Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-23

people who so wantonly abused
the children of France and Belgium. When
call ST. Nicholas "Santa Claus" we are merely
saying,i our own way "San Nicoaas" as the peo-
pie of Holland say it For the HoIlanders. who
settled in New York and New Jersey 300 years
ago at the very beginning of our country brought
San Nlcolaas 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.
Ihere 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 reposng for eight
centuries in the crypt of handsome cathedral at
Bari, Italy, have given him that title He never
nVea 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
The eastern world knew and loved him first, but .
IL Is from western Europe that we learn of MANY
of the quaint customs connected with the celebra-
ton OF his BIRTH In Lycia 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 Christlike ia give
so, as 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
people, even as St George was saint of knight
hood He was invoked by the aborer toiling for
MS 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
schoolboys, 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 or stocking with dain-
ties; if 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 4tbe
sixth of December. His cult is as celebrated as
MS 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 are usually given as follows:
He was bishop of aIyra at the time of tbe
Emperor Diocietian, was prosecuted, tortured for
the faith and kept in prison until the more toll
Grant reign of Constantine and was present ~
the council of Nicaea 1t should be observed thar
this last circumstance is ignored by all histor-
ians and that st. Athanasius, who knew all tho
notable bishops of the period. never mentions
Nicholas. bishop of Myra. The Oldest known
monument of the cult of st. Nicholas seems m no
the Church of SITS. Phiscus and Nicholas built ar
Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian In tba
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 Apulia that
his cult BECAME popular. The inhabitants of Rari
organized an expedition. seized his remains nv
means of a ruse, and transported them 70 Rari
where they were received in triumph on the ninth
of May 1887. and where the foundations were laid
of new basiliea in his honor. This was tba
origin of famous and still popular pilgrimage
There nearly 400 churches in England 5edi
Gated to St Nicholas. He is the patron saint of
Russia; the special protector of children schol
airs, merchants and sailors: and is invoked NV
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 internreta
lions 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
or butcher, in whose house they had taken lodg-
ing