Icon of Saint Nicholas - https://store.ancientfaith.com/saint-nicholas-of-myra-medium-icon/
Saint Nicholas was born in the city of Patara in the region of Lycia. As a fruit of the prayers of his childless parents, Saint Nicholas revealed himself to be holy from birth. Upon giving birth to him, his mother was miraculously healed of her illnesses. He devoted his childhood to studying the scriptures; he would not leave the church during the day and would pray and read during the night. Bishop Nicholas of Patara rejoiced at the faithfulness of his nephew, later elevating him to the priesthood and entrusting him with his flock.
Saint Nicholas served the Lord with all his heart, unceasingly praying, answering questions, and bolstering believers, but he is mainly known for his generosity. One time, there was a rich man in Patara who had lost his fortune and, in an act of desperation, attempted to sell his three daughters' bodies to make money to buy food. Upon hearing the man’s situation and the sin he was about to commit with his daughters, Saint Nicholas secretly visited the man and threw a pile of gold through the window. The man used the gold to arrange a good marriage for one of his daughters and to save the other two. Saint Nicholas would always do generous deeds privately and never for praise and attention. He would even give away his entire inheritance to people experiencing poverty.
Saint Nicholas would be a beacon of generosity and love to the church; while becoming an archbishop, he would remain a great ascetic. He was especially a great blessing to the church of Lycia during the persecution under Emperor Diocletian. The emperor threw many Christians, Saint Nicholas included, into prison for refusing to worship his idols. While in prison, Saint Nicholas strengthened fellow believers throughout the punishment and torture they would receive. Upon Constantine becoming emperor, Saint Nicholas was joyfully returned to the church.
Icon of Saint Nicholas punching Arius - https://katakombe.org/gallery/image/saint-nicholas-of-myra-slapping-arius-at-the-council-of-nica.9YXBk
He was also one of the many saints who attended the council of Nicaea, where he would proclaim the faith against heretics. One of them was Arius, who, in zeal for the Lord, Saint Nicholas would punch in the face. Because of this, he would lose all his titles and be placed under supervision. While under watch, several church fathers would have the same vision of The Lord and Mary returning the gospel to Saint Nicholas. The fathers agreed that this meant his actions were just in the sight of God, and they returned him to his office of bishop, where he would serve faithfully until his death.
His life still impacts us today, with the popular tradition of Santa Claus in the Christmas season, which is based on Saint Nicholas. His generosity inspired others to be generous themselves, giving gifts to the people around them. With Christmas arriving shortly, the life he served serves as an example of what the holiday represents. It’s not about the presents or the lights; it’s about Christ and the example he set for us. Saint Nicholas followed it with his generous heart, providing for people in need and his flock.
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