182-602: Saint Nicholas Day , also called the Feast of Saint Nicholas , observed on 6 December (and/or its eve on 5 December) in Western Christian countries, and on 19 December in Eastern Christian countries using the old church Calendar, is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra ; it falls within the season of Advent . It is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to Saint Nicholas' reputation as
364-650: A Doctor of the Church in the Roman Catholic Church . He is sometimes referred to by the epithet Ouranophantor (Greek: Οὐρανοφάντωρ ), "revealer of heavenly mysteries". Basil was born into the wealthy Cappadocian Greek family of Basil the Elder , and Emmelia of Caesarea , in Cappadocia , around 330. He was one of ten children, and his parents were known for their piety. His maternal grandfather
546-430: A cowl while the daughters are typically shown in bed, dressed in their nightclothes. Many renderings contain a cypress tree or a cross-shaped cupola . The historicity of this incident is disputed. Adam C. English argues for a historical kernel to the legend, noting the story's early attestation as well as the fact that no similar stories were told about any other Christian saints. Jona Lendering, who also argues for
728-464: A lost Life of Saint Nicholas as his source. Nearly all the sources Eustratius references date from the late fourth century to early fifth century, indicating the Life of Saint Nicholas to which he refers was probably written during this time period, shortly after Nicholas's death. The earliest complete account of Nicholas's life that has survived to the present is a Life of Saint Nicholas , written in
910-470: A soup kitchen and distributed food to the poor during a famine following a drought. His letters show that he actively worked to reform thieves and prostitutes. They also show him encouraging his clergy not to be tempted by wealth or the comparatively easy life of a priest, and that he personally took care in selecting worthy candidates for holy orders . He also had the courage to criticize public officials who failed in their duty of administering justice. At
1092-462: A Nikolaus impersonator also visits the children at school or in their homes and asks them if they have been good (sometimes ostensibly checking his golden book for their record), handing out presents on the basis of their behavior. This has become more lenient in recent decades, and this task is often taken over by the Weihnachtsmann ( Father Christmas ). In more Catholic regions, St. Nikolaus
1274-473: A Trinitarian debate. Basil recognizes that no human is "a slave by nature". This principle countered Aristotle 's conviction and was consistent with Gregory of Nyssa view and with that of many other patristic thinkers; even Augustine and Theodoret conceded this. Basil, indeed, viewed slavery as a result of the Fall, a principle that was shared by Augustine, Theodoret, and many other Fathers. Sometimes slavery
1456-600: A bishop's mitre on his head and carries a bishop's crosier. De Kleeschen gives presents to well-behaved children; his companion the Houseker gives those who have misbehaved twigs. In Slovenia, Miklavž ( Sveti Miklavž ) and in Croatia, Nikolaus ( Sveti Nikola ) who visits on Saint Nicholas day ( Nikolinje in Croatia and "Miklavževanje" in Slovenia) brings gifts to children commending them for their good behavior over
1638-566: A bishop." Modestus reported back to Valens that he believed nothing short of violence would avail against Basil. Valens was apparently unwilling to engage in violence. He did however issue orders banishing Basil repeatedly, none of which succeeded. Valens came himself to attend when Basil celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Theophany (Epiphany), and at that time was so impressed by Basil that he donated to him some land for
1820-484: A bribe to put three famous generals to death, in spite of their actual innocence. Saint Nicholas appeared to Constantine and Ablabius in dreams, informing Constantine of the truth and frightening Ablabius into releasing the generals, for fear of Hell . Later versions of the story are more elaborate, interweaving the two stories together. According to one version, Emperor Constantine sent three of his most trusted generals, named Ursos, Nepotianos, and Herpylion, to put down
2002-576: A bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of church services . In the European countries of Germany and Poland , boys have traditionally dressed as bishops and begged alms for the poor. In the Portuguese city of Guimarães , the Nicolinas , a series of festivities in honor of Saint Nicholas happen every year. In Poland and Ukraine children wait for St. Nicholas to come and to put
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#17327972904662184-466: A carp wrapped in dough) and two loaves of ceremonial bread, all of which are blessed at church or at home. The host wafts incense over the table, then lifts and breaks the bread. Bulgarians also observe 6 December as the name day for those with the names Nikola , Nikolay , Kolyo , Nikolina , Neno , Nenka , Nikoleta and Nina . In the Netherlands, his feast day is celebrated on 5 December,
2366-528: A chariot and give gifts to children ( Video "San Nicolò caccia i Krampus a Tarvisio" 6.12.2010 ) In Suhuan, St. Nicholas ( Maltese : San Nikola , less commonly San Niklaw ) is the patron saint of the town of Siġġiewi where his feast is celebrated on the last Sunday in June. The parish church, dedicated to the saint, was built between 1676 and 1693. It was designed by the Maltese architect, Lorenzo Gafà , with
2548-474: A charismatic bishop and ascetic. Abandoning his legal and teaching career, Basil devoted his life to God. In a letter he described his spiritual awakening: I had wasted much time on follies and spent nearly all of my youth in vain labours, and devotion to the teachings of a wisdom that God had made foolish. Suddenly, I awoke as out of a deep sleep. I beheld the wonderful light of the Gospel truth, and I recognized
2730-752: A collection of Origen 's works. Gregory decided to return to his family in Nazianzus. Basil attended the Council of Constantinople (360) . He at first sided with Eustathius and the Homoiousians , a semi-Arian faction who taught that the Son was of like substance with the Father, neither the same ( one substance) nor different from him. The Homoiousians opposed the Arianism of Eunomius but refused to join with
2912-579: A corruption of the name of St. Nicholas). He is accompanied by the Schmutzli a frightening helper wearing a brown monk's habit. The Christmas gift-bringer is not Samichlaus , but the Christchindli . St. Nicholas ( San Nicola ) is the patron of the city of Bari , where it is believed he is buried. Its deeply felt celebration is called the Festa di San Nicola , held on 7–9 May. In particular on 8 May
3094-600: A fair called Fiera di San Niccolò during the first weeks of December. Depending on the cultural background, in some families this celebration is more important than Christmas. Like in Austria, in South Tyrol Saint Nicholas comes with krampuses . Instead, in Val Canale ( Udine ) Saint Nicholas comes to chase the krampuses : after a parade of krampuses running after people, Saint Nicholas comes on
3276-608: A liturgy, or rather reformed an existing liturgy, is beyond doubt, since besides the constant tradition of the Byzantine Church there are many testimonies in ancient writings to establish the fact. Basil's liturgical influence is well attested in early sources. Most of the liturgies bearing the name of Basil are not entirely his work in their present form, but they nevertheless preserve a recollection of Basil's activity in this field in formularizing liturgical prayers and promoting church-song. Patristics scholars conclude that
3458-574: A new church, the Basilica di San Nicola, to Saint Nicholas in Bari. The Pope himself personally placed Nicholas's relics into the tomb beneath the altar of the new church. The removal of Saint Nicholas's relics from Myra and their arrival in Bari is reliably recorded by multiple chroniclers, including Orderic Vitalis and 9 May continued to be celebrated every year by western Christians as the day of Nicholas's "translation". Eastern Orthodox Christians and
3640-445: A noteworthy moderation in the austere practices which were previously characteristic of monastic life. He is also credited with coordinating the duties of work and prayer to ensure a proper balance between the two. Basil is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the development of Christian monasticism . Not only is Basil recognized as the father of Eastern monasticism; historians recognize that his legacy extends also to
3822-405: A part of Nicholas' relic as a gift. Whereas the devotional importance of relics and the economics associated with pilgrimages caused the remains of most saints to be divided up and spread over numerous churches in several countries, Saint Nicholas is unusual in that most of his bones have been preserved in one spot: his grave crypt in Bari. Even with the allegedly continuing miracle of the manna,
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#17327972904664004-461: A powerful advocate for the Nicene position. In 362, Bishop Meletius of Antioch ordained Basil as a deacon . Eusebius then summoned Basil to Caesarea and ordained him as presbyter of the Church there in 365. Eusebius needed him as an assistant because of his intellectual gifts. Ecclesiastical entreaties rather than Basil's desires thus altered his career path. Basil and Gregory Nazianzus spent
4186-575: A present under their pillows provided that the children were good during the year. Children who behaved badly may expect to find a twig or a piece of coal under their pillows. In the Netherlands and Belgium children put out a shoe filled with hay and a carrot for Saint Nicholas' horse. On Saint Nicholas Day, gifts are tagged with personal humorous rhymes written by the sender. In the United States , one custom associated with Saint Nicholas Day
