The Tomahawk., 1919-12-25

) s :Q:/ 4 G:; 4
+ -;
ANITA CLAUS, as most children
! ! . ! ! !" J
NA~< and all grown-ups know. is a nick
~@ name for st. Nicholas. And st.
Nicholas not German
~ saint-that will please all good
$/~A\ Americans The saint Of children
Y has not come to us from the
s75z& ss people who SO wantonly abused
the children of France and Belgium When we
call st. Nicholas "Santa Claus" we are merely
saying in own way "San Nicolaas," 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 country, brought
San Nicolaas 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 are more than 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 reposing 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 worshiped
especial
from Its resting place in Myra in the twelfth CEN
tury and brought it to the Italian seaport Since
that time the celebration held there in the saints
honor is unique. T.. <-..-N > E-: ..:.
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 Lycia he lived to 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 to 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 .~ r
It was not strange that after such life Of
charity he should become saint Of the common
people, even as st. George was saint Of knight.
hood 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 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
rod in pickle to bring along for them.
Here is what the Encyclopedia Britannica has
to say about st. Nicholas: s>ss..'Ey .-. - E. o~
"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 it is impossible to find any single in
cident confirmed historically. The main facts of
his life are usually given 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 tol-
Grant reign Of Constantine, and was present at
the council Of Nicaea. It should be observed that
this last circumstance is ignored by all histor-
ians and that St Athanasius. who knew all the
npriOd mo-
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 name 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.
It 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 an 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 1857, and where the foundations were laid
Of a new basilica in his honor. This was the
origin Of a famous and still popular pilgrimage
ssThere are nearly 400 churches in England dedi-
Gated to st. Nicholas. He is the patron saint of
Russia; the special protector Of children, schol-
4 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 bis side. OF the various interpreta-
lions Of this. is absolutely certain. One ex-
& plahation has been sought in the legend of st.
Nicholas nliraculousy restoring to life three rich
vuuths who had been murdered, cut up, and con-
cealed in a saltfng tub by thievish innkeeper
a butcher, In whose house they had taken lodg-
hE.