FROM SAW NICHOLAS TO SANTA CLAUS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 14

FROM SAW NICHOLAS TO SANTA CLAUS

« (By Charles Johnston, in "The Outlook.") Believers in Santa Onus may be interested to learn about the origin of the stories in the ensiling article. The chief events hero narrated are taken from two Greek manuscripts, dating back to the tenth century, belonging to the Zion Monastery nt Myra. The stories that relate to the Emperor Constantino a-ro found in » tenth-century manuscript, an uncial fragment of which is perhaps a cen- ' tury oliler. The oldest 'historic monument of the children's saint iti, H appears, the church which Justinian built at Constantinople, and dedicated to St. Priscus and St. Nicholas. Justinian was bom 483 A.D., and died in 5G5 A.d.j fo this church dates about two centuries after thn saint's death. Mr. Johnston, who writes thus about the Saint of Christma; is a native of Ireland, a graduate of Dublin 'University. lijnrmerly in the CM* Service in India, lie is now a citizen or tiio unites States. Ho is an accomplished linguist.

Children «verywhere love Santa Claus and believe in 'him. And the children tire riglit. For Santa Clans is reul, as real as St. Paul or Julius Caesar or George Washington. But Santa Clans is not his full name, it is onlj' liis petj name among children. His full lianllj is Saint Nicholas. The Germans call him Sankt Nicolaus, and their children have turned this into Saukt Claus, oi, as we call him, Santa Clans; so that is how the great Greek saint of the fourth century comes by his child name, What a happy fate for a saint, or to. any one, that hi? name should always be bound up with gifts to children, with deeds of loving-kindnesa ana tender mercy, with warm-hearted help for the poor and needy, tiio helpless find distressed. Nicholas is the patron saint and guardian of children, but he is also, in a special way, the projector of sailors and travellers by sea; and all along the. coasts of Europe are little chapels built in honour of St. Nicholas, where sailors and fishermen go to pray before they set forth npon the .deep. • ' Not only little chapels are built to this generous bringer of gifts; tlieTe are great churches and cathedrals in many cities, all over Christendom, East and West. Of the throe cathedrals in New Vorlc. one, the Russian, fs dedicated to him. But though he is so great a saint in the Eastern Church, ho is not: less popular in the West, among Protestants and Catholics alike. In England, for instanco, thero are more churches) named after Saint Nicholas than thore are davs in the year, mora than twice its many as are named after St. George, tho patron saint of England. _ Yet he is even more popular in Catholic Italy, whero several cities have chosen him for thoir patron, from Venice in tho north to in the south. Wonderful' to tell, Saint Nicholas Is almost equally nopular amoifg the Mohammedans, wjio greatly _ reverence Christ, and always rise, in sign of rofipcct, when the name of Jesus is mentioned. Among tho persons of tho Old Tesramont they have tho greatest admiration for Elijah, whose character and power wore very like those ■ of Saint Nicholas, though Nicholas greatly surpassed Elijah in his love of children and in gonerosity. of all. Saint Nicholas is the chosen saint of the Laplanders and Samoyeds and North Siberian peoples, who aro not Christians at all, out heathens. ' They siiy that ho often comes to save them from stor'ms on the white Arctic seas, and that in the sparkling polar nights they see him among tno grcon end red streamers of the aurora, a tall man. darlc, with a white beard, and with gleaming, kindly oyp.s. He comes to tlieni, bringing gifts; good eeal-hunting, ,or a fitio catch of salmon, or perhaps a white bear cub._ How has this Greek of. olden time come to be so loved and admired and adored by all the .world? Chieily through the snelnflour of his character and lifo, his fiery courage and gracious gifts, and through tho humility which wont ever with his superb valour and loving-kind-ness.' , Ho was an only child, and like Isaac and John tho Baptist, a child of promise, who camo to 'his father and mother u'ler they had waited for him and prayed for him through long,' lonely years. They were rich Greeks, who lived in the