4368-549: A rebellion in Phrygia . However, a storm forced them to take refuge in Myra. Unbeknownst to the generals, who were in the harbor, their soldiers further inland were fighting with local merchants and engaging in looting and destruction. Nicholas confronted the generals for allowing their soldiers to misbehave and the generals brought an end to the looting. Immediately after the soldiers had returned to their ships, Nicholas heard word of
4550-686: A restricted diet (no animal products or dairy products etc.), such as fish (see Eastern Orthodox fasting ). St. Nicholas ("San Nicolás") is the patron of the city of Alicante . The Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari is located there. Saint Nicholas is celebrated by all the Christian communities in Lebanon: Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian. Many places, churches, convents, and schools are named in honor of Saint Nicholas, such as Escalier Saint-Nicolas des Arts , Saint Nicolas Garden , and Saint Nicolas Greek Orthodox Cathedral. In
4732-761: A result of this, Nicholas became the patron saint of prisoners and those falsely accused of crimes. An index finger claimed to belong to Saint Nicholas was kept in a chapel along the Ostian Way in Rome. Another finger was held in Ventimiglia in Liguria . Today, many churches in Europe, Russia, and the United States claim to possess small relics, such as a tooth or a finger bone. An Irish tradition states that
4914-459: A scale similar to the German custom. Still practiced in some areas today, children place freshly polished shoes in front of doors, under windows, or at the foot of their beds before heading to bed. On the morning of 6 December, they find their shoes filled with gifts and sugary treats. Widespread adoption of the tradition has spread among the German, Polish, Belgian, and Dutch communities throughout
5096-533: A source written before conversion narratives became popular, which would be a positive indication of that source's reliability. He notes that many of the stories recounted by Michael the Archimandrite closely resemble stories told about the first-century AD Neopythagorean philosopher Apollonius of Tyana in the Life of Apollonius of Tyana , an eight-volume biography of him written in the early third century by
5278-572: A staunch opponent of Arianism and a devoted supporter of Trinitarianism , and one of the bishops who signed the Nicene Creed . Nicholas's attendance at the Council of Nicaea is attested early by Theodore the Lector's list of attendees, which records him as the 151st attendee. However, he is conspicuously never mentioned by Athanasius of Alexandria , the foremost defender of Trinitarianism at
5460-442: A terrible famine, a malicious butcher lured three little children into his house, where he killed them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, saw through the butcher's lies and resurrected the pickled children by making the sign of the cross . Jona Lendering opines that the story is "without any historical value". Adam C. English notes that
5642-565: A total of three early lists, one of which, Theodore the Lector, is generally considered to be the most accurate. According to Jona Lendering, there are two main possibilities: A later legend, first attested in the fourteenth century, over 1,000 years after Nicholas's death, holds that, during the Council of Nicaea, Nicholas lost his temper and slapped "a certain Arian" across the face. On account of this, Constantine revoked Nicholas's miter and pallium . Steven D. Greydanus concludes that, because of
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5824-498: A tree possessed by a demon. In his youth, he is said to have made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Syria Palaestina . Shortly after his return, he became Bishop of Myra . He was later cast into prison during the persecution of Diocletian , but was released after the accession of Constantine . An early list makes him an attendee at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he is never mentioned in any writings by people who were at
6006-476: Is a boon to the enslaved person, Basil maintained (in Moral Rules 75 he recommended, that Christian slaves work harder than non-Christian slaves). This view is opposed to Gregory of Nyssa, and is reminiscent of Aristotle's argument and of Theodoret's. It is in the ethical manuals and moral sermons that the practical aspects of his theoretical theology are illustrated. So, for example, it is in his Sermon to
6188-723: Is actually rooted in historical fact. Traditionally, Nicholas was born in the city of Patara ( Lycia et Pamphylia ), a port on the Mediterranean Sea , in Asia Minor in the Roman Empire, to a wealthy family of Greek Christians. According to some accounts, his parents were named Epiphanius ( Ἐπιφάνιος , Epiphánios ) and Johanna ( Ἰωάννα , Iōánna ), but, according to others, they were named Theophanes ( Θεοφάνης , Theophánēs ) and Nonna ( Νόννα , Nónna ). In some accounts, Nicholas's uncle
6370-583: Is also accompanied by the Christkind . In the Flemish town of Dunkirk , Zwarte Piet is the companion of the Saint. In Northern Germany, Sankt Nikolaus is usually celebrated on a small scale. Many children put a boot called Nikolaus-Stiefel (Nikolaus boot) outside the front door on the night of 5 December. St. Nicholas fills the boot with gifts and sweets overnight, and at the same time checks up on
6552-585: Is celebrated on almost every Thursday of the year (together with the Apostles ) with special hymns to him which are found in the liturgical book known as the Octoechos . Soon after the transfer of Saint Nicholas's relics from Myra to Bari, an East Slavic version of his Life and an account of the transfer of his relics were written by a contemporary to this event. Devotional akathists and canons have been composed in his honour, and are frequently chanted by
6734-693: Is children leaving their shoes in the foyer on Saint Nicholas Eve in hope that Saint Nicholas will place some coins on the soles . The American Santa Claus , as well as the British Father Christmas , derive from Saint Nicholas. "Santa Claus" is itself derived in part from the Dutch Sinterklaas , the saint's name in that language. However, the gift giving associated with these descendant figures has come to be associated with Christmas Day rather than Saint Nicholas Day itself. Nicholas of Myra, according to Christian tradition,
6916-538: Is currently observed in Sassari , where during the day of Saint Nicholas, patron of the city, gifts are given to young women who need help to get married. In the provinces of Trieste , Udine , Belluno , Bari (Terlizzi and Molfetta), South Tyrol , Trentino and in the eastern part of the Province of Treviso , St. Nicholas ( San Niccolò ) is celebrated with gifts given to children on the morning of 6 December and with
7098-508: Is dressed very much like a bishop, rides on a horse, and is welcomed at public places by large crowds. He has a long beard, and loves children, except when they have been naughty. This tradition has been kept alive annually. In Poland Mikołaj is often also accompanied by an angel ( anděl / anjel / anioł / anhel ) who acts as a counterweight to the ominous devil or Knecht Ruprecht ( czart ). Poland and in Slovakia children find
7280-492: Is generally considered doubtful. He was a famous preacher, and many of his homilies, including a series of Lenten lectures on the Hexaemeron (also Hexaëmeros , "Six Days of Creation"; Latin : Hexameron ), and an exposition of the psalter , have been preserved. Some, like that against usury and that on the famine in 368, are valuable for the history of morals; others illustrate the honor paid to martyrs and relics ;
7462-622: Is honoured as the chief architect of monastic life in the Greek Church. Most of his extant works, and a few spuriously attributed to him, are available in the Patrologia Graeca , which includes Latin translations of varying quality. Several of Basil's works have appeared in the late twentieth century in the Sources Chrétiennes collection. A famous quote of Basil is the below: The bread you store belongs to
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7644-402: Is not attested in the earliest sources and is therefore unlikely to be historical. One of the earliest attested stories of Saint Nicholas is one in which he saves three innocent men from execution. According to Michael the Archimandrite, three innocent men were condemned to death by the governor Eustathius. As they were about to be executed, Nicholas appeared, pushed the executioner's sword to
7826-556: Is not mentioned by any contemporary chroniclers. This is not surprising, since Nicholas lived during a turbulent time in Roman history . The earliest mentions of Saint Nicholas indicate that, by the sixth century, his following was already well-established. Less than two hundred years after Saint Nicholas's probable death, the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II (ruled 401–450) ordered the building of
8008-597: Is now known as "Saint Nicolas de Port" in honor of Nicholas. The clergy at Bari strategically gave away samples of Nicholas's bones to promote the following and enhance its prestige. Many of these bones were initially kept in Constantinople, but, after the Sack of Constantinople in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade , these fragments were scattered across western Europe. A hand claimed to belong to Saint Nicholas
8190-602: Is often accompanied by the Krampusz , the frightening helper who is out to take away the bad ones. In Slovenia, Saint Nikolaus ( Miklavž ) is accompanied by an angel and a devil ( parkelj ) corresponding to the Austrian Krampus . In Ukraine, St. Nicholas ( Mykolai ) visits all children during the night and brings presents on 5–6 December. Before the calendar reform in Ukrainian churches [ uk ] ,
8372-446: Is said that, in Myra, the relics of Saint Nicholas each year exuded a clear watery liquid which smelled like rose water, called manna , or myrrh , which was believed by the faithful to possess miraculous powers. As it was widely known that all Nicholas's relics were at Myra in their sealed sarcophagus, it was rare during this period for forgers of relics to claim to possess those belonging to Saint Nicholas. A solemn bronze statue of
