Christmas: The Origin of Santa Claus

 

We are going to continue the Christmas theme in today's blog. I am going to be looking at the popular figure of Santa Claus and the facts and myths surrounding him. Some of the names he is best known as is Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, and Father Christmas. Let us briefly look at Santa Claus and see what we can learn. 

The Popular Myth Surrounding Santa Claus 

Whenever the topic of Christmas is brought up, you can be sure Santa Claus will be brought up sooner or later. Especially if little children are around. Santa Claus is often described as being a lovable elf who looks more like someone's bearded grandfather than an actual elf. He is said to have a chubby belly and is dressed in red and white and possesses magical abilities, such as having the ability to go down the chimneys of people's homes. He also flies around on a sleigh hooked up to eight flying raindeer that he uses to deliver all his gifts to all the children around the world in one night. He also possesses a God like ability to know which children around the world are naughty or nice. This aspect about Santa Claus during Christmas is pagan. However, there really was a historical person who represents a type of Santa Claus. He is known as Saint Nicholas. 

The Story and History of Saint Nicholas 

The story and history of Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was born c270 at Patara, Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It was the site of a Greek colony which became a province of the Roman Empire. He was the son of wealthy Christian parents whose names were Theophanes and Nonna. The parents of Nicholas died when he was young and he was raised by an uncle, also called Nicholas, who was the bishop of Patara. Nicholas lived in Patara a Roman province under the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian (r.284-305). Emperor Diocletian mounted some of the fiercest persecutions of the early Church especially in the East of the Empire. Nicholas had become a priest but during this dangerous time for Christians he also worked on the family's fishing fleet. The persecution of Christians eased in 311 when the general edict of toleration was issued. Nicholas became the Bishop of Myra and spoke out against the pagan gods of the Romans in favor of Christianity. He went as far as initiating the destruction of the Temple of Artemis.[1] 

The legend of the Patron Saint St. Nicholas 

Meanings, definition and origins - a patron is considered to be a defender of a specific group of people or of a nation. There is a patron for virtually every cause, profession or special interest. Prayers are considered more likely to be answered by asking a patron for intercession on their behalf. Saint Nicholas is the patron of serfdom and of Russia. Because he protected the weak against the strong, the oppressed against the oppressor, the poor against the rich; of travellers, sailors, and merchants, because he on several occasions allayed a tempest at sea when invoked by the mariners; of poor maidens, because, out of compassion for a distressed nobleman about to sacrifice his three daughters to a life of infamy, he cast three purses of gold through his chamber window under cover of night, to enable the girls to marry honourably; of boys, especially scholars, from the astounding miracle related in the legend, to the effect that he restored to life three school-boys whom a wicked innkeeper had murdered and salted in a tub; of parish clerks, because of scholars, who were formerly styled clerks; and of thieves, for having once prevailed upon a gang of robbers to restore their plunder. In the Middle Ages robbers and thieves always called themselves Knights or Clerks of St. Nicholas.[2]

(To be Continued...)

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[1] Author Unknown, Saint Nicholas: Commonly Identified with Santa Claus, pgs. 1-2.

[2] Author Unknown, Saint Nicholas: Commonly Identified with Santa Claus, pgs. 2.