint Nicholas and recognized him.
Another story tells of three theologians who stopped at an inn where the innkeeper killed them and placed their bodies in barrels. Saint Nicholas arrived at the same inn shortly afterward and, in a dream, saw the crime that had occurred. He prayed to God, and the three young men were brought back to life, while the innkeeper repented.
Patron Saint of Sailors
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors. According to one story, during his journey to the Holy Land, a storm arose, threatening to sink the ship. Saint Nicholas prayed calmly, and the storm subsided.
Santa Claus
In many European traditions, inspired by Saint Nicholas’s act of providing dowries for the three daughters, children would leave their stockings by the window on the eve of his feast day. In the morning, their parents would place small gifts in the stockings, continuing the tradition of gift-giving in his honor.
