St. Nicholas is a saint also known as Nicholas of Myra due to his association with the 4th century town of Myra. During this time, it is said that the saint who was then a bishop showered poor people with gifts and other acts of generosity. For this reason he is associated with Santa Claus and his gift-giving tradition during Christmas. Among Christians and more specifically Catholics, there are many miracles, which are attributed to his intercessory prayers. Today, he is considered the patron saint for ships, sailors and fishermen.
It is indicated that St. Nicholas was born in a small town named Patara in ancient Greek in the third century. The saint was born to wealthy parents who just years after Nicholas' birth, were killed by in epidemic that spread through the town. Later in life, Nicholas used the inheritance he got from his dead parents to help the poor, sick, needy and the suffering. Many believe that he did this after reading Jesus' instructions to the wealthy man who inquired about entering the Kingdom of God. “Sell your earthly possession and give the money to the poor” was Jesus' reply to the man.
Early in his life, St. Nicholas was fully dedicated to serving God and the people in Myra. For this reason, he was consecrated Bishop of Myra in his youth. In addition to his generous deeds, Nicholas' love for small children and his unending concern for ships and the sailing crew were evident.
Between AD 285 and AD 305 when Rome was under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, St. Nicholas was sent into exile and imprisoned for his faith. On his release in AD 325, the saint attended the first ecumenical council held in Nicaea and dubbed the “council of Nicaea”. The meeting was held for purposes of preserving unity among Christians due to the rising competing opinions of Jesus Christ and his nature. St. Nicholas died in AD 343 on December 6 while in Myra. St. Nicholas day is celebrated among Catholic every sixth day of December to commemorate his life and death.
Many Catholics and other Christians from diverse denominations place the St. Nicholas Figurines in their homes to act as a reminder of the saint's generosity to the poor and the sick, his compassion to the needy and his many acts of godliness. The most common figurine of the Saint usually makes appearance in homes around the Christmas period. Such figurines usually have a white robe with a red overcoat.
An ordinary St. Nicholas figurine usually appears with complete bishop regalia, which include a mitre (headdress), a pectoral cross and the crosier (long staff carved at the end). The colors on the different figurines may change but the basic design usually looks the same. The figurines also differ in size and can be placed in different places in the house. People who want to have the figurines to have a dominant position in their houses purchase larger figurines, while those who want to use the in less-obvious positions purchase moderate sized figurines.
George Rowell
