The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-12-18

|~A< Americans The saint of children
has not come to from the
people who wantonly abused
the children of France and Belgium. When we
call ST. Nicholas Santa Claus" we are merely
saying In our own way "San Ncolaas," as the peo-
pie OF Holland say it. For the Hollanders, who
settled in New York and New Jersey 800 years
ago at the very beginning of our country, brought
San Nicolaas with them, and 1t 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 q hundred St. Nicholas
chufches 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 Il handsome cathedral at
Bari, Italy, have given him that title He never
lived in Bari. Italian sea traders who worshped
MN as their especial protector. stole his body
from its resting place in Myra in the twelfth CEN
Jury ana brought 1t 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-
tloh OF his birth. In Lycia he lived to a good old
age nlllng his days even in childhood by doing
good deeds and giving lavishly to the poor of the
fortune he inherited. 1t Christlike to give,
so, as steward Of God, his wealth belonged to
Gods children, Nicholas believed Finally he WIS
made bishop Of Myra, where he went to live after
pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Ii was not strange that after such n life of
charlty ne should become saint of the common
people, even as St George was q saint of knight.
mood 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 maidens
schoolboys, the orphan poor. Throughout most of
Europe children are taught to reverence him and
to believe If they docle and attentive to their
uutles ne VIII NIL the cap stocking with dain-
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:
"St. Nicholas bishop of Myra in Lycia. n 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 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 toll
Grant reign of Constantine, and was present at
the council of Ncaea. 1t should be observed that
hiStOr-
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 Sts Phiscus and Nicholas built at
Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian. In the
West, the of st. Nicholas appears in the
ninth century martyrologies, and churches dedi-
Gated to him to be found at the beginning of
the eleventh century.
II 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 Bari
organized expedition, seized his remains by
means Of a 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 n new basilica I'm his honor. This was the
origin of famous and still popular pilgrimage
'There 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 tub by his side. OF the various lnterpreta-
lions of this none is absolutely certain. One ex-
PLANTATION has been sought In the legend of St
Nicholas miracuously restoring to life three rich
youths, who had been murdered, cut up and CON
cealed In n sailing tub by thievish innkeeper
or butcher. In whose house they had taken lodg-
ing.