8554-527: Is the patron hallow of children, sailors, those undergoing financial problems, and victims of fire. In the 11th century, Christian nuns in Belgium and France initiated the practice of giving the poor gifts in the name of Saint Nicholas. This custom spread to Germany and Holland further spreading the Feast of Saint Nicholas and its associated customs. Among Albanians, Saint Nicholas is known as Shen'Kollë and
8736-536: Is the patron saint day ( Krsna Slava , or Krsno ime , a Serb tradition ) of Saint Nicholas , celebrated on 6 December (Gregorian calendar, 19 December on Julian). Since the feast of Saint Nicholas always falls in the fasting period preceding the Christmas , the feast is celebrated according to the Eastern Orthodox Church fasting rules ("Post"). Fasting refers in this context to the eating of
8918-555: Is usually attended by hundreds of children. Sinterklaas wears a bishop's robes including a red cape and mitre and rides a white horse named Schimmel or Amerigo in the Netherlands and Slecht Weer Vandaag (bad weather today) in Flanders. The town of Sint-Niklaas in East Flanders has a statue of Sinterklaas in front of its town hall. In Luxembourg , during the run-up to 6 December, De Kleeschen visits schools. He wears
9100-514: Is venerated by most Catholic families, even those from villages that are devoted to other saints. The Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on the evening before 6 December, known as Shen'Kolli i Dimnit (Saint Nicholas of Winter), as well as on the commemoration of the interring of his bones in Bari, the evening before 9 May, known as Shen'Kolli i Majit (Saint Nicholas of May). Albanian Catholics often swear by Saint Nicholas, saying "Pasha Shejnti Shen'Kollin!" ("May I see Holy Saint Nicholas!"), indicating
9282-590: The Church of Saint Nicholas in Myra , which thereby preserves an early mention of his name. The Byzantine historian Procopius also mentions that the Emperor Justinian I (ruled 527–565) renovated churches in Constantinople dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saint Priscus , which may have originally been built as early as c. 490. Nicholas's name also occurs as "Nicholas of Myra of Lycia" on
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#17327972904669464-584: The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates his feast day together with that of the Feast of the Circumcision on that day. This was also the day on which the General Roman Calendar celebrated it at first; but in the 13th-century it was moved to 14 June, a date believed to be that of his ordination as bishop , and it remained on that date until the 1969 revision of the calendar, which moved it to 2 January, rather than 1 January, because
9646-475: The Eastern Rite vestments of a bishop, and he carries a ceremonial staff. Nicholas dispenses gifts, while Krampus supplies coal and the ruten bundles. Krampus is featured on holiday greeting cards called Krampuskarten. There are many names for Krampus, as well as many regional variations in portrayal and celebration. In Swiss folklore , St. Nicholas is known as Samichlaus (like Dutch Sinterklaas
9828-577: The First Crusade . Although the Crusaders generally favored warrior saints, which Saint Nicholas was not, the presence of his relics in Bari made him materially accessible. Nicholas's associations with aiding travelers and seafarers also made him a popular choice for veneration. Nicholas's veneration by Crusaders helped promote his following throughout western Europe. After the relics were brought to Bari, they continued to produce "myrrh", much to
10010-594: The French Low Countries , the French Ardennes , Franche-Comté , the Argonne and Lorraine , where he is patron. This day can be celebrated in some villages of other regions. A little donkey carries baskets filled with children's gifts, biscuits and sweets. The whole family gets ready for the saint's arrival on 6 December, with grandparents telling stories of the saint. The most popular one (also
10192-436: The Lesser Asketikon . According to Orosius , Basil taught apocatastasis entailing the restoration of all sinners to Christ after purification. This doctrine is most evident in his Commentary on Isaiah , however there is some scholarly dispute about this commentary and if it should truly be attributed to Basil. On the other hand, he vehemently opposed the view that hell has an end in his short Regulae , even claiming that
10374-409: The Nativity of Jesus is believed to have taken place. Over the crypt where Nicholas is believed to have lived now stands the "Church of Saint Nicholas" in Beit Jala , a Christian town of which Nicholas is the Patron saint . After visiting the Holy Land, Nicholas returned to Myra. The bishop of Myra, who had succeeded Nicholas's uncle, had recently died and the priests in the city had decided that
10556-419: The address to young men on the study of classical literature shows that Basil was influenced by his own education, which taught him to appreciate the propaedeutic importance of the classics. In one of his Homilies, he describes, in one of the earliest descriptions of desalination , how sailors in his time obtain fresh water by hanging sponges over a vessel with boiling seawater and collecting and condensing
10738-534: The archdiocese of Bari has allowed for one scientific survey of the bones. In the late 1950s, while the crypt was undergoing much-needed restoration, the bones were removed from it for the first time since their interment in 1089. A special Pontiffical Commission permitted Luigi Martino, a professor of human anatomy at the University of Bari , to examine the bones under the commission's supervision. Martino took thousands of measurements, detailed scientific drawings, photographs, and x-rays. These examinations revealed
10920-426: The "plotting and envy of Satan ." The man could not afford proper dowries for his three daughters. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, be forced to become prostitutes. Hearing of the girls' plight, Nicholas decided to help them, but, being too modest to help the family in public (or to save them the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to
11102-434: The 17th century, Dutch Protestants who settled in New York brought the Sinterklaas tradition with them. While feasts of Saint Nicholas are not observed nationally, cities with strong German influences like Milwaukee, Wisconsin ; Evansville, Indiana , Teutopolis, Illinois ; Cincinnati, Ohio ; Fredericksburg, Texas ; Newport News , Virginia; St. Louis , Missouri; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on
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#173279729046611284-423: The Archimandrite's Life the only account of Saint Nicholas that is likely to contain any historical truth. Jona Lendering , a Dutch historian of classical antiquity, notes that Michael the Archimandrite's Life does not contain a " conversion narrative ", which was unusual for saints' lives of the period when it was written. He therefore argues that it is possible Michael the Archimandrite may have been relying on
11466-426: The Archimandrite's account, however, Saint Nicholas is instead expressly stated to be motivated by a desire to save the daughters from being sold into prostitution. He argues that this desire to help women is most characteristic of fourth-century Christianity, due to the prominent role women played in the early Christian movement, rather than Greco-Roman paganism or the Christianity of Michael the Archimandrite's time in
11648-468: The Catholic Church in the West had declared (in 1054 AD) that the Greek church , the official church of the Byzantine Empire, was in schism . Because of the many wars in the region, some Christians were concerned that access to the tomb might become difficult. Taking advantage of the confusion and the loss by the Greek Christian community of Myra of its Byzantine imperial protection, in the spring of 1087, Italian sailors from Bari in Apulia seized part of
11830-429: The Church in the Western Church for his contributions to the debate initiated by the Arian controversy regarding the nature of the Trinity, and especially the question of the divinity of the Holy Spirit . Basil was responsible for defining the terms " ousia " (essence/substance) and " hypostasis " (person/reality), and for defining the classic formulation of three Persons in one Nature. His single greatest contribution
12012-466: The Church of Saint Nicholas in Lezha, Albania, upon his death. In Greece, Saint Nicholas does not carry an especial association with gift-giving, as this tradition is carried over to St. Basil of Caesarea, celebrated on New Year's Day. St. Nicholas is the protector of sailors, he is considered the patron saint of the Greek Navy , military and merchant alike, and his day is marked by festivities aboard all ships and boats, at sea and in port. According to
12194-399: The Church. Basil next took on functional administration of the city of Caesarea. Eusebius is reported as becoming jealous of the reputation and influence which Basil quickly developed, and allowed Basil to return to his earlier solitude. Later, however, Gregory persuaded Basil to return. Basil did so, and became the administrator for the Diocese of Caesarea. In 370, Eusebius died, and Basil
12376-535: The Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Croatia. 5 December is Krampus Night or Krampusnacht , in which the hairy devil appears on the streets. Traditionally young men dress up as the Krampus during the first week of December, particularly on the evening of 5 December (the eve of Saint Nicholas day on many church calendars), and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells. Sometimes accompanying St. Nicholas and sometimes on his own, Krampus visits homes and businesses. The Saint usually appears in
12558-399: The Eastern Orthodox fasting rules ("Post"). This entails the complete avoidance of animal-sourced food products (meat, milk, dairy products, and eggs). The hosts who celebrate as the tradition says, prepare smoked carp for guests. In Bulgaria, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on 6 December as Nikulden . Families invite relatives, sponsors, and neighbors for a meal of fish (usually ribnik ,
