Nicholas: The Sain! Who Became
Santa to Millions in Later Years
By ,VOHN O. B. WALLACE
Some 270 years after the birtl
of Christ, in a thriving Mediter
ranean seaport, was born a child
whose name and deeds have lived
—like the life and teachings ol
Jesus—in the minds and hearts
of Christians.
He was a precocious and pious
child. But unlike Christ, this boy
was born to parents of great
wealth.
~ The parents died while the boy
was still young, and his frequent
and selfless gifts of his inherited
wealth made him a popular saint
in Christendom.
Named Nicholas and later ap
pointed bishop of Myra, he re
mains nearly 17 centuries after
his birth a happy symbol associ
ated with Christmas, the birth
day of Christ.
To children, young and old, he
is generally and kindly.-knofcm in
this country a*? Santa Cfaus.
Legends Abound
Nicholas was bom in the city
of Patara, located in what is now
known as the southern coast cf
Turkey on the Mediterranean sea.
'”he history of Nicholas is Oh
s' ire. He aoarently was about 72
years oM at the fme of his death,
but the year of his death is not
known exactly. There seems to be
no question, however, that he died
cm a Dec. 6, now celebrated as
the feast of SL Nicholas.
Legnds about Nicholas abound
The earliest concerns the day oi
his birth.
One apocryphal tale relates tha
a nurse was bathing the infan
Nicholas. The child suddenly
stood upright in the basin, raisec
his arms to heaven, and said:
“I thank Thee, God, that I an
permitted to live upon this, Th;
earth.”’
The fame of St. Nicholas come
from his legendary gifts.
• MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND A HAPPY
NEW YEAR •
Dot &
:r;3
VILLAGE BAG
AND BEST WISHES
'fi&'i fAe
hew Ijrah^
From the gang
at the
CASINO
His presents of gold to an im
poverished Patara nobleman and
his three daughters are said to
have originated the custom of
giving presents in secret on the
eve of St. Nicholas.
The custom subsequently was
transferred to Christmas Day,
hence the association of Christ
mas with Santa Claus, which is an
American corruption of the Dutch
form “San Nicolaas.” The custom
was brought to America by the
early Dutch colonists.
A Young Bishop
In Patara, the desperate noble
man, a neighbor of Nicholas, had
made plans to sell his daughters
into slavery. Nicholas heard of
their plight and threw a ball of
gold into the house at night
through an open window.
Nicholas was still a young man
when he was chosen bishop of
Myra, a city visited twice by St.
Paul in his travels.
Nicholas’ selection as bishop
came under unusual circum
stances. It was hi& eustdm to wor
ship at church each morning at an
early hour. One morning he was
surprised to find all the clergy
gathered. As Nicholas entered, the
holy men rushed forward and
greeted tinft*5 ' *' ' • ’ ; ’ ’
“Hail to our new bishop.”
The spokesman of the clergy
explained that there had been
sharp division between them on
the selection of a new bishop and
thy had decided to pray through
out the night. During the night,
the spokesman added, a voice was
heard, saying:
“Choose as your new bishop the
first man who shall enter this
church tomorrow morning.”
Buried in Italy
St. Nicholas was imprisoned
and tortured during the persecu
tion of Christians by the Roman
emporer, Diocletian. Little is
known of his activities from this
time until his death.
In the year, 1087, after Myra
had fallen into Moslem hands, the
body of St. Nicholas was spirited
away to Bari, Italy, where it now
rests under a basilica constructed
over his crypt.
SANTA IN HAWAII
(Continued from page 6)
on loudspeaker trucks.
Salvation Army women ring
bells at street corners and fill
their kettles with donations.
Sweating postal clerks labor
over mountains of Christmas cards
and packages which pour off the
arriving ships and planes.
A tourist who misses the snow
back home finds that everything mighty Mauna “Lda, build s aw
is possible in Hawaii—thanks to man on Waikiki beach and pose
enterprising businessmen. They a pretty girl. alongside in a fcsth
fly in snow from the crest of ing suit.
We have seen you come back again
and again and we want you to know
we appreciate it. We hope during
The coming year we will come to
know you better and serve you more.
Merry Christmas to all of you! -
Bill & Fleta Muegge
Mariane & Mike FitzgM'dd
KODIAK HOTEL
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ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY
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