Saint Nicholas, a third century saint whose Latin name, Sanctus Nicolaus, gradually became Santa Claus, remains on the church calendar. But Catholics are no longer obliged to honor him on his special day—Dec.6. There isn't any Santa Claus—and that's official.
In 2016 the Italian Episcopal Conference decreed that the memorial of St. Nicholas would henceforth be obligatory, no longer optional, for Italian Catholics. So, not to worry. Good Saint Nicholas is properly called a saint and, for all Christians, it is right and good to celebrate his feast day.
In Roman Catholic iconography, Saint Nicholas is depicted as a bishop, wearing the insignia of this dignity: a bishop's vestments, a mitre and a crozier.
6 December is Saint Nicholas Day, better known as Nikolaus in Germany. While the day may not receive the full religious celebration it does in Southern Germany and other traditionally Catholic regions, children across Europe look forward to this day each year.
The Real Santa: What You Didn’t Know About Saint Nicholas
Why do Catholics celebrate St. Nick?
It is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to Saint Nicholas' reputation as a bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of church services. In the European countries of Germany and Poland, boys have traditionally dressed as bishops and begged alms for the poor.
Nicholas (December 6) involves the bishop “visiting” the homes of children. In some places, someone dressed up as St. Nicholas would examine the children about their faith; more commonly today, children leave their shoes or socks out on the eve of the feast day so that St. Nicholas can fill them with treats overnight.
What's the difference between Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus?
Nicholas told the story of Christ and peace, goodwill toward all—the hope-filled Christmas message. Santa Claus encourages consumption; St. Nicholas encourages compassion.
Christmas is a major holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Catholics, Protestants, and some Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25; some Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 6.
The popular conception of Santa Claus originates from folklore traditions surrounding the 4th-century Christian bishop Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas became renowned for his reported generosity and secret gift-giving.
According to researchers, Saint Nicholas is based on two different men named Nicholas - one was Bishop Nicholas of Myra from what is now southern Turkey, who lived in the 4th century; the other was another bishop named Nicholas who also lived in this region in the 6th century - in Sion, not far from modern-day Antalya.
The Church of St Nicholas, located in the north-western corner of Prague's Old Town Square, is an imposing Baroque place of worship built between 1732 and 1737, during the period of the restoration of Catholicism in the Czech region after the Thirty Years' War.
Saint Nicholas, who is known worldwide as Santa Claus, was born in the ancient Lycian city of Patara, an important city on the Mediterranean coast of Türkiye. Around 300 AD, during a prosperous era for Patara, a rich wheat merchant had a son and named him Nicholas.
Nicholas was a real man. He was a bishop, living in the 3rd century, in what's now modern-day Turkey. Professor Adam English of Campbell University in North Carolina pieced together the life of St. Nicholas in his new book, The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra.
According to the St. Nicholas Center, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated in many Catholic churches, as well as Orthodox and Episcopal churches. However, the holiday is not exclusive to those religions.
The tradition of receiving small gifts from St. Nicholas began with Dutch children, who put out their shoes the night before so St. Nicholas could leave gifts in them.
Whether kids leave out shoes or stockings, many of the St. Nick offerings are the same: candy, ornaments, small toys and fruit. Sometimes the gifts are more unique. Funk remembers receiving a Pac-Man coin purse in his shoe.
In France the story is told of three small children, wandering in their play until lost, lured, and captured by an evil butcher. St. Nicholas appears and appeals to God to return them to life and to their families.
While it's not celebrated nationwide, St. Nicholas Day holds a special place for German and Dutch communities across the U.S. Festivities and traditions are held in various cities, including in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Milwaukee.
What does Saint Nicholas have to do with Christmas?
He became the patron saint of numerous countries, cities and groups, and especially of children. Because of this special relationship, tradition developed that he gave gifts to children on the eve of his feast day, December 6.
No, he isn't mentioned in the bible. Saint Nicholas was born circa CE280 in Patara, Lycia, an area that is part of present-day Turkey. He later served as the Christian bishop of Myra, a city that is now called Demre. The cult of Saint Nicholas started as early as the fourth century.