12740-490: The Eve of St. Nicholas. It is believed that Sinterklaas travels from Spain by boat. His arrival each November is a big event for children. In the days leading up to 5 December, young children put their shoes in front of the chimneys and sing Sinterklaas songs. The next morning they find a small present in their shoes, ranging from sweets to marbles or some other small toy. He is assisted by many mischievous helpers, called ' Zwarte Pieten ' ("Black Petes") or " Père Fouettard " in
12922-415: The French-speaking part of Belgium, with black faces and colourful Moorish dress, dating back two centuries. In the past, it was said that the Zwarte Pieten took all the naughty children, put them into sacks, and Sinterklaas took them with him to Spain. On the Frisian islands ( Waddeneilanden ), the Sinterklaas feast has developed independently into traditions very different from the one on the mainland. On
13104-494: The Great ( Koinē Greek : Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας , Hágios Basíleios ho Mégas ; Coptic : Ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ , Piagios Basílios ; 330 – 1 or 2 January 378), was an early Roman Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia from 370 until his death in 378. He was an influential theologian who supported the Nicene Creed and opposed the heresies of the early Christian church, fighting against both Arianism and
13286-488: The Greek writer Philostratus . Christian storytellers were known to adapt older pagan legends and attribute them to Christian saints. As Apollonius's hometown of Tyana was not far from Myra, Lendering contends that many popular stories about Apollonius may have become attached to Saint Nicholas. Accounts of Saint Nicholas's life agree on the essence of his story, but modern historians disagree regarding how much of this story
13468-645: The Holy Spirit , an appeal to Scripture and early Christian tradition to prove the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and his Refutation of the Apology of the Impious Eunomius , which was written about in 364 and comprised three books against Eunomius of Cyzicus , the chief exponent of Anomoian Arianism . The first three books of the Refutation are his work; his authorship of the fourth and fifth books
13650-926: The Julian Calendar's 6 December and Gregorian Calendar's 19 December. Nicholas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice celebrated on his feast day , 6 December. For those who still observe the Julian calendar the celebration currently takes place thirteen days later than it happens in the Gregorian calendar and Revised Julian calendar . St. Basil Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: Basil of Caesarea , also called Saint Basil
13832-465: The Lazicans that we find Basil explaining how it is our common nature that obliges us to treat our neighbor's natural needs (e.g., hunger, thirst) as our own, even though he is a separate individual. Basil's three hundred letters reveal his character. They show his observant nature, which, despite the troubles of ill-health and ecclesiastical unrest, remained optimistic, tender and even playful. Basil
14014-462: The Liturgy of Saint Basil "bears, unmistakably, the personal hand, pen, mind and heart of St. Basil the Great". One liturgy that can be attributed to him is The Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great , a liturgy that is somewhat longer than the more commonly used Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom . The difference between the two is primarily in the silent prayers said by the priest, and in
14196-569: The Norman knight William Pantulf . Pantulf took these relics to his hometown of Noron in Normandy, where they were placed in the local Church of St. Peter in June 1092. In 1096, the duke of Apulia gave several bones of Saint Nicholas to the count of Flanders , which he then enshrined in the Abbey of Watten . According to legend, in 1101, Saint Nicholas appeared in a vision to a French clerk visiting
14378-465: The Roman Empire. Nicholas of Myra was known for his generosity through a Christian legend, in which he gave a poor father money in order to prevent his daughters from being taken into slavery, as the father did not have the funds for his daughters' dowries . It is said that Nicholas of Myra threw the money through the family's window, which landed in their shoes, which were drying near their fireplace. Nicholas of Myra died on 6 December 346, giving rise to
14560-723: The Turks have both long regarded the unauthorized removal of the relics from Myra as a blatant theft, but the people of Bari have instead maintained that it was a rescue mission to save the bones from the Turkish invaders. A legend, shown on the ceiling of the Basilica di San Nicola, holds that Nicholas once visited Bari and predicted that his bones would one day rest there. Prior to the translation of Nicholas's relics to Bari, his following had been known in western Europe, but it had not been extremely popular. In autumn of 1096, Norman and Frankish soldiers mustered in Bari in preparation for
14742-423: The United States. Americans who celebrate Saint Nicholas Day generally also celebrate Christmas Day (25 December) as a separate holiday. Some of the traditions and rituals of Christmas, such as leaving out a stocking to be filled, are similar to the traditions of Saint Nicholas Day. Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari ,
14924-658: The Western church, largely due to his influence on Saint Benedict . Patristic scholars such as Meredith assert that Benedict himself recognized this when he wrote in the epilogue to his Rule that his monks, in addition to the Bible, should read "the confessions of the Fathers and their institutes and their lives and the Rule of our Holy Father, Basil. Basil's teachings on monasticism, as encoded in works such as his Small Asketikon ,
15106-622: The black skin color of Zwarte Piet originates in his profession as a chimney sweep, hence the delivery of packages through the chimney. The rise of Father Christmas (known in Dutch as de Kerstman ) is often cited as an example of globalization and Americanisation. In Belgium, they celebrate Sinterklaasfeest (Dutch-speaking) or la Saint-Nicolas (French-speaking) on the morning of 6 December. He arrives by steamboat around mid-November every year when he makes his annual entry in Antwerp, an event that
15288-484: The bone they tested comes from the left pubis , and the only pelvis bone in the collection at Bari is the left ilium . In the absence of DNA testing, however, it is not yet possible to know for certain whether the pelvis is from the same man. Among Greeks and Italians he is a favorite of sailors, fishermen , ships and sailing. As a result, and over time, he has become the patron saint of several cities which maintain harbours . In centuries of Greek folklore , Nicholas
15470-567: The bronze statue was returned (albeit without its original high pedestal) to a corner nearer the church. On 28 December 2009, the Turkish government announced that it would be formally requesting the return of Saint Nicholas's skeletal remains to Turkey from the Italian government. Turkish authorities asserted that Nicholas himself desired to be buried at his episcopal town, and that his remains were illegally removed from his homeland. In 2017, an archaeological survey at St. Nicholas Church, Demre
15652-514: The building of the Basiliad. This interaction helped to define the limits of governmental power over the church. Basil then had to face the growing spread of Arianism . This belief system, which denied that Christ was consubstantial with the Father, was quickly gaining adherents and was seen by many, particularly those in Alexandria most familiar with it, as posing a threat to the unity of
15834-563: The candy and small gifts under the pillow, in their shoes or behind the window the evening of 5 December or the morning of 6 December. In Austria, Bavaria and South-Tyrol ( Austro-Bavarian regions), St. Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus , represented as a beast-like creature, generally demonic in appearance. Krampus is thought to punish children during the Yule season who had misbehaved, and to capture particularly naughty children in his sack and carry them away to his lair. The tradition of Krampus
16016-470: The children to see if they were good, polite and helpful the last year. If they were not, they will have a stick ( eine Rute ) in their boots instead. Nicholas is often portrayed in Northern German folklore as being accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht who inquires of the children if they have been saying their prayers, and if not, he shakes his bag of ashes at them, or beats them with a stick. Sometimes
16198-692: The children who fear he will advise St. Nicolas to pass them by on his gift-giving rounds. In Alsace , Lorraine , Argonne and in the countryside of Montbéliard Saint Nicolas is accompanied by the Père Fouettard , but the character of the Père Fouettard is well known across all the French territory. He is sometimes also present in the French Ardennes . In Alsace and in Franconian Lorraine Saint Nicolas
16380-459: The church without authorization and brought them to their hometown, where they are now enshrined in the Basilica di San Nicola . The remaining bone fragments from the sarcophagus were later removed by Venetian sailors and taken to Venice during the First Crusade . Very little is known about Saint Nicholas's historical life. Any writings Nicholas himself may have produced have been lost and he
16562-725: The church. Basil entered into connections with the West, and with the help of Athanasius , he tried to overcome its distrustful attitude toward the Homoiousians. The difficulties had been enhanced by bringing in the question as to the essence of the Holy Spirit . Although Basil advocated objectively the consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son , he belonged to those, who, faithful to Eastern tradition, would not allow
