By Lubna Abdel-Aziz "Jolly old ," or, as he is affectionately known, good old St Nick, is mystifying. Was he factual, tangible, legitimate, or legendary, fictitious, hypothetical? Like that 8 year-old girl Virginia, who anxiously asked Frank Church, Editor of the New York Sun, in 1897, "if there was really a Santa." We too ask, was there really a ? Both answers are a resounding YES. is now one of the most famous saints in Christendom, largely because of his association with the most beloved symbol of Christmas, Santa Claus. If children were to see St, Nicholas today however, they would hardly believe he was the original Santa. He was neither fat nor jolly, he wore no red suit with white cuffs and collar, and he could and did certainly say a lot more than Ho! Ho! Ho! (Gk for victory of the people) or the original Santa Claus, is the common name for Nicholas, bishop of Myra in the Greek colony Lycia of Anatolia, now Antalya, province of Turkey. Born in the third century in the village of Patara at a time when the region was Hellenistic in culture and outlook, he was the only son of affluent Christian parents. Religious from a very early age, legend has it, that even as an infant he abstained from feeding of his mother's breast, on two days coincidentally observing the canonical fasts of Wednesdays and Fridays. That may be somewhat hard to believe, but it is a fact that he fasted twice weekly from a very early age. Both his parents died during an epidemic when he was still a young boy leaving him an extensive inheritance. Young Nicholas was raised by his uncle, also named Nicholas, bishop of Patara. He tutored the young boy as a reader and later as a presbyter (priest). The young man fully dedicated his life to his religion and gave away his rich inheritance to the needy. The legends about St, Nicholas are more numerous and more incredible than those of his present day impersonator. It is said that on a boat journey to Palestine, he was supposed to have extended his arms to still a violent storm at sea -- the first of his many miracles. He later became, and for good reason, the patron saint of sailors and travellers. Nicholas survived the Christian persecution by the Romans and lived a long a productive life. It is said that upon his return from his pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine, he was elected bishop of Myra. Well beloved by his peers, his charitable activities were exalted far and wide. Nicholas is known to have destroyed several pagan temples, among them the famous temple of Artemis. The date of December the 6th which is the feast day of St. Nicholas is said to have also been the date of the goddess Diana's birthday. Speculation by several historians is that this date was chosen to replace the pagan celebration, as that was the church's tradition of preserving certain "pagan" festivals and Christianising them. This gently swayed new converts from pagan practices. St. Nicholas was listed as a participant in the first council of Nicea and the story goes that, infuriated by the view of Arius, he reached over and slapped him. The council was so shocked they defrocked Nicholas instantly -- but that night several of the bishops had a dream, all the same dream. Christ was handing Nicholas a bible, and the Virgin Mary the omophorion, symbol of the bishop's office. The next day Nicholas was restored to the episcopacy and seated again at the council. The stories of ' courage, holiness, and goodness are endless. He came to the defence of the falsely accused. Emperor Justinian of the Eastern Roman Empire (527-625) so admired this holy man, he built a temple in his honour in Constantinople. The famous story of the dowries of the three daughters of a poor man who could not afford the proper dowries, which meant they would remain unmarried forever and with no employment - probable prostitution would have been their destiny. Nicholas went undercover and threw three purses threw the man's window, one for each daughter filled with gold coins. One version has him drop the purses through the chimney; another is that one of the girl's purses fell into her stocking which she hung up to dry. Chimney? Stocking? Sounds very familiar? After his death people were inspired to give to the poor anonymously. These gifts were somehow associated to good old St Nick. Maybe he was jolly too, and maybe he had a deep kind reassuring chuckle. In 2005 a report of his measurements were sent to a forensic laboratory in England. The report revealed he was barely five feet tall, shorter than an average man of his time, and he had a broken nose. His faith, his heart and his memory however remain intact throughout the ages. An icon in Russia, they sing special hymns to him in his memory every Thursday of the year, to celebrate his sacred deeds. The knowledge that one could go to heaven, even become a saint, just by the way he lived, instead of the way he died, offered consolation for the thousands who did not join the ecrusades, or die in an unusual or cruel manner as many saints did. This made St, Nicholas who died at a ripe old age, a popular saint in every sense of the word -- much more than all his miracles combined. While there may be a conflict or confusion between Protestantism and Catholicism over St, Nicholas, , is celebrated by both sects on a larger or smaller scale, part of the events of every Christmas tradition. In Lebanon St. Nicholas is celebrated by all Christians, Catholic, Greek Orthodox or Armenians. Two kilometres from Bethlehem, Beit Jala's patron saint is , where he spent four years of his life during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In Bari Italy, where he is buried, the Festa di San Nicola is held on 7-8-9 May, patron of young brides who need help before getting married. In most of Eastern Europe, brings gifts to children on December 6th. In the US, cities with strong German influence, celebrate St, Nick's day and children leave their stockings to be filled with goodies on the eve of December 6th. In Holland the primary occasion for gift giving by St. Nicholas is the eve of 6 December with Sinterklass coming to deliver joy for the young. Call him Sinterklass, Sint Nicolas, St. Nicholas, or any other name he is one and the same. St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, both historical, legendary, and/or mythical, he has solid roots in both Eastern and Western Christianity. The metamorphosis of his present physical looks, took centuries of artists, poets and authors, and lots of imagination to reach his present picture. Though some may object to him reduced to nothing but a symbol of materialism, this historic figure has his solid origins, in holy history, inspiring not only Christians, but the whole world by his generosity, nobility and kindness, making children -- as well as adults -- a little happier. If corporate greed takes away the purity and selfless giving of these highest of ideals, then shame on us, not on Sinterklaas, Father Christmas, Papa Noel, or Santa Claus, the product of a unique patron saint of the needy and persecuted -- Jolly old St. Nick. Let them sell their billions of cards, Christmas trees, ornaments, toys, and gadgets. May everyone profit in every way as long as the soul profits as well. It's all part of the Christmas cheer, may it last year after year. If God dies, at least we still have ! Common Russian saying -- Khalil Gibran (1883-1931)
