St. Nicholas's Day

St. Nicholas's Day

December 6

Very little is known about St. Nicholas's life, except that in the fourth century he was the bishop of Myra in what is now Turkey. One of the legends surrounding him is that he saved three sisters from being forced into prostitution by their poverty-stricken father by throwing three bags of gold into their room, thus providing each of them with a dowry. This may be the source of St. Nicholas's association with gift giving.
On December 6 in the Netherlands, St. Nicholas, or Sinterklass, still rides into town on a white horse, dressed in his red bishop's robes and preceded by "Black Peter," a Satanic figure in Moorish costume who beats the bad children with a switch while rewarding the good children with candy and gifts. He is the patron saint of sailors, and churches dedicated to him are often built so they can be seen off the coast as landmarks.
The American Santa Claus, a corruption of "St. Nicholas," is a cross between the original St. Nicholas and the British "Father Christmas." The political cartoonist Thomas Nast created a Santa Claus dressed in furs and looking more like King Cole—an image that grew fatter and merrier over the years, until he became the uniquely American figure that adorns thousands of cards, decorations, and homes throughout the Christmas season. Although Americans open their gifts on Christmas or Christmas Eve, in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and some other European countries, gifts are still exchanged on December 5, St. Nicholas's Eve, or December 6, St. Nicholas's Day.

CONTACTS:
Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
355 Lexington Ave., 19th Fl.
New York, NY 10017
888-464-6552 or 212-370-7360; fax: 212-370-9507
us.holland.com

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 814
BkDays-1864, vol. II, p. 661
BkFest-1937, pp. 34, 48, 129, 190, 245
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 306
EncyChristmas-2003, pp. 674, 680
FestSaintDays-1915, p. 219
FestWestEur-1958, pp. 19, 49, 81, 118, 144
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 485
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 686
OxYear-1999, p. 486
SaintFestCh-1904, p. 11

Celebration day: Dec 6

Celebrated in: Greece, Italy

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St. Nicholas's Day (Greece)

December 6

As the patron saint of ships and seamen, St. Nicholas is very important to the Greeks, so many of whom have traditionally made their living at sea. Many Greek ships, from the smallest fishing boat to the largest commercial vessel, carry an icon of the saint on board. Seamen honor St. Nicholas on his feast day, which falls at a time of year when storms grow more frequent, by burning a light before this icon and saying prayers for the safety of their boat or ship.

SOURCES:
BkFest-1937, p. 154
BkFestHolWorld-1970, p. 130

Celebration day: Dec 6

Celebrated in: Greece

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St. Nicholas's Day (Italy)

May 7-8

The Festa di San Nicola is celebrated in Italy on May 7 and 8, the anniversary of the transfer of the saint's relics by a group of 11th-century sailors from Bari, who risked their lives to rescue St. Nicholas's body from Muslims who threatened to desecrate his tomb at Myra in Asia Minor. This is the same St. Nicholas who is associated with Christmas and the giving of gifts to children. Therefore he is the patron saint of children.
Thousands of pilgrims come to the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari, Puglia, to worship at the saint's tomb and to ask for his help. Nicholas is also the patron saint of sailors. There is a procession on this day in which a group of Barese sailors take the saint's image down to the water, where it is placed on a flower-decked boat and taken out to sea. Hundreds of small craft carrying pilgrims and fishermen accompany the vessel, and at night the statue is returned to its place of honor on the altar of San Nicola's crypt.

CONTACTS:
Assessorato al Turismo Regione Puglia
Via Bozzi 45C
Bari, Puglia 70122 Italy
39-80-5401-111
www.pugliaturismo.com/Inglese

SOURCES:
BkDays-1864, vol. II, p. 663
BkFest-1937, p. 190
EncyChristmas-2003, p. 684
FeastSaintDays-1915, p. 224
FestWestEur-1958, p. 96

Celebration days: May 7; May 8

Celebrated in: Italy