16744-556: The city organizes the "Saint Nicholas Factory", where residents bring gifts and donations for orphans; campaign activists distribute them to children in the evenings of December 18 and 19. Every year, Plast collects every chicken and prepares a large program for orphans and disabled children. On June 6, 2006, President Viktor Yushchenko signed Decree No. 481/2006 "On measures to revive traditional folk art and folk arts and crafts in Ukraine", which includes, in particular, working out
16926-570: The city. The collection of festivities in honor of Saint Nicholas are called Nicolinas , and they occur from 29 November to 7 December every year. These celebration are exclusive to this city, but bring people from all over the country to watch these centuries-old festivities, not seen anywhere else in the world. Nikoljdan ( Serbian Cyrillic : Никољдан ; Bulgarian : Никулден , romanized : Nikulden ; Russian : Никола Зимний , romanized : Nikola Zimniy ; Ukrainian : Cвятий Миколай , romanized : Sviatyy Mykolay )
17108-516: The complete equality of both genders, deriving from the same human 'lump' (φύραμα), both in the image of God, endowed with the same honour and dignity (ὁμοτίμως), in perfect equality (ἐξ ἴσου). Men even risk being inferior in piety (Homily on Julitta 241B). Likewise, in Homilies on Psalms 1, PG 29.216–17, he insists on the Socratic and Stoic tenet, here Christianized, that man and woman have 'one and
17290-707: The confluence of the Iris and Lycos rivers ). His widowed mother Emmelia, sister Macrina, and several other women, joined Basil and devoted themselves to pious lives of prayer and charitable works (some claim Macrina founded this community). Here Basil wrote about monastic communal life. His writings became pivotal in developing monastic traditions of the Eastern Church . In 358, Basil invited his friend Gregory of Nazianzus to join him in Annesi. When Gregory eventually arrived, they collaborated on Origen's Philocalia ,
17472-405: The consul Ablabius, telling him that they had not really put down the revolt, but instead encouraged their own soldiers to join it. The generals' enemies also bribed Ablabius and he had the three generals imprisoned. Nicholas then made his dream appearances and the three generals were set free. In 325, Nicholas is said to have attended the First Council of Nicaea , where he is said to have been
17654-425: The council, who knew all the notable bishops of the period, nor is he mentioned by the historian Eusebius , who was also present at the council. Adam C. English notes that lists of the attendees at Nicaea vary considerably, with shorter lists only including roughly 200 names, but longer lists including around 300. Saint Nicholas's name only appears on the longer lists, not the shorter ones. Nicholas's name appears on
17836-465: The council. Late, unsubstantiated legends claim that he was temporarily defrocked and imprisoned during the council for slapping the heretic Arius . Another famous late legend tells how he resurrected three children, who had been murdered and pickled in brine by a butcher planning to sell them as pork during a famine. Fewer than 200 years after Nicholas's death, the St. Nicholas Church was built in Myra under
18018-582: The crypt underneath the Basilica di San Nicola was dedicated as an Orthodox chapel with an iconostasis in commemoration of the recent lifting of the anathemas the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches had issued against each other during the Great Schism in 1054. In May 2017, following talks between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, a portion of the relics of St. Nicholas in Bari were sent on loan to Moscow. The relic
18200-419: The earliest attested and most famous incidents from his life, he is said to have rescued three girls from being forced into prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights so their father could pay a dowry for each of them. Other early stories tell of him calming a storm at sea, saving three innocent soldiers from wrongful execution, and chopping down
18382-445: The early ninth century by Michael the Archimandrite (814–842), nearly 500 years after Nicholas's probable death. Despite its extremely late date, Michael the Archimandrite's Life of Saint Nicholas is believed to heavily rely on older written sources and oral traditions. The identity and reliability of these sources, however, remains uncertain. Catholic historian D. L. Cann and medievalist Charles W. Jones both consider Michael
18564-494: The exact date Basil died. The great institute before the gates of Caesarea, the Ptochoptopheion, or "Basileiad", which was used as poorhouse, hospital, and hospice became a lasting monument of Basil's episcopal care for the poor. Many of St. Basil's writings and sermons, specifically on the topics of money and possessions, continue to influence modern Christianity. The principal theological writings of Basil are his On
18746-400: The fact that Nicholas had a tomb that could be visited serves as the almost solitary definitive proof that he was a real historical figure. In his treatise De statu animarum post mortem (written c. 583), the theologian Eustratius of Constantinople cites Saint Nicholas of Myra's miracle of the three generals as evidence that souls may work independent from the body. Eustratius credits
18928-417: The fact that he was shown with a barrel led people to conclude that he was the patron saint of brewers. According to another story, during a great famine that Myra experienced in 311–312, a ship was in the port at anchor, loaded with wheat for the emperor in Constantinople. Nicholas invited the sailors to unload a part of the wheat to help in the time of need. The sailors at first disliked the request, because
19110-709: The faithful as they ask for his intercession . He is mentioned in the Liturgy of Preparation during the Divine Liturgy (Eastern Orthodox Eucharist ) and during the All-Night Vigil . Many Orthodox churches will have his icon , even if they are not named after him. In Oriental Orthodoxy , the Coptic Church observes the Departure of St. Nicholas on 10 Kiahk, or 10 Taḫśaś in Ethiopia, which corresponds to
19292-439: The families in cutting the bread were pleasantly surprised to find the coins. It is customary on his feast day to visit the homes of friends and relatives, to sing New Year's carols , and to set an extra place at the table for Saint Basil. Basil, being born into a wealthy family, gave away all his possessions to the poor, the underprivileged, those in need, and children. According to some sources, Basil died on 1 January, and
19474-449: The financial support of Derzhkino , released the film directed by Semen Horov [ uk ] , " The Adventures of S Nicholas [ uk ] ". The film tells about the faith of modern children in a good wizard who comes with gifts on the night before St. Nicholas Day. Even though Saint Nicolas is a Christmas traditional figure across all the French territory, the important celebrations on 6 December are limited to Alsace ,
19656-618: The first priest to enter the church that morning would be made bishop. Nicholas went to the church to pray and was therefore proclaimed the new bishop. He is said to have been imprisoned and tortured during the Great Persecution under the Emperor Diocletian (ruled 284–305), but was released under the orders of the Emperor Constantine the Great (ruled 306–337). This story sounds plausible, but
19838-472: The followers of Apollinaris of Laodicea . In addition to his work as a theologian, Basil was known for his care of the poor and underprivileged. Basil established guidelines for monastic life which focus on community life, liturgical prayer, and manual labor. Together with Pachomius , he is remembered as a father of communal monasticism in Eastern Christianity. He is considered a saint by
20020-462: The ground, released them from their chains, and angrily chastised a juror who had accepted a bribe. According to Jona Lendering, this story directly parallels an earlier story in Philostratus's Life of Apollonius of Tyana , in which Apollonius prevents the execution of a man falsely condemned of banditry. Michael the Archimandrite also tells another story in which the consul Ablabius accepted
20202-422: The holiday was celebrated on 18–19 December [ O.S. 5–6 December] until 2023. From this day, Ukrainians start preparing for the Christmas holidays . Thus, in the cities and towns of Ukraine, Christmas trees are traditionally opened on St. Nicholas Day. In Ukraine , the image of St. Nicholas (Sviatyi Mykolai ) and the tradition of giving gifts are being revived. Also, the tradition of caring for
20384-460: The house under the cover of night and threw a purse filled with gold coins through the window opening into the house. The father immediately arranged a marriage for his first daughter, and after her wedding, Nicholas threw a second bag of gold through the same window late at night. According to Michael the Archimandrite's account, after the second daughter was married, the father stayed awake for at least two "nights" and caught Saint Nicholas in
20566-442: The hungry. The clothes you accumulate belong to the naked. The shoes that you have in your closet are for the barefoot. The money you bury deep into the ground to keep it safe, belongs to the poor. You were unfair to as many people as you could have helped and you did not. Basil of Caesarea holds a very important place in the history of Christian liturgy , coming as he did at the end of the age of persecution . That St. Basil composed
20748-644: The importance of this saint in Albanian culture, especially among the Albanians of Malësia. On the eve of his feast day, Albanians will light a candle and abstain from meat, preparing a feast of roasted lamb and pork, to be served to guests after midnight. Guests will greet each other, saying, "Nata e Shen'Kollit ju nihmoftë!" ("May the Night of Saint Nicholas help you!") and other such blessings. The bones of Albania's greatest hero, George Kastrioti, were also interred in
