Some accounts say Nicholas was born into a wealthy family about 350 miles northwest of Bethlehem in the fourth century. Though the exact date is not known, there are those that say it is believed to have occurred between 260 and 280 AD. The place, Patara, can be historically grounded. He was a Christian man who loved children, and loved his neighbors with the love of Christ – he spent his life privately giving gifts to the unfortunate. These acts of Christian charity – usually made secretly – probably led to the policy of exchanging gifts during the Christmas season.

The history of Nicholas is blurry, but there are many legends associated with the man. Apparently, after his parents died, he inherited their fortune and chose to distribute it to the needy. Many legends say he lobbed bags of gold through the windows and down the chimneys of three sisters who had no dowry to allow them to marry. This story can be regarded as historical as there are supposed to be three very ancient accounts which only differ in regard to the number of maidens and other details. This is a small example of his generous spirit and his wish to give without publicity.

Soon, Nicholas became bishop of Myra, the city where he preached. Unusual though it was for a layman to be nominated to the position of bishop, two sources corroborate the story.

Ted Olsen, assistant editor of Christian history at Christianity Today, wrote that "it wasn't long before Diocletian and Maximian began their persecutions of Christians, and the new bishop was imprisoned." However, when Constantine assumed emperorship, Nicholas was released with many other persecuted believers and he returned to preaching. After his release, Nicholas became a defender of the faith against Arianism, a heretical doctrine which asserted that Christ was not the Son of God, but a being nurtured by God the Father to the position of Son of God.

In 325 Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, which was the first ecumenical council ever held. More than 300 bishops from all over the Christian world came to debate the nature of the Holy Trinity, one of the early church's most intense theological questions. Although Bishop Nicholas does not appear on all lists of attendees, his name appears on the oldest Greek list and on five other lists. Arias, from Egypt, taught that the Son Jesus was not equal to God the Father. This was the Arian controversy which shook Christianity's very foundations. According to one account, when confronted by the unyielding Arias, Nicholas slapped him in the face in defense of the Gospel of Christ. For such a breach of decorum, Nicholas was brought before Constantine, who stripped him of his office and had him thrown into prison.

Some legends claim his position was restored through what seems rather a fanciful story, but in any case, legends does say he was released and restored to his position. As Bishop of Myra, Nicholas lived the qualities that caused his fame and popularity to spread throughout the Christian world. His vigorous actions on behalf of his people and in defense of the Christian faith reveal a man who lived his convictions. Nicholas was not timid—he did what was necessary and was not easily intimidated by others' power and position. His concern for the welfare of his flock and his stand for orthodox belief earned him respect as a model for bishops and a defender of the faith. It appears to be quite clear that this was a man who attempted to convey the love of Christ in his life.

Other legends which may seem fanciful to some are actually very Biblical in their basis. They mirror the acts of Christ which He Himself told us we also could do if we only had faith. So these stories I put here as an example of the faith of the man who obviously was a man of great faith.

Myra experienced famine in AD 311 and 312, and again in 333. Crops had failed and people were hungry. Bishop Nicholas learned that ships bound for Alexandria with cargos of wheat had anchored in the harbor. The holy man implored the sailors to take a measure of grain from each ship so that the people would have food. The sailors said, "No," as the wheat was "meted and measured" and every bit must be delivered. Nicholas replied, "Do this, and I promise, in the truth of God, that it shall not be lessened or diminished when you get to your destination." So the sailors took a measure from each ship and continued on their way to Alexandria. When the wheat was unloaded, the full amount was accounted for and the tale told—all the emperor's ministers worshiped and praised God with thanksgiving for his servant Nicholas. Throughout the famine people came to Bishop Nicholas for wheat. He gave it to all who had need and the grain lasted for two years with enough remaining to plant new crops.

In the time of Emperor Constantine, all was not peaceful in the empire. When unrest would break out, soldiers would be sent to restore order. Some such soldiers were on shore leave in Andriaki, the port which served Myra. As they were in the marketplace, disputes began and there was some disturbance and looting. Bishop Nicholas went to the port to help settle the trouble. On his way back to the city, he saw people crying and saying, "If you had been in the city three innocent men would not have been handed over to death, as they have been ordered beheaded." Nicholas ran to the place, asking if the men were still alive. The three men were in position-faces covered, hands bound behind, expecting death. The executioner's sword was up and ready to fall. Nicholas fearlessly grabbed the sword, throwing it down. The freed men went on their way while Nicholas sought to have the charges against them cleared.

After Constantine declared tolerance for Christianity, the Christians who had been imprisoned under Diocletian returned home. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, was one of them. He found many idol shrines still present and they harbored disturbing demons. So by the power of God, Nicholas set about with great force and zeal to destroy these shrines, and bring calm to the land. The most supreme deity of the pantheon of Myra was Artemis and her temple was the most stunningly beautiful and impressive structure in all Lycia. Nicholas attacked this temple with great might and vigor, causing its total destruction.

As a bishop, Nicholas, servant of God, was first and foremost a shepherd of the people, caring for their needs. His active pursuit of justice for his people was demonstrated when he secured grain in time of famine, saved the lives of three men wrongly condemned, and secured lower taxes for Myra. He taught the Gospel simply, so ordinary people understood, and he lived out his faith and devotion to God in helping the poor and all in need.

