SAINT NICHOLAS DAY

St. Nicholas (Lipnya Church of St. Nicholas in Novgorod)

December 6th (on the Gregorian Calendar), is St. Nicholas Day, the day designated by the Catholic Church in its Calendar of Saints to honor the man named Nicholas (Greek: Νικόλαος, Nikolaos, “victory of the people”) for his sainty life. On the Julian Calendar, the feast falls on December 19.
As a faithful bishop St. Nicholas was revered as a saint even before his death because of his great holiness and tender care of his flock. He is most honored in the East, especially in Russia. Throughout the world many churches are named for him, more than for any other saint.
Nicholas lived in the fourth century and was Bishop of Myra in Lycia, which is now a part of Turkey. His birth date is unknown, but December 6th (345 or 352 A.D.) is the generally agreed upon date of his death and it is this date that is celebrated as a religious as well as a secular holiday in many countries. Following the death of his parent’s it is said that Nicholas used his inheritance to help those in need. His acts of kindness and mercy were legendary and he became known throughout Christendom as a saintly man. Continue reading →

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