The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-12-20
REAL ST. NICHOLAS WAS A CATH
oLic BISHOP.

~. And what surprises us most is
that his popularity is increasing with
every year, although he has closed
his eyes in death long ago, away
back in the middle of the fourth CEN
fury. Santa Claus! Santa Claus." is
the happy exclamation on the lips of
millions of eXpectant children at this
blessed season of The year.
1t is to be regretted, however, that
such vast amount of confusion and
false ideas fill the noodle of the aver
age mortal as to the real st. Nicholas.
The caricature with the belted
blouse, fur cap and grizzly beard,
stalking up and down in our depart
ment stores or seated in a sleigh
drawn by reindeer, represents not
st. Nicholas, but rather what the Ger
mans call ''Knech Rupreche" or "Pelz-
Nickel" which is an allegorical repre-
sentation of the evil spirit or the devil,
who usually, whip in hand, dealt out
punishment to naughty youngsters.
We must remember that in the good
old Catholic days it was customary
on the eve of the 9th day of Deem
Der for some one to impersonate ST.
Nicholas, dressed as Bishop with
mitre, cope and crozier.
Thus arrayed, st. Nicholas was wont
to pass from house to house, distrib-
uting gifts and rewards to good and
well-behaved children.
At the same time he was accom-
panied by sort of an imp with a
black face and a sinister look, carry
ing rod or cow-hide in his up
lifted hand, ready to strike at and adj
minister a punishment to unruly and
wicked youngsters. Evidently these
got the devil an expression that
obtains in Anglo-SaXon to this day.
The lackey with the whip following
the Saint, was sometimes disguised
in shaggy pelt or hide to brighten
the little ones. Hence the Germans
called him "Pelznickel," which is an
other name for the evil spirit and de-
notes the same as the expression "old
Nick" in English.
The Protestant world, as in many
other regards, possesses only the carl
cature of the true old Catholic custom.
To have a real St. Nicholas repre-
sented as Catholic Bishop would be,
of course, unpalatable to the average
bigot, so he chose as his Saint, the
imp. Everybody to his own taste.
Santa Claus is the Dutch or Hol
land form of st. Nicholas. Being the
patron of sailors, this Saint became
very popular among the Netherlands
before the English stole it.
In New York, still called New AM
sterdam and under the domination of
the Dutch, Santa Claus was celebrated
universally. The descendants of the
early New Workers kept up the Gus
tom and gradually Santa Claus became
known throughout the vast domain
of the United States.
Another strange confusion of ideas
in the ignorant mind of the average
wording is that indicated by the term
st. Nicholas.
Christmas is the feast of the Birth
of Our Lord, and occurs on the 25th
day of December. 1t puts us in mind
of the sweet Christ Child born of the
Virgin Mary in the stable at Bethle-
hem. 1t has nothing to do with the
feast of St. Nicholas, which is cele-
brated almost three weeks before.
Yet we are told that Kris Kring,e
means ST. Nicholas. Far from the
truth.
Kris Kringle, as any one who has
even only an elementary knowledge
of German will be able to tell you, is
a corruption of Christ kindel," which
signifies Christ Child. "
There is a world of difference be-
tween the two. ST. Nicholas was born
at Patara, in Lycia, in the latter part
of the third century, and died as Bish-
OPP of Myra about the year $50. He
was a follower of Christ and an in
trepid champion of His Divinity. When
Arius arose to deny that Christ was
God, ST. Nicholas became so incensed
at the impudence and blasphemy of
the base hereto that he is said to
have given him stinging box on his
ear.
Among the 31S Bishops who assem-
bled in the first Ecumenical Council
of Nice ca. D. $3.50, the Bishop of
Myra was one of the foremost advo-
Gates of the infallible doctrine of the
Church according to which her mem
bers must believe that Christ lis true
God, of the same substance as the
Father"
The Christ Child was born several
centuries before, In the very begin.
ming of the Christian era. He was the
promised Messiah, foretold by the
prophets of old, the Saviour of the
world, the Redeemer of mankind
Since time immemorial it has been
the custom among Christians to eX-.
change gifts on the feast of Christ
mas.
On account of the proximity of this
feast to st. Nicholas Day, when the
children were especially remembered
by their elders with all kinds of dain-
ties and sweetmeats, the two festivi-
ties gradually, by reason of the sim
ilarity of the customs that obtained
on them, were COMPOUNDED in the mind
of the common people.
Thus it came to pass that Santa
Claus was taken for Kris Kringle and