New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-12-19

people VINO 50 WautOnlN abused
the children of France and Belgium. When we
call 81. Nicholas Santa Claus" we are merely
saying In our own way san NicOlaas," as the peo-
PIE of Holland say IL. For the IIollanders. who
settled in New York and New Jersey 800 years
~" al the very beginning of our country. brought
san Nlcolhas with them, and it was not long be-
TORE Americans were saying Santa Claus"
Why, 81. Nicholas belongs TO all the world.
Hundreds of churches in England bear his name.
mere are more than Il 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-
Il i'rl' ne is oft"n"si called by Europeans, but
only the bones OF 81. Nicholas repoSing for eight
centuries in the crypt of II handsome cathedral at
Bari, Italy, have given him that title. He meyer
liNed IA Bari. Italian sen traders. who worshjped
MN as their especial protector, stole his body
from lis resting place in Myra in the twelfth CEN
Jury ana brought il 10 The Italian seaport Since
Illll time the celebration held there in the saints
honor is unique.
Inc eastern world knew and loved him first bnt
u Is IRON western Europe that we learn of many
IF the quaint customs connected with IA. c,Iohrn.
'loh of his birth. In Lycin he lived TO II good old
age nHlhg MS days even In childhood by doing
good deeds ana giving lavishly To the poor of ,be
fortune h" inherited. II was Christlike ia give
So ms Il steward of God, his wealth belonged TO
'ods children, Nicholas believed. Finally he was
made bishop of Myra, where he went TO live ofter
a pilgrimage TO the Holy Land.
II was not strange that after sucb n Ife NJ
charity he should become n saint of the common
people even as 81. George was a saint of knight.
mood lie was invoked by the laborer toilinp for
his daily bread, 10y mariners. by merchants He
WIS protector OF the weak against The strong. the
poor against the rich, the captive. the prisoner
ne NltlAta l1n ANnS nShaaiu1 a..,lt- "
sch"olboys' the orphan poor. Throughout most OF
Europe children are taught to reverence him and
10 believe u they are docile and attentive TO their
uu'les ne VIII MI The cap or stocking with dain-
ues' II lheE are naughty or 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:
'St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra. I'm Lvci, n so,n,
honored 10y the Greeks and the Latins on tho
sixth OF December. His cult is as celebroted az,
MS history Is obscure. All the accounts TINT have
come down to us are Of n purely legendary char.
acter. and il Is impossible to find any single in.
cident confirmed historically. The main facts OF
his life are usually given ms follows:
"Ie was bishop of Myra at the time NJ tho
Emperor Diocletian. was prosecuted. tortured Ca,
the faith, and kept in prison until the more fol.
Grant reign OF Constantine, and was present ot
the council of Nicnea. II should be observed tbot
this last circumstance is ignored by all histor.
iatls ana mat ~. Athanasius. who knew nil tho
notable bishops of the period. never mentions
Nicholas. bishop of Myra. The oldest knoun
of the cult of st. Nicholas seems m ha
the Church of SITS. Phiscus and Nicholas buiIt M
Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian. In the
West. the name of st. Nicholas appears in tho
ninth century martyrologies. and churches dadi.
Gated to him are to be found at the beginning az
the eleventh century.
II rs more especially. however. from the timo
Of the removal of his body to Bari, in Apulia tbo,
his cult became popular. The inhabitants of por,
organized an expedition. seized his remains bv
means of a ruSe, and transported them ,o Raj
they were received in triumph on The ninth
of May. lOS1. and where the foundations wera laid
NJ n new basilica in his honor. This j. ,ho
origin of a famous and still popular pTlprimoce
There are nearly 400 churches in England ded,.
rated to st. Nicholas. lie is the patron sain, of
Russia the special protector of children. scboI.
lrs, merchants and sailors: and is invoked bv
travellers against robbers. In art ST. NichoIos -
represented with various attributes. being post
commonly depicted with three children standin,,
N a tub by his side. of the various interpreta.
ions Of this. none is absolutely certain. One X
plantation has been sought in the legend of 81
Nicholas miraculuusly restoring TO life three rich
-ouths. who hn1 been murdered. cut up. and con-
,eaIed in n sailing tub by a thievish innkeeper
" butcher. in whose house they had taken loJg-
ne.