St.
Nicholas / Sw. Mikolaj Cybershrine
The Real Santa Claus:
St. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra
(modern Turkey) in the 4th Century. He was highly respected for his devotion
to God; he is especially remembered for his generosity, love, and mercy
to the poor and oppressed. According to tradition, he secretly placed three
bags of gold in the stockings of three destitute young girls, in order
to save them from being sold into slavery. His Feast day is celebrated
December 6th. In modern America, wealthy Anglo-Protestants of New
York's Knickerbocker set de-Catholicized the Saint into the figure of Santa
Claus, giving him a fabricated pseudo-Dutch folkloric identity and using
his gift bringing legend to legitimate the excesses of mercantile capitalism.
Saint Nicholas, patron of children,
pray for us.
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