ci.t.v of Patara, on the coast of Lycia, at the south-west. corner of Asia Minor. When as a little boy Nicholas stood on tho shoro looking out to the sea tho long island of Creto was away to his right .i over the shining wators; Cyprus was an eoual distance away on his left, and Alexandria and Egypt were immediately in front of him under the sun at noonduy. In part because they lmd waited so long for liini and lis was their only child, and in part because ho was such a fiery-hearted, lovable boy, his father and mother adored him, and told wonderful stone? about him even from his cradle days, 'i'liey said that when he wns heing baptised he. knelt three times in the font, in honour of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. They said also that on the fast days of the Olmixh the babe would drink no milk until aflor sunsot. Nicholas was born about two hundred ami sixty years after the first of all Christtuase?. His name, in Greek Nikolaoa,. means "the conqueror of tho people," and from childhood lie conquered all hearts by liis warm and generous tove, and by his splendid courage too\ so that in pictures he often carries a drawn RworS'W liis right hancTas the symbol of valour. At school ho was always one of tho Best of Hie scholars; and he loved too. to go often to cliurch, >»- ulattrfng thero atone fiifll praying, fio great wfis his lovo toy the church, and Mich a Imrnir.fc de.-*"& to serve tho Master Christ filled his heart even from boyhood. that, with th« eager consent and good will of his father and mothor, lie dedicated himself to the Master and offered hie services to the Church. His uncle, Bishop Nicholn? of Patara, watched lovingly over him, and ordained him a fleacnu and later a. priest. When ho laid his hands on tho head of the younger Nicholas to ordain him, Bishop 'Nicholas said: "Brothers, I aoe tho rising of a new sun aDove the earth, the "oming of gentle consolation for the sorrowful. Blessed is the flock which shall have him as its shepherd. Be wil'l lovingly bring back the sheep that wander away from the fcfld, feeding! them in liappy nastures. a worm holper of those in need'." We come now to the story of how Saint Nicholas first brought secret Rifts to children when they were asleep, the first act that made him Santa Clan?, "iver of pwsonts in the darkness. " Bishop Nicholas had long ardently desired to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to see the place whero Jesus was born, and' where he taught on the Mount of Olives and where ho was crucified on Gol"otha. So, leaving his nephew as fceeper of his flock, ho entered a ship in the harbour and sailed to Joppa, the port of Judca, from which tho road winds 'up among tho hills to Jerusalem. At that time the father and mother of the young Nicholas died leaving him a great fortune. Ho determined to keop none of it for himself, but to give it all way in gifts to those who needed it. and also to give so secretl.v that no one should know whence tho gift came. It happened that a vary learned man in Patara, who had been rich, lost all his wealth. He had three daughters, whose mother had died, and ho and they wc-i'o so poor that at last, in great sorrow he had almost decided to soli them as slaves, rather than keep them and watch them dying of starvation. Nicholas heard of this, and, filling a purse with money, ho went secretly by night, wondering 'how ho could give tho gift without being seen. As lie stood there, tho moon come from beind a cloud and he sqjy a bedroom window open. So, etealint»" up under the open window, ho throwin" tho purso of gold, and stole away in tho darkness. This ho did a second and a third time. Tho learned man was very happy, and determined to watch at night to sco who brought tho gifts; and the third time, when the purso fell on the bedroom door, he ran after Nicholas and caught him, kucoling before him in tho road and thanking liim with tears ot joy for saving his dear children from slavery. Nicholas niado him promise solemnly not to rcyeal who it was that had given the gift; am}, ever after that, ho gavo l" 3 gifts bo secrcrtly that no un» saw him. Yet it came to be known that it was he who brought tho presents under cover of the darkness. So when people found tho gift, tlioy said, "Saint Nicholas has brought it."

