Life of Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra in Lycia. He is known for many miracles and for
his love and compassion for the poor and for children. He was also present at the First
Ecumenical Council in Niceea and was a staunch opponent of Arianism.
Saint Nicholas is the common name for Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in 4th century
Byzantine Lycia (modern day Antalya, Turkey), who had a reputation for secret gift-giving. This
is as much as is generally known about him in the West.
This historical character was the inspiration for a mythical figure known as Nikolaus in
Germany and Sinterklaas in the Netherlands and Flanders, which in turn was the inspiration for
Santa Claus. Sinterklaas (a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas) is a major celebration in the
Netherlands and in Flanders. Among Orthodox Christians, the historical Saint Nicholas is
remembered and revered.
Saint Nicholas is revered by many as the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers,
children, students, in both Greece and Russia.
Nicholas The Clergyman
Nicholas of Myra (also Nikolaus) in Lycia, Asia Minor (lived c. 270 - 345/352), was a
4th century bishop and is a Christian saint. His feast day is December 6, presumably the date of
his death. In the Netherlands 5 December is known as his feast: this is Sinterklaasavond, or St
Nicholas' Eve. Among Christians, he is also known as the "Miracle Worker". Several acts of
kindness and miracles are attributed to him. Historial accounts often confuse him with the later
Nicholas of Sion.
Nicholas was born in Asia Minor during the 3rd century at Patara in the province of
Lycia, at a time when the region was Hellenistic in its culture and outlook. Nicholas became
bishop of the city of Myra. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely
to Christianity. He is said to have been born to relatively affluent Christian parents in Patara,
Lycia, Asia Minor, Roman Empire where he also received his early schooling. According to
some sources, his parents died while he was still a child, leaving a paternal uncle to care for him.
Other sources place the death of his parents at the time he was already a young adult, leading
him to a period of soul-searching which finally resulted in his uncle introducing him to
Christianity. Whatever the reason, as a young adult and scholar, Nicholas moved to Myra to

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continue his studies and there the above-mentioned uncle introduced him to the local bishop. The
latter is said to have seen potential in the youth and took Nicholas under his patronage. Nicholas
received his ordination as a priest at an early age.
Nicholas' early activities as a priest are said to have occurred during the reign of co-ruling
Roman Emperors Diocletian (reigned 284 - 305) and Maximian (reigned 286 - 305) from which
comes the estimation of his age. Diocletian issued an edict in 303 authorizing the systematic
persecution of Christians across the Empire. Following the abdication of the two Emperors on
May 1, 305 the policies of their successors towards Christians were different. In the Western part
of the Empire Constantius Chlorus (reigned 305 - 306) put an end to the systematic persecution
upon his accession to the throne. In the Eastern part Galerius (reigned 305 - 311) continued the
persecution until 311 when he issued a general edict of toleration from his deathbed. The
persecution of 303 - 311 is considered to be the longest in the history of the Empire. Nicholas
survived this period although his activities at the time are uncertain.
Following Galerius' death his surviving co-ruler Licinius (reigned 307 - 324) mostly
tolerated Christians. As a result their community was allowed to further develop, and the various
bishops who acted as their leaders managed to concentrate religious, social and political
influence as well as wealth in their hands. In many cases they acted as the heads of their
respective cities. It is apparently in this period that Nicholas rose to become bishop of Myra.
Judging from tradition, he was probably well loved and respected in his area, mostly as a result
of his charitable activities. As with other bishops of the time, Nicholas' popularity would serve to
ensure his position and influence during and after this period.
The destruction of several pagan temples is also attributed to him, among them one
temple of Artemis (also known as Diana). Because the celebration of Diana's birth is on
December 6, some authors have speculated that this date was deliberately chosen for Nicholas'
feast day to overshadow or replace the pagan celebrations.
Nicholas is also known for coming to the defense of the falsely accused, often preventing
them from being executed, and for his prayers on behalf of sailors and other travelers. The
popular veneration of Nicholas as a saint seems to have started relatively early. Justinian I,
Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (reigned 527 - 565) is reported to have built a temple (i.e.
a church building) in Nicholas's honour in Constantinople, the Roman capital of the time.
Bishop Nicholas At The First Ecumenical Council

