The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-22
THE CHRISTMAS sArsT.
Nicholas Really Lived and Was as
Good as Could Be.


A most cheerful. loving and lovable saint
was Nicholas. Pious tradition has it that
even when he was a baby, before he could
speak or know what was spoken TO him,
he always tasted of his own accord on
Wednesdays and Fridays. A man who
started in this way could scarcely fail to
become a bishop and Nicholas became
Archbishop of Mysa in Asia Minor. He died
In the year $40. and his bones remained at
Myra until 1907, when they were removed to
Bari, in Italy, where they still remain.
ST. Nicholas was the patron saint of chill
dren. Of virgins and of sailors. and countless
stories have come down TO US Of his tender
and constant protection of those under his
care. One of these legends deals with a GER
tain man who had three daughters, and
whose fortunes were so reduced that he
could give them no marriage portions and
scarcely the necessities of life. When he
was at last at the point of desperation ST.
Nicholas heard of his need. and. coming to
the house at night. threw a purse of gold. in
at the window With this the father por-
toned his eldest daughter. St. Nicholas the
next night threw in second purse. The
father portioned his second daughter and
then watched. and discovered the saint as
he was about to throw in third purse on
the next night.
terestingiy describes the celebration of ST
Nicholas's day at Bari, where. his bones
lie under the crypt of the church which
bears his name. On that day the town is
thronged with pilgrims from. all the coun-
try round. When they reach the church
they show their devotion by walking all
their knees and some of them even do II
with their foreheads to the floor, each being
guided by child. who leads the pilgrim
with a handkerchief Of which he holds a
corner in ais mouth. Each pilgrim is enti-
tied TO meal without cost, and on the es-
pecial occasion described over nine thousand
fed Water comes up through the
floor of the crvpt over the grave of st.
Nicholas and this is supposed to have great
curative powers. II is gathered in sponges,
squeezed into bottles and sold to the pill
grims. Ii is called the mama of ST. Mich
olas.
The observance of ST Nicholas day which
connects il with the Christmas customs of
the present era is the ancient one of filling
shoes with little gifts which were supposed
TO have been left there by the saint Tt was
for the bcarders to leave each a silk stock
ing ar the door of the abbess on the eve OF
St Nicholas and these they would find
in the morning filled with sweetmeats or
other trfieS to show that thew were held
In remembrance Both these habits are sIio-
posed to be derived from the story Of the
three purses given to the three virgins
though the ouestion NAV be. suygested
whether the story was not rather derived
from the customs. Children were told that
ST. Nicholas threw the presents for then,
in at the window. and the main point Is
clear enough-tfat he is the same person
who. as Santa Claus. rides on Christmas
eve all over every part of the world where
good children live. with his sIedse and
his RENDERS. and comes down the chin
news TO fill the stockings hung up 10 await
childish hearts. spending all the rest of the
year at his home. somewhere far up In the
arctic circle. making toys and boiling sugar
into candy to distribute the next Christmas