20930-529: The interpreters of dreams who explain visions in sleep to make them serve their own end." His ascetic tendencies are exhibited in the Moralia and Asketika (sometimes mistranslated as Rules of St. Basil ), ethical manuals for use in the world and the cloister, respectively. There has been a good deal of discussion concerning the authenticity of the two works known as the Greater Asketikon and
21112-454: The island of Terschelling mainly, but also other Wadden Islands, Sundrum is the name given to Sinterklaas.< In recent years there has been a recurrent discussion about the perceived politically incorrect nature of Zwarte Piet. In particular Dutch citizens with an Afro background or African roots might feel offended by the Dutch slavery history connected to this emblem and regard the representation of Zwarte Piet as racist. Others state that
21294-462: The island was known as "Saint Nicholas Island" and today it is known in Turkish as Gemiler Adasi, meaning "Island of Boats", in reference to Saint Nicholas's traditional role as the patron saint of seafarers. The church was built in the fourth century, around the time of Nicholas's death, and is typical of saints' shrines from that time period. Nicholas was the only major saint associated with that part of Turkey. The church where historians believe he
21476-841: The issue of creating the "St. Nicholas Manor" complex in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast with the Building works of folk masters of the National Union of Masters of Folk Art of Ukraine. In 2010, President Viktor Yanukovych instructed the government to provide in the state budget for 2011 funds for the construction of the Estate of St. Nicholas in the Hutsulshchyna National Park . In 2018, the Big Hand Films [ uk ] company, with
21658-438: The joy of their new owners. Vials of myrrh from his relics have been taken all over the world for centuries, and can still be obtained from his church in Bari. Even up to the present day, a flask of manna is extracted from the tomb of Saint Nicholas every year on 6 December (the Saint's feast day ) by the clergy of the basilica. The myrrh is collected from a sarcophagus which is located in the basilica vault and could be obtained in
21840-561: The lectures of Libanius . The two later met again in Athens and became fast friends. There they met a fellow student who would become the emperor Julian the Apostate . Basil left Athens in 356, and after travels in Egypt and Syria, he returned to Caesarea . For around a year he practiced law and taught rhetoric. Basil's life changed radically after he encountered Eustathius of Sebaste ,
22022-524: The many people who hold it are deceived by the devil . However, the notion of a finite hell was also espoused by his siblings Macrina and Gregory of Nyssa and potentially by his dear friend Gregory of Nazianzus. It is probable that the relevant passage in Regulae was interpolated. The passage also seems to include ideas that could be considered in opposition to ideas in Basil's undisputed writings, for example
22204-498: The needy is increasingly respected: both in the form of charity events in church communities and in secular charitable projects. In schools, on the eve of the holiday, lessons are held where children are taught to write a letter to St. Nicholas. On this day, some public organizations hold traditional charity events for orphans . So, every year in Lviv , the campaign " Mykolai will not forget about you! [ uk ] " takes place:
22386-480: The next few years combatting the Arian heresy , which threatened to divide Cappadocia's Christians. In close fraternal co-operation, they agreed to a great rhetorical contest with accomplished Arian theologians and rhetors. In the subsequent public debates, presided over by agents of Valens , Gregory and Basil emerged triumphant. This success confirmed for both Gregory and Basil that their futures lay in administration of
22568-536: The ninth century, by which point the position of women had drastically declined. Nicholas is also said to have visited the Holy Land . The ship he was on was nearly destroyed by a terrible storm but he rebuked the waves, causing the storm to subside. Thus, Nicholas became venerated as the patron saint of sailors and travelers. While in Palestine , Nicholas is said to have lived in a crypt near Bethlehem , where
22750-471: The nothingness of the wisdom of the princes of this world. After his baptism, Basil traveled in 357 to Palestine, Egypt, Syria and Mesopotamia to study ascetics and monasticism. He distributed his fortunes among the poor, and went briefly into solitude near Neocaesarea of Pontus (modern Niksar ) on the Iris River . Basil eventually realized that while he respected the ascetics' piety and prayerfulness,
22932-507: The notion of physical punishments in hell and of hell itself as a physical place with different locations. As well as potentially being in contradiction to most of Basil's linguistic use. In his book De Spiritu Sancto , Basil lists some who for him are illustrious men of the church and quotes them; these are Irenaeus of Lyon , Clement of Rome , Dionysius of Rome , Dionysius of Alexandria , Eusebius , Julius Africanus , Gregory Thaumaturgus , Firmilian and Origen . Basil also stresses
23114-461: The onset of truly wintry cold weather in the country. Therefore, by tradition, homes should have already been laid with carpets, removed for the warm season, by St. Andrew 's Day (30 November), a week ahead of the Nikolobárbara . In Serbia, Nikoljdan is celebrated on 19 December. Since Nikoljdan always falls during the fasting period preceding Christmas, it is celebrated according to
23296-566: The orders of Theodosius II over the site of the church where he had served as bishop, and his remains were moved to a sarcophagus in that church. In 1087, while the Greek Christian inhabitants of the region were subjugated by the newly arrived Muslim Seljuk Turks , and soon after the beginning of the East–West schism , a group of merchants from the Italian city of Bari removed the major bones of Nicholas's skeleton from his sarcophagus in
23478-873: The past year and exhorting them to continue in the same manner in the year to come. If they fail to do so they will receive a visit from "Parkelj" or Krampus who traditionally leaves a rod, an instrument their parents will use to discipline them. In Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania, children typically leave their cleaned boots on the windowsill on the evening before St. Nicholas Day. By next morning Nikolaus ( Szent Miklós traditionally but more commonly known as Mikulás in Hungary or Moș Nicolae ( Sfântul Nicolae ) in Romania) and in Ukraine Sviatyi Mykolay leaves candies and gifts (Hungarian: virgács , Romanian: nuielușă ). In Hungary and Croatia he
23660-605: The pious, as was common for early Christian saints , and his legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the folklore of Santa Claus (" Saint Nick ") through Sinterklaas . Little is known about the historical Saint Nicholas. The earliest accounts of his life were written centuries after his death and probably contain legendary elaborations. He is said to have been born in the Anatolian seaport of Patara , Lycia , in Asia Minor to wealthy Christian parents. In one of
23842-470: The portico and naves being added by Nikola Zammit in the latter half of the 19th century. The ruins of a former parish church are still visible and have recently undergone restoration. In Portugal only the city of Guimarães has festivities directed to St. Nicholas ( São Nicolau ), and it has been like that since the Middle Ages , because St. Nicholas is deemed as the patron saint of the students of
24024-667: The predicate homoousios to the former; for this he was reproached as early as 371 by the Orthodox zealots among the monks, and Athanasius defended him. Basil corresponded with Pope Damasus in the hope of having his aid and encouragement against triumphant Arianism; the pope, however, cherished some degree of suspicion against the Cappadocian Doctor. Basil died before the factional disturbances ended. He suffered from liver disease; excessive ascetic practices also contributed to his early demise. Historians disagree about
24206-506: The present Feast of Saint Nicholas. The saint was entombed in St. Nicholas Church, Demre , though in 1087, Italian soldiers transferred his remains to Italy, where they were enshrined in the Basilica di San Nicola and are held to this day. Saint Nicholas' tomb is said to exude the Oil of Saint Nicholas , which has attracted, throughout the centuries, Christian pilgrims who take the oil home in small bottles to use during prayer . Nicholas of Myra
24388-590: The relics of Saint Nicholas are also reputed to have been stolen from Myra by local Norman crusading knights in the twelfth century and buried near Thomastown , County Kilkenny , where a stone slab marks the site locally believed to be his grave. According to the Irish antiquarian John Hunt , the tomb probably actually belongs to a local priest from Jerpoint Abbey . Russian Orthodox Church announced on 22 September 2024 that Holy Myrrhbearers Cathedral in Baku received
24570-451: The relics of the saint are carried on a boat on the sea in front of the city with many boats following ( Festa a mare ). As Saint Nicholas is said to protect children and virgins, on 6 December there is a ritual called the Rito delle nubili : unmarried women wishing to find a husband can attend to an early-morning Mass, in which they have to turn around a column seven times. A similar tradition
24752-400: The relics the team has examined turn out to be too recent to have actually belonged to the saint to whom they are attributed, but he states, "This bone fragment, in contrast, suggests that we could possibly be looking at remains from St Nicholas himself." Kazan believes the pelvis fragment may come from the same individual as the skeleton divided between the churches in Bari and Venice, since
24934-496: The remaining bones of Saint Nicholas, as well as those of several other bishops of Myra, from the church there, which was only guarded by four Orthodox monks, and brought them to Venice , where they deposited them in the San Nicolò al Lido. This tradition was lent credence in two scientific investigations of the relics in Bari and Venice, which confirmed that the relics in the two cities are anatomically compatible and may belong to
