Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,994
Why are we celebrating "St. Nikolas" today...?
Santa Claus is coming on December 6th! But why actually?
The most important thing: Santa Claus really existed. Saint Nicholas was born around the year 280 and died around 350.
It is historically certain that he took part in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 as Bishop of Myra (today: Demre). Nicaea is today's İznik in Turkey...:
To this day, Nicholas is one of the best-known and most popular saints, across all denominations.
In the Orthodox Church, especially in Russia, Nicholas is still one of the outstanding saints.
In the Eastern Church he is called "Savior of the World" or "Angel on Earth"...:
In the western countries, on the other hand, the image of a philanthropic churchman developed, close to the people and full of kindness.
There are numerous - historically unproven - stories about the figure of St. Nicholas. He is said to have used the fortune that his parents allegedly left him to support the needy and saved girls from prostitution...:
Nikolaus is also supposed to save innocent convicts...
... and averted a famine. It is said that a dream persuaded the bishops of the province to elect the respected man to be the chief shepherd of the provincial capital, Myra.
For around 750 years his grave was in the Nikolaus Basilica in Myra, which was dedicated to him...:
Then the city was conquered by Muslims.
When the Muslims also occupied the city of Myra, sailors from the southern Italian town of Bari – where the