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 In 324 Licinius was defeated in a war against his Western co-ruler Constantine I of the
Roman Empire (reigned 306 - 337). The end of the war found the Roman Empire unified under
the rule of Constantine. Instead of tolerance, his policies towards Christians consisted of active
support. Under his patronage the Christian church experienced an age of prosperity. But the
relative peace of his reign brought to the forefront the internal conflict within contemporary
Christianity. One of the apparent main reasons of this conflict was the failure to agree to a
commonly accepted concept about God in general and Jesus in particular. At this time the
teachings of Arius in Alexandria, Egypt were gaining popular support but also attracting great
opposition. They would form the basis of Arianism. Emerging fanaticism in both opposing
factions only resulted in spreading tumult across the Empire.
Deciding to address the problem as a matter of the state, Constantine called the First
Council of Nicaea which also was the first Ecumenical council in 325. The number of attendees
at the Council is uncertain with Eusebius of Caesarea reporting as few as 250 and Athanasius of
Alexandria as many as 318. In any case Nicholas is usually counted among them and was noted
as an opponent of Arianism.
A later writer claimed that after Arius had presented his case against Jesus' divinity to the
Council, Nicholas hit Arius in the face out of indignation. Nicholas was kicked out of the
Council for this offence, and jailed as well. However, according to this account, that night the
Virgin Mary appeared in a vision to many of the bishops of the Council, telling them to forgive
Nicholas, for he had done it out of love for her Son. They released Nicholas and allowed him
back into the process the next day.
The council lasted from May 20 to June 19, 325 and resulted in the declaration of the
Nicene Creed and the formal condemnation of Arianism. The books of Arius and his followers
were condemned to be burned but the execution of this decision was left at the hands of each
bishop for their respective territories. To what point this decision was followed remains
uncertain.
Following this apparent victory to his faction Nicholas returned to Myra. He is applauded
by later Christian writers for keeping Myra free of Arianism. But the decisions of the council
failed to stop the spread of Arianism. In fact the tides soon turned and in his later years Arianism
managed to win favour with Constantine. In fact Constantine was baptised by Eusebius of
Nicomedia, an Arian bishop who had also attended the council, shortly before his death on May

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22, 337. Constantine was succeeded by his three surviving sons: Constantine II of the Roman
Empire (reigned 337 - 340), Constantius II (reigned 337 - 361) and Constans (reigned 337 - 350).
Constantius originally received the Eastern part of the Empire but the death of his brothers left
the entire Empire under his control. During his reign he strongly favoured Arianism by seeking
to place Arian bishops in most positions. There is no indication that Nicholas was affected by
these policies and he remained in his position till his death. This lack of disturbance by the Arian
Emperor has been seen as indicating the strong support Nicholas had gained among the people of
his territory. According to this reasoning not even Constantius would risk a possible revolt by
removing a popular bishop.
Deeds And Miracles Attributed To Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and is often called upon by sailors who are in
danger of drowning or being shipwrecked. According to one legend, as a young man Nicholas
went to study in Alexandria and on one of his (sea) voyages from Myra to Alexandria he is said
to have saved the life of a sailor who fell from the ship's rigging in a storm. In a colourful version
of this legend, Nicholas saved the man on his voyage back from Alexandria to Myra and upon
his arrival took the sailor to the church. At that time the old bishop had just died and the church
fathers were instructed in a dream to choose for their next bishop a "man of victory" (Greek:
Nikei). While the saint was praying, the loose-lipped sailor went around telling how
courageously he was saved by the man Nikei-laos, upon which the church elders had no choice
but to appoint Nicholas as their new bishop.
Another legend tells how a terrible famine struck the island and a malicious butcher lured
three little children into his house, only to kill and slaughter them and put their remains in a
barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Saint Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the
hungry, not only saw through the butcher's horrific crime but also managed to resurrect the three
boys from the barrel.
In his most famous exploit however, a poor man had three daughters but could not affort
a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence
of any other possible employment would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man's
plight, Nicholas decided to help him but being too modest (or too shy) to help the man in public,
he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses filled with gold coins
through the window opening onto the man's floor. One version has him throwing one purse for

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three consecutive nights. Another has him throw the purses over a period of three years, each
time the night before one of the daughters comes "of age". Invariably the third time the father
lies in waiting, trying to discover their benefactor. In one version the father confronts the saint,
only to have Saint Nicholas say it is not him he should thank God alone. In another version,
Nicholas learns of the poor man's plan and drops the third bag down the chimney instead. For his
help to the poor, Nicholas is the patron saint of pawnbrokers; the three gold balls traditionally
hung outside a pawnshop symbolize the three sacks of gold. People then began to suspect that he
was behind a large number of other anonymous gifts to the poor, using the inheritance from his
wealthy parents. After he died, people in the region continued to give to the poor anonymously,
and such gifts were still often attributed to St Nicholas.
It should be noted perhaps that a nearly identical story is attributed by Greek folklore to
Basil of Caesarea. Basil's feast day on January 1 is also considered a time of exchanging gifts.
It is said that in Myra the bones of Saint Nicholas each year sweated out a clear watery
liquid, called Manna, which of course was said to possess immense powers. As the bones were
stolen and brought to Bari, they continued to do so, much to the joy of the new owners. So even
up to today, a flask of manna is extracted from the tomb of Saint Nicholas every year on
December 6th (the Saint's birthday). It is however worth noting that the tomb lies at sea level in a
harbor town so the occurrence of watery liquid can be explained by several theories. Still, neither
the church nor any scientists have ever tried to analyse the fluid, so truth still lies in the eye of
the believer.
One of the most amazing feats of Saint Nicholas however was that he lived to a ripe old
age and died peacefully in his own bed. At a time where most saints earned their place in heaven
by dying for their faith in manners most unusual and cruel, this definitely made him stand out
(together with Saint Martin, who also died of natural old age) and definitely aided to his
'popularity' in every way of the word.
Due to the modern association with Christmas, Saint Nicholas is a patron saint of
Christmas, as well as pawnbrokers (see above).He was also a patron of the Varangian Guard of
the Eastern Roman Emperors, who protected his relics in Bari.