Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-12-19


eA yA Nicholas was not a German
MMAA IA sant-that will please all good
y I&EBLA u Americans. The saint of children
has not come to us from the
people who so wantonly abused
the children of France and Belgium When we
call st. Nicholas Santa Claus" we are merely
saving in own way "San Nicolaas," as the peo-
Pile of Holland say it. For the Hollanders, who
settled in New York and New Jersey 300 years
ago at the very beginning of our country, brought
San Nicoaas with them, and it was not long be-
fore Americans were saying Santa Claus"
Why st. Nicholas belongs to all the world
Hundreds of churches in England bear his name.
There are more than a hundred St Nicholas
churches in Belgium. Thousands of such churches
are scattered all over Europe
The queer thing about it is that St Nicholas
was really born in Asia Minor, in Panthera in the
province of Lycia in the sixth century. ST. Nicho-
las OF Bari he is oftenest called by Europeans but
only the bones OF st. Nicholas reposing for eight
centuries in the crypt of handsome cathedral at
Bari Italy, have given him that title He never
hVed IN Bari. Italian sea traders, who worshiped
him as their especial protector stole his body
from its resting place in Myra in the twelfth cen
fury and brought it to the Italian seaport Since
that time the celebration held there in the saints
honor is unique
Inc eastern world knew and loved him first but
it is from western Europe that we learn of MANY
OF the quaint customs connected with the celebra-
ton OF his birth. In Lyeia he lived to a good old
age, filling his days even in childhood by doing
good deeds and giving lavishly to the poor of the
fortune he inherited. 1t was Christlke to give
So as steward of God his wealth belonged to
Gods children, Nicholas believed. Finally be was
made bishop of Myra where he went to live after
a pilgrimage to the Holy Land
1t was not strange that after such life of
charity he should become saint of the common
people, even as st. George was saint of knight
hood. He was invoked by the laborer toiling for
his daily bread, by mariners, by merchants He
was protector of the weak against the strong the
poor against the rich, the captive, the prisoner
the slave. He was especial guardian of mafdens
schooboys, the orphan poor. Throughout most Of
Europe children are taught to reverence him. and
to believe If they docile and attentive to their
duties he will fill the cap stocking with DAM
ties; if they are naughty idle, he certainly has
a rod in pickle to bring along for them.
Here is what the Encyclopedia Britannica has
to say about St. Nicholas:
t'St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra in Lycia saint
honored by the Greeks and the Latns on the
sixth of December. His cult is as celebrated as
his history is obscure All the accounts that have
come down to us are of purely legendary char
acter and it is impossible to find any single in
cident confirmed historically. The main facts of
his life usually given as follows:
HE was bishop of Myra at the time of the
Emperor Diocletian, was prosecuted tortured for
the faith, and kept in prison until the more fol-
Grant reign of Constantine and was present at
the council of Nicaea 1t should be observed that
this last circumstance is ignored by all histor-
ians and that ST. Athanasius, who knew all tbe
notable bishops of the period, never mentions
Nicholas, bishop of AIyra. The Oldest known
monument of the cult of ST. Nicholas seems to he
the Church of SITS. Phiscus and Nicholas built at
Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian In the
West the name of ST. Nicholas appears in the
ninth century martyrofogies, and churches dedi-
Gated to him are to be found at the beginning of
the eleventh century.
1t is more especially, however, from the time
of the removal of his body to Bari in Apulia thar
his cult became popular The inhabitants of Bari
organized an expedition, seized his remains nv
means Of ruse, and transported them to Bari
where they were received in triumph on the ninth
of May 1887, and whe1e the foundations were laid
of q basilica in his honor. This was tbe
origin of famous and still popular pilgrimage
'@There are nearly 400 churches in England dedi
Gated to ST. Nicholas. He is the patron saint Of
Russia the special protector of children sebol.
ars, merchants and sailors; and is invoked bv
travellers against robbers. In art st. Nicholas is
represented with various attributes, being most
commonly depicted with three children standing
In tub by his side. OF the various interpreta-
tons of this, none is absolutely certain One ex-
PLANTATION has been sought in the legend of ST
Nicholas miraculously restoring to life three rich
Youths who had been murdered, cut up, and con-
cealed in sailing tub by thievsh innkeeper
ing