Because of this slor.v of tho three golden purses Saint Nicholas is often shown in pictures carrying threo purses, or thrco balls 4 of gold. He continued to feed th'i hungry, to clothe tho poor and needj, to redeem doblors from slavery, to give (jTHf to children. w*«aj£_grcatly loved; liutTflways secretly, because o£ his great humility, because he slid not wish hi ll [food deeds to be known. Now comes tho first of the stories which connect him with the sea and mako him the special guardian of sailors an-1 their protector against storms. After the return of his' uncle Bishop Nicholas, from the Holy Land, tho younger Nicholas determined Vo go, in his turn, to Jerusalem. When tho ship had sailed to tho south, and was coming near to Ecvpt. Nicholas told tho captain that he saw the storm demon hurrying toward the shin, "seeking to overwhem it. and soon after a great storm arose, so thai even the sailors were in despair. But Nicholas prayed and reassured them, and th>; storm passed by. And they believed, that h© had power to still tlie waves, as Christ did on tKe Sea. of Galilee, according to thn words: "He that helieveth on me, the works that I do sliall he do also.". After tho storm n sailor who was mendine a torn sail fell from the mast and lay on the deck as if dead. Saint Nicholas kneeled beside him and prayed, and raised him again, and he rose lip strong and well. And the sailors related that Nicholas had raised tho fallen sailor from tho dead. So strong and benign was ho, and so full of fiery kindness, that it was easy for people to believo tlmt ho had wonderfnl spiritual power to help and to heal. It is told that, when the ship came to Alexandria, Nicholas laid his hands on many of the sick and healed them, and that he gave presents to liianv children, who loved to follow him in tiio streets, and that he greatly comforted many who were in distress. It wag told that when he went to Golgotha to worship in the church built where Christ was crucified, Hie doors of tho church opened before him of themselves, as a sign .that Wie doors of heaven would also open before him. After he had prayed at the JTolv Sepulchre, Nicholas wished, like Elijah of old and like John the Baptist, fo away into the wilderness, to dwell alone in prayer. But the divine voi»o forbade Trim to go, bidding him return to Patara to work among mon.

So ho vcturneß. The captain of the ship treacherously designed to carry Mm away to a foreicm city, .to sell him as a slave. But Nicholas! knbw St, and prayed, and n storm came up from the south and carried the ship to the coast of Lycia, to Pe.tara, the home of Nicholas.' Generously ho forgave the captain not seeking to punish him, but sending him away repentant. At Pntara Bishop Nicholas,luid built a monastery, a house of quietness and prayer, calling it Zion: there Saint Nicholas wished to live in silenffl and solitude: But the divine voico again forbade him. saying, "If thou vouldst 1)0 crowned by me. go forth and work among men, that I mny bo clarified in thee." So "Nicholas, wishing to work where not even bis namo was known, loft Patara by i night, nnd went along the 6horo till ho carao to Myra, the greatest city of Lycia, where he knew 110 one., and had hot even a f,riend whom he could ask to shelter him. 1 And it happened that.jArehbishop John, of Myra, had just died; and tho bishops of all Lycia were gathered together in tho eatliedrnV to elect his successor. After much debate they decided that tho choice should bo'mndo, not by men, but by the Lord, Therefore they all ■ prayed that tho Lord might miiko known to them whom they should choose. And as the oldest slept Ono stood beforo him in a drctim, and said, "Wntcli at tho door of tho cathedral.; He who shall como first in the morning shall be your bishop.- His name "is Nicholas." In the morning, Nicholas, coming from Pntara, arrived very early at the cathedral, and they that watched greeted him nnd asked his name; and at first, through humility., wishing to remain unknown, ho would not answer. _ Then again they ■ asked him, and he-said: "My namo is Nicholas." So. bocauso he came first to the churcli. and "because of his name antjl his humility, they know that it was ho who should be, chosen, so they consecrated him, and ho became the Archbishop of Myru. Il» himself had dreamed not long before that the Saviour eanio to him and blessed him and give him a hook of tho Gospels adorned with gold and jewels. With tJio Saviour was Mother Mary, who gave Saint Nicholas a broad sash.-band to be worn across tho shoulders, to signify the lost lamb which tho Good Shepherd lost, and sought, and found, and set upon his shoulders, and brought home, rejoicing. So Saint Nicholas is represented with the shoulder-band. and l the "book in many pictures. Thus lie became chief snepnoru of tho flock of Lycian Myra. His door was always open. Ho wus gracious and kind to all, a father to fatherless children, a helper of the helpless, a comforter of those who mourned, a friend of all. In tho'e days Diocletian and Maximion divided tho great envpire of Homo between thert. Because of his open arid courageous preaching Nicholas was arrested for refusing to worship the statues of the emperors, and was cast into ft dungeon. , After Constantino became Emperor of 'Home a brighter day dawned for thosn who bore the name of Christ. One of the stories about Nicholas tells how b.v his appeals he saved tho people of Lyci.i from Constantino's army that lmd l been sent there to sirporess a rebellion. [ Another tells how Nicholas, flaming' with indignation and pity, saved throe innocent men from execution by the Governor of Mvra, rebuked the Governor's furv at this intervention, and then accepted tb» Governor's repentance and save him blessing and forgiveness. Another, reminding one of some modern tales of thoucht fcransferende. relates how Constantino himself saw in a dream the'soul of Nicliolaq standing before him and heard him ordar the release of three condemned generals;* and how' the Einneror. in response to that dream, liberated the prisoners. . ' These are some of the great stones of Nicholas. Thero are ninny more, of his fiory poww, his splendid courage, his burning love,' his delight in tho love of little children)- Such was his power that, when he died, all men believed that dcafb had not lessened his power, but had increased it and 1 set h.ini free to carry out his worts of mercy to tho weak and tho distressed. So it came that all the East reverenced' Saint Nicholas, tho WonderWorker, nnd when, 6ix hundred and sixty years later, Vladimir of 'Russia came to Constantinople to be baptised, ho carried lxick with him among the Christian teachings the splendid story of Nicholas. From the Russians tho knowledge of Saint Nicholas went northward to tho Lapps and Samoyeds, tho people of 'tho reindeer sleds, among whom his popularity ia boundless. From theiu perhaps comes the story of tho reindeer sled in which Saint Nicholas carries the presents which lie gives to good children. Shortly after Russia became Christian the Sacracens contjuered A6ia Minor, laid Lycia waste, turned Myra into a ruin. Tift people of Bari, 011 the heel of Italy, heard of it. and. sending ships, brought tho body of Nicholas to their city, aud built a splendid church in his honour. From Bari his fame spread through' the Western world, as it had alroauv' spread over the East.

