Fun Facts About Saint Nicholas

Patara is a city located in the Mediterranean Sea region of Turkey. Its name is due to the fact that, according to some legends, it was founded by Patarus, the son of the Roman god Apollo. There, around the year 255, a child was born whom his parents called Nicholas and although his biography has many versions, stories are told about him that coincide in pointing out him as a kind person who used to help others anonymously because his desire was not that they thanked him but collaborated so that their peers could solve economic problems or deficiencies of another nature. Nicholas was a generous soul who was ennobled by anonymity.

He was raised by his parents in the Christian faith, the habit of prayer and generosity. They raised him with a high sense of mercy and he took it so seriously that he distributed to poor children the money that his parents gave him for snacks. In his hometown, he did so many good deeds with those most in need that it was difficult for him to keep his rejection of wealth hidden and everyone began to call him "saint," that is, Saint Nicholas.

One of the stories that praise Nicholas' generosity has to do with an inhabitant of Patara who, through judicious work and sacrifices, managed to gather a great fortune, but, for unknown reasons, he was in economic ruin.

The misfortune affected his three daughters, who were of marriageable age, but a woman without a dowry in the third century could not hope to get a husband to give her a life without financial problems. The only idea their father came up with was to prostitute his daughters secretly. Only then would each gather the money they needed to get to the altar.

Gold Coins From an Unknown Hand

Nicholas, who had become a priest, horrified by the idea that the father would prostitute his daughters, gathered the gold coins so that the oldest of the maidens could marry. Late at night, he went to the door of the unfortunate and left several gold coins in a small cloth bag. Neither his father nor his daughters knew who the giver of the small fortune was. The marriage took place and the same happened with the second marriageable lady.

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After a while, the priest Nicholas, sheltered by the darkness of the night, arrived at the door of the ruined citizen, with the third bag of gold coins for the third daughter's dowry. Bad luck caused the coins to fall to the ground and the homeowner went out to find out the origin of the noise. He saw Nicholas running through the shadows, caught up with him, and, on his knees, thanked him for his generosity. The priest made him swear that he would never reveal the secret.

A Saint Who Did Not Want To Be

Nicholas left Patara because he did not want to be called a saint. He became a bishop and continued to do charitable work without showing his face. Sometime after his death, he was granted sanctity. There were so many stories about his generosity that people, upon receiving an anonymous gift, said "it must have been Saint Nicholas."

The magic of the western world endowed Saint Nicholas with a stout and tender image, made him into a man of advanced age, good-natured and cheerful. His house is green, white and red. He lives at the North Pole making toys all year round. He receives letters from the children, has reindeer that fly and elves that work in his factory. Every Christmas he goes out in his sleigh flies through the air sneaks up chimneys and leaves present unnoticed. You only hear the "Ho, ho, ho" but it is necessary to leave him a glass of milk and cookies to alleviate his fatigue. For hundreds of years he has managed to go unnoticed because, until today, no one has managed to see him.