25116-630: The remaining fragments of his skeleton. In 1044, they dedicated the San Nicolò al Lido monastery basilica to him on the north end of the Lido di Venezia . According to a single chronicle written by an anonymous monk at this monastery, in 1100, a fleet of Venetian ships accompanied by Bishop Henri sailed past Myra on their way to Palestine for the First Crusade. Bishop Henri insisted for the fleet to turn back and set anchor in Myra. The Venetians took
25298-580: The remains of the saint from his burial church in Myra, over the objections of the Greek Orthodox monks in the church. Adam C. English describes the removal of the relics from Myra as "essentially a holy robbery " and notes the thieves were not only afraid of being caught or chased after by the locals, but also the power of Saint Nicholas himself. Returning to Bari, they brought the remains with them and cared for them. The remains arrived on 9 May 1087. Two years later, Pope Urban II inaugurated
25480-530: The saint by Russian sculptor Gregory Pototsky was donated by the Russian government in 2000, and was given a prominent place in the square fronting the medieval Church of St Nicholas. In 2005, mayor Süleyman Topçu had the statue replaced by a red-suited plastic Santa Claus statue, because he wanted an image more recognisable to foreign visitors. Protests from the Russian government against this were successful, and
25662-417: The saint to have died at over seventy years of age and to have been of average height and slender-to-average build. He also suffered from severe chronic arthritis in his spine and pelvis. In 2004, at the University of Manchester , researchers Caroline Wilkinson and Fraco Introna reconstructed the saint's face based on Martino's examination. The review of the data revealed that the historical Saint Nicholas
25844-516: The saint with children in a barrel. Bakeries and home kitchens are hives of activity as spiced gingerbread biscuits and mannala (a brioche shaped like the saint) are baked. In schools, children learn songs and poems and create arts and crafts about St. Nicolas, while in nursery schools, a man portraying St. Nicolas gives away chocolates and sometimes little presents. He is sometimes accompanied by an actor playing Père Fouettard, who, like his German counterpart Krampus , carries switches to threaten
26026-471: The sake of peace and charity he was content to waive the use of orthodox terminology when it could be surrendered without a sacrifice of truth. The Emperor Valens , who was an adherent of the Arian philosophy, sent his prefect Modestus to at least agree to a compromise with the Arian faction. Basil's adamant negative response prompted Modestus to say that no one had ever spoken to him in that way before. Basil replied, "Perhaps you have never yet had to deal with
26208-406: The same act of charity toward the third daughter. The father fell on his knees, thanking him, and Nicholas ordered him not to tell anyone about the gifts. The scene of Nicholas's secret gift-giving is one of the most popular scenes in Christian devotional art, appearing in icons and frescoes from across Europe. Although depictions vary depending on time and place, Nicholas is often shown wearing
26390-470: The same person. It is said that someone dies every time the bones of Saint Nicholas in Venice are disturbed. The last time the bones were examined was in July 1992. Because of Nicholas's skeleton's long confinement in Myra, after it was brought to Bari, the demand for pieces of it rose. Small bones quickly began to disperse across western Europe. The sailors who had transported the bones gave one tooth and two fragments chipped from Nicholas's sarcophagus to
26572-453: The same time he was against the wild allegories of some contemporaries. Concerning this, he wrote: "I know the laws of allegory, though less by myself than from the works of others. There are those, truly, who do not admit the common sense of the Scriptures, for whom water is not water, but some other nature, who see in a plant, in a fish, what their fancy wishes, who change the nature of reptiles and of wild beasts to suit their allegories, like
26754-406: The same time, he preached every morning and evening in his own church to large congregations. In addition to all the above, he built a large complex just outside Caesarea, called the Basiliad , which included a poorhouse, hospice, and hospital, and was compared by Gregory of Nazianzus to the wonders of the world . His zeal for orthodoxy did not blind him to what was good in an opponent; and for
26936-400: The same virtue' and 'one and the same nature' (φύσις). Their common creation was of equal honour and dignity (ὁμότιμος); they have the same capacity and activity (ἐνέργεια), and will be given the same reward. Similarly, in Letter to Amphilochius 188, Basil again uses ἐξ ἴσου in reference to the equality of women and men. Basil faced the slavery issue in De Spiritu Sancto 20 in the context of
27118-434: The scene became so widely reproduced that, rather than showing the whole scene, artists began to merely depict Saint Nicholas with three naked children and a wooden barrel at his feet. According to English, eventually, people who had forgotten or never learned the story began misinterpreting representations of it. That Saint Nicholas was shown with children led people to conclude he was the patron saint of children; meanwhile,
27300-400: The shop nearby. The liquid gradually seeps out of the tomb, but it is unclear whether it originates from the body within the tomb, or from the marble itself; since the town of Bari is a harbour, and the tomb is below sea level , there have been several natural explanations proposed for the manna fluid, including the transfer of seawater to the tomb by capillary action . In 1966, a vault in
27482-406: The shrine at Bari and told him to take one of his bones with him to his hometown of Port , near Nancy . The clerk took a finger bone back with him to Port, where a chapel was built to Saint Nicholas. Port became an important center of devotion in the following of Nicholas and, in the fifteenth century, a church known as the Basilique Saint-Nicolas was built there dedicated to him. The town itself
27664-446: The solitary life did not call him. Eustathius of Sebaste , a prominent anchorite near Pontus, had mentored Basil. However, they also eventually differed over dogma . Basil instead felt drawn toward communal religious life, and by 358 he was gathering around him a group of like-minded disciples , including his brother Peter. Together they founded a monastic settlement on his family's estate near Annesi (modern Sonusa or Uluköy, near
27846-488: The story of the resurrection of the pickled children is a late medieval addition to the legendary biography of Saint Nicholas and that it is not found in any of his earliest Lives . Although this story seems bizarre and horrifying to modern audiences, it was tremendously popular throughout the Late Middle Ages and the early modern period , and widely beloved by ordinary folk. It is depicted in stained glass windows, wood panel paintings, tapestries, and frescoes. Eventually,
28028-405: The story's authenticity, notes that a similar story is told in Philostratus's Life of Apollonius of Tyana , in which Apollonius gives money to an impoverished father but posits that Michael the Archimandrite's account is markedly different. Philostratus does not mention the fate of the daughters and, in his story, Apollonius's generosity is purely motivated out of sympathy for the father; in Michael
28210-475: The story's late attestation, it "has no historical value." Jona Lendering, however, defends the veracity and historicity of the incident, arguing that, as it was embarrassing and reflects poorly on Nicholas's reputation, it is inexplicable why later hagiographers would have invented it. Later versions of the legend embellish it, making the heretic Arius himself and having Nicholas punch him rather than merely slapping him with his open hand. In these versions of
28392-454: The story, Nicholas is also imprisoned, but Christ and the Virgin Mary appear to him in his cell. He tells them he is imprisoned "for loving you" and they free him from his chains and restore his vestments. The scene of Nicholas slapping Arius is celebrated in Eastern Orthodox icons and episodes of Saint Nicholas at Nicaea are shown in a series of paintings from the 1660s in the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari . One story tells how during
28574-499: The subject of a popular French children's song) is of three children who wandered away and got lost. Cold and hungry, a wicked butcher lured them into his shop where he killed them and salted them away in a large tub. Through St. Nicolas' help the boys were revived and returned to their families, earning him a reputation as protector of children. The evil butcher has followed St. Nicolas in penance ever since as Père Fouettard. In France, statues and paintings often portray this event, showing
28756-438: The supporters of the Nicene Creed , who professed that the members of the Trinity were of one substance (" homoousios "). However, Basil's bishop, Dianius of Caesarea, had subscribed only to the earlier Nicene form of agreement. Basil eventually abandoned the Homoiousians, and emerged instead as a strong supporter of the Nicene Creed . His ability to balance his theological convictions with his political connections made Basil
28938-567: The tenth line of a list of attendees at the Council of Nicaea included by Theodore Lector in the Historiae Ecclesiasticae Tripartitae Epitome , written sometime between 510 and 515. A single, offhand mention of Nicholas of Myra also occurs in the biography of another saint, Saint Nicholas of Sion , who apparently took the name "Nicholas" to honor him. The Life of Saint Nicholas of Sion , written around 250 years after Nicholas of Myra's death, briefly mentions Nicholas of Sion visiting Nicholas's tomb to pay homage to him. According to Jeremy Seal,