There were always those who believed and testified, in. East and West alike, tliat Saint Nicholas had not ceased tn briusf help and gifts when ho laid asidn his enrthly body; ho camp to them, they said, when thoy were in instant peril. And sailors testified that they owed their

safety to his power to calm tlic tempests. So (diapols and clnirches began to bo built in his name, and the linmber of

thoso who believed in him, and who thought that they ov,-.?d to him safety and sifts, grew constantly.

Saint Nicholas died oil December G, just nineteen days before Christmas. On that (In v. as the church stories say, ho was born into glory j therefore it is oonseorated to him in the calendar of the church. In Catholic countries, both Eastern Catholic and Western Catholic, children hnvo for oenturies been, taught tliat t,hoy are tinder the'snecial care of'the good Saint Nicholas, who, if they are Rood children and lnv(!_ their parents and obey them, will bring gitfs under cover of tho darkness of the night, but, if _ they are bad and disobedient and lazy, lie will come, likeily enough, with a roil instead, Tt wns originally on tho evo of his own festival, on the night between the sth and 6th of December, that he was expected by the children: but in Protestant countries the festival of Saint Nicholns was kept, while the day was changed, ?o that now he brings bin gifts on tho evo of His Master's birthday. Saint Nicholas, or, as children love to call lilm, Santa Claus, is as popular, as universally beloved, as ever, aud, just as

throughout tlio centuries people were ready to testify that Saint Nicholas came to their help or brought them presents as he did while he still wore an earthly body, 60 wo arc at liberty to believe that his ancient great beneficence continues with his warm and tender lovo of children, that his fiery pofror has grown stronger through, generous and unselfish use, and that, either by cowing himself or by stirring the hearts of fathers and mothers to a, like generosity, he still luiiir-: forth gifts on the evo of Ills Master's birthday to gladden the hearts of his beloved children.