Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-12-19

people who SO want0nly abused
the children Of France and Belgium. When we
call st. Nicholas Santa Claus" we are merely
saying In our own way "San Nicolaas." us the peo-
pie Of Holland say 1t. For the Hollanders who
settled In New York and New Jersey 300 years
ago at the very beginning of our country brought
San Nicolas 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 nre more than a hundred st. Nicholas
churches In Belgium. Thousands Of such churches
are scattered all over Europe.
The queer thing about 1t 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 oftenes called by Europeans but
olly the bones of st. Nicholas rep0slng for eight
centuries In the crypt of handsome cathedral at
Bari, Italy, have given him that title. He never
lived In Bari. Italian sea traders, who worshlped
him as their especial protector, stole his body
from Its resting place in Myra In the twelfth Gen.
fury and brought It to the Italian seaport Since
that time the celebration held there In the saints
honor Is unique.
The eastern world knew and loved him first but
1t Is from western Europe that we learn Of many
OF the quaint customs connected with the celebra.
ton Of his birth. In Lycla he lived to good old
age, filling his days even in childhood by doing
good de- lis and giving lavishly to the poor of the
fortune he inherited. It was Christke to give,
so, as a steward Of God, his wealth belonged to
Gods children. Nicholas believed. Finally he was
made bishop of Myra, where he went to live after
pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
1t was not strange that after such life of
charity he should become a saint of the common
ava tck
hood. He was invoked by the laborer tolling 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 maIdens,
schooboys the orphan poor. Throughout most of
Europe children are taught to reverence him. and
to believe II they are doce and attentive to their
duties he will I'LL the cap or stocking with dain-
ties; IL they 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, In Lycia, saint
honored by the Greeks and the Latins 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 1t Is impossible to find any single in
cident confirmed historically. The main facts Of
his life are usually given as follows:
HE was bishop of Myra at the time of the
Emperor Dlocletan, was prosecuted, tortured for
the faith. and kept In prison until the more toll
Grant reign of Constantine, and was present at
the council of Nlcaea. 1t should be observed that
this last circumstance is ignored ~ all hstor-
ians and that st. Athanasius. who knew all the
notable bishops Of the PERIOD never mentions
Nicholas, bishop Of Myra. The oldest known
monument of the cult Of St. Nicholas seems to be
the Church of SITS. Phiscus and Nicholas built at
Constantinople by the Emperor Justinan. In the
West the name Of St. Nicholas appears In the
ninth century martyrologies 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 Apua, that
his cult became popular. The inhabitants Of Bari
organized an expedition, seized his remains by
means of ruse, and transported them to Bari,
where they were received In triumph on the ninth
Of May, 1887, and where the foundations were laid
of a new basilica in his honor. This was the
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 schol-
ars, merchants and sailors and is invoked By
travellers against robbers In art St. Nicholas is
represented with various attributes being most
commonly depicted with three children standing
in a tub by bis side. OF the various interpreta-
lions Of this, none Is absolutely certain. One ex.
PLANTATION has been sought In the legend Of st.
Nicholas miraculousy restoring to life three rich
youths, who had been murdered cut up, and con-
cealed in a sailing tub by a thevlsh innkeeper
or butcher. In whose house they had taken lodg-
ing.