29120-483: The three innocent men about to be executed and the three generals aided him in stopping the execution. Eustathius attempted to flee on his horse but Nicholas stopped his horse and chastised him for his corruption. Eustathius, under the threat of being reported directly to the Emperor, repented of his corrupt ways. Afterward, the generals succeeded in ending the rebellion and were promoted by Constantine to even higher status. The generals' enemies, however, slandered them to
29302-421: The time of testing, was in the possession of Father Dennis O'Neill, a priest from St Martha of Bethany Church in Illinois. The results of the radiocarbon dating confirmed that the pelvis dates to the fourth century AD, around the same time that Saint Nicholas would have died, and is not a medieval forgery. The bone was one of the oldest the Oxford team had ever examined. According to Professor Higham, most of
29484-431: The tradition, it is Agios Nikolaos who makes the winds rage and cease, he can walk on the seas and whenever there is a ship in trouble, he would save it. It is also associated with the preceding feasts of St. Barbara (4 December), St. Savvas (5 December), and the following feast of St. Anne (9 December); all these are often collectively called the " Nikolobárbara ", and are considered a succession of days that heralds
29666-399: The traditions of both Eastern and Western Christianity . Basil, together with his brother Gregory of Nyssa and his friend Gregory of Nazianzus , are collectively referred to as the Cappadocian Fathers . The Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches have given him, together with Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom , the title of Great Hierarch . He is recognized as
29848-409: The use of the hymn to the Theotokos , All of Creation , instead of the Axion Estin of John Chrysostom's Liturgy. The Eastern Churches preserve numerous other prayers attributed to Basil, including three prayers of exorcism , several morning and evening prayers, and the "Prayer of the Hours" which is read at each service of the Daily Office . Through his examples and teachings, Basil effected
30030-415: The water vapor. In his exegesis Basil was an admirer of Origen and the need for the spiritual interpretation of Scripture. In his work on the Holy Spirit , he asserts that "to take the literal sense and stop there, is to have the heart covered by the veil of Jewish literalism. Lamps are useless when the sun is shining." He frequently stresses the need for Reserve in doctrinal and sacramental matters. At
30212-455: The wheat had to be weighed accurately and delivered to the emperor. Only when Nicholas promised them that they would not suffer any loss for their consideration did the sailors agree. When they arrived later in the capital, they made a surprising find: the weight of the load had not changed, although the wheat removed in Myra was enough for two full years and could even be used for sowing. It has long been traditionally assumed that Saint Nicholas
30394-409: Was 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) in height and had a broken nose, which had partially healed, revealing that the injury had been suffered ante mortem . The broken nose appeared to conform with hagiographical reports that Saint Nicholas had been beaten and tortured during the Diocletianic Persecution . The facial reconstruction was produced by Caroline Wilkinson at the University of Manchester and
30576-625: Was a Christian martyr , executed in the years prior to Constantine I 's conversion. His pious paternal grandmother, Macrina , a follower of Gregory Thaumaturgus (who had founded the nearby church of Neocaesarea ), raised Basil and four of his siblings who also are now venerated as saints: Macrina the Younger , Naucratius , Peter of Sebaste , and Gregory of Nyssa . Basil received more formal education in Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia (modern Kayseri ) around 350–51. There he met Gregory of Nazianzus . Gregory went to Alexandria, while Basil went to Constantinople for further studies, including
30758-490: Was adapted by Czechs and Slovaks during the Austrian-Hungarian era. In addition, in Czechia and Slovakia St. Nicholas is accompanied by an angel. In Czechia and Slovakia children receive some candies for their good deeds from st. Nicholas (Mikuláš) and potatoes or coal from Chort (čert) for their sins. The creature has roots in Slavic folklore; however, its influence has spread far beyond German borders, in Austria, southern Bavaria, South Tyrol, northern Friuli, Hungary, Slovenia,
30940-537: Was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya Province , Turkey ) during the time of the Roman Empire . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession , he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker . Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, toymakers, unmarried people, and students in various cities and countries around Europe. His reputation evolved among
31122-410: Was born in Patar in Asia Minor. He is said to have made a pilgrimage to Egypt to study theology under the Desert Fathers after which he was consecrated the Bishop of Myra . During the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians , Nicholas of Myra was imprisoned. He was released after Constantine the Great promulgated the Edict of Milan in 313, which allowed for the public practice of Christianity in
31304-436: Was chosen to succeed him, and was consecrated as a bishop on 14 June 370. His new post as Bishop of Caesarea also gave him the powers of exarch of Pontus and metropolitan of five suffragan bishops , many of whom had opposed him in the election for Eusebius's successor. It was then that his great powers were called into action. Hot-blooded and somewhat imperious, Basil was also generous and sympathetic. He personally organized
31486-496: Was his insistence on the divinity and consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son. In Greek tradition, Basil brings gifts to children every 1 January (St Basil's Day). It is traditional on St Basil's Day to serve vasilopita , a rich bread baked with a coin inside. The tradition is attributed to St. Basil, who when a bishop, wanted to distribute money to the poor and commissioned some women to bake sweetened bread, in which he arranged to place gold coins. Thus
31668-412: Was kept in the San Nicola in Carcere in Rome. This church, whose name means "Saint Nicholas in Chains", was built on the site of a former municipal prison. Stories quickly developed about Nicholas himself having been held in that prison. Mothers would come to the church to pray to Saint Nicholas for their jailed sons to be released and repentant criminals would place votive offerings in the church. As
31850-427: Was on display for veneration at Christ the Savior Cathedral before being taken to Saint Petersburg in mid-June prior to returning to Bari. More than a million people lined up in Moscow for a momentary glimpse of the gilded ark holding one of the saint's ribs. The sailors from Bari took only the main bones of Nicholas's skeleton, leaving all the minor fragments in the grave. The city of Venice had interest in obtaining
32032-423: Was originally buried in his home town of Myra, where his relics are later known to have been kept, but some recent archaeological evidence indicates that Saint Nicholas may have originally been entombed in a rock-cut church located at the highest point on the small Turkish island of Gemile , only twenty miles away from his birthplace of Patara. Nicholas's name is painted on part of the ruined building. In antiquity,
32214-439: Was originally entombed is at the western end of the great processional way. In the mid-7th century, Gemile was vulnerable to attack by Arab fleets, so Nicholas's remains appear to have been moved from the island to the city of Myra, where Nicholas had served as bishop for most of his life. Myra is located roughly 40 km (25 mi) east of Gemile and its location further inland made it safer from seafaring Arab forces. It
32396-402: Was reported to have found a temple below the modern church, with excavation work to be done that will allow researchers to determine whether it still holds Nicholas's body. After the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, the Byzantine Empire temporarily lost control over most of Asia Minor to the invading Seljuk Turks , and so Greek Christians of Myra became subjects of the Turks. At the same time
32578-409: Was seen as "The Lord of the Sea", often described by modern Greek scholars as a kind of Christianized version of Poseidon . In modern Greece, he is still easily among the most recognizable saints and 6 December finds many cities celebrating their patron saint. He is also the patron saint of all of Greece and particularly of the Hellenic Navy . In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Nicholas's memory
32760-432: Was shown on a BBC2 TV program The Real Face of Santa . In 2014, the Face Lab at Liverpool John Moores University produced an updated reconstruction of Saint Nicholas's face. In 2017, two researchers from Oxford University , Professor Tom Higham and Doctor Georges Kazan, radiocarbon dated a fragment of a pelvis claimed to belong to Saint Nicholas. The fragment originally came from a church in Lyon, France and, at
32942-442: Was the bishop of the city of Myra , also in Lycia. Recognizing his nephew's calling, Nicholas's uncle ordained him as a priest. After his parents died from an epidemic, Nicholas is said to have distributed their wealth to the poor. In his most famous exploit, which is first attested in Michael the Archimandrite's Life of Saint Nicholas , Nicholas heard of a devout man who had once been wealthy but had lost all of his money due to
33124-407: Was transmitted to the west via Rufinus during the late 4th century. As a result of Basil's influence, numerous religious orders in Eastern Christianity bear his name. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Basilian Fathers, also known as the Congregation of St. Basil , an international order of priests and students studying for the priesthood, is named after him. Basil was given the title Doctor of
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