Several stories tell of Nicholas and the sea. When he was young, Nicholas sought the holy by making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There as he walked where Jesus walked, he sought to more deeply experience Jesus' life, passion, and resurrection. Returning by sea, a mighty storm threatened to wreck the ship. Nicholas calmly prayed. The terrified sailors were amazed when the wind and waves suddenly calmed, sparing them all. Because of this, St. Nicholas has always been popular with sailors.
 

For 750 years St. Nicholas' tomb in Myra was an ever-increasingly popular pilgrimage site as reverence for the man grew and spread throughout the Christian world. As is too often the case, men came to worship a man as being something other than a man. Nicholas was a saint, as are all followers of Christ, but he was a humble man who would have fought against anyone holding his life in such high esteem, or attributing acts he did as anything other than acts of God's power through him. As a result of this wrongful worship, what should have been a life that gave glory to God became a source of gain.

St. Nicholas' tomb in Myra was a popular place of pilgrimage. As Myra was a seaport, sailors heard the stories of the saint's shrine and carried them to many distant places. If a town were fortunate enough to host such a significant religious site, it enjoyed considerable commercial benefit because pilgrims needed to be housed, fed, and otherwise provided for. After Myra fell under the control of the Seljuks, who were not sympathetic to Christian faith, Italian merchants in both Venice and Bari, saw an opportunity to bring such advantage to their cities . Their motives were opportunistic, but also there was fear that pilgrimage could become difficult and dangerous or that the shrine might even be desecrated.

Early in 1087, three ships with sailors and merchants from Bari stopped in Myra on their way home from Antioch. When they visited Nicholas' tomb, the monks showed them where the manna was extracted. The sailors then asked where the saint's body lay. The monks, perhaps naively, showed them. But the monks became suspicious and questioned the visitors about their intentions, "Surely you do not intend to take the saint's remains to your own region? If so, we won't allow it." However, in the end the Barians prevailed and broke open the tomb with an iron bar. The sailors spirited the bones away to the ship, escaping just ahead of the townspeople coming in hot pursuit.

The men of Bari sailed away on the long voyage back to the southeast coast of Italy. Before getting there, they stopped at a nearby port to make a beautiful box (casket) to hold the saint's relics. When they arrived in Bari, May 9, 1087, the townspeople thronged to the harbor to welcome the saint's remains. The crypt was completed by October 1089 and Pope Urban II consecrated the shrine that became one of medieval Europe's main pilgrimage centers. The main church was built in ten years, but it wasn't until the middle of the 12th century that the imposing and majestic Basilica di San Nicola was complete. It is a particularly fine example of Romanesque architecture and served as a prototype for many other churches and cathedrals.

The basilica, since 1951, home to a community of Dominican Friars, is now an active ecumenical center. So this man who was an avid opponent of the ecumenical movement of the church now has his remains housed in a structure used for that very purpose! There is still financial gain from his grave also. The claim is that his bones weep a fluid which is "tapped" from the coffin once a year, diluted with water and sold as a cure-all for whatever ails you. This fluid is referred to as "manna" although it is nothing like the manna of the Bible. People use the "Santa Manna" as medicine or good luck charms, although no evidence has been put forth that it has any real value.

When the Reformation came along, Saint Nick's following disappeared in all the Protestant countries except Holland, where his legend continued as Sinterklass. Martin Luther, in an attempt to restore Christmas to it's real meaning,  replaced this bearer of gifts with the Christ Child, or, in German, Christkindl. Over the years, that pronunciation was mangled into Kris Kringle, and ironically is now considered another name for Santa Claus!

In the West the saint's image changed between the eleventh and twelfth centuries from a rather severe figure to the compassionate children's friend. This was apparently rooted in the stories of rescuing the desperate maidens with gold for their dowries and of saving three children or schoolboys from an evil fate. Nuns in France supposedly first began leaving treats on St. Nicholas Eve, December 5th, for the small children of poor families. St. Nicholas' gifts were usually good things to eat: apples, oranges, nuts, and eventually cookies and sweets. The custom quickly spread across Europe and was adopted by both rich and poor.

Children around the world know and love St. Nicholas as someone who brings gifts and treats in December. He is known by different names—and even looks different from place to place. It is said that his image of a fat, jolly fellow in a red suit was actually as a result of a Coca Cola ad in 1931! It is the same St. Nicholas, by whatever name or picture, who is said to delight children with gifts and good things to eat. Nicholas gave in secret, alert to others' needs, and expecting nothing for himself in return. It is this selfless generosity which seeks only the good of the other that made Nicholas' gifts the type of gifts that are a pale reflection of the gift God gave us in His Son.

So when you see a Santa figure this Christmas, be sure to share the real story of St. Nick. The man who loved the Lord with all his heart and followed Him faithfully. Let's compare the real man and the myth:

Santa Claus belongs to childhood;
St. Nicholas models for all of life.

Santa Claus, as we know him, developed to boost Christmas sales—the commercial Christmas message;
St. Nicholas told the story of Christ and peace, goodwill toward all—the hope-filled Christmas message.

Santa Claus encourages consumption;
St. Nicholas encourages compassion.

Santa Claus appears each year to be seen and heard for a short time;
St. Nicholas is part of the communion of saints, surrounding us always with prayer and example.

Santa Claus flies through the air—from the North Pole;
St. Nicholas walked the earth—caring for those in need.

Santa Claus, for some, replaces the Babe of Bethlehem;
St. Nicholas, for all, points to the Babe of Bethlehem.

Santa Claus isn't bad;
St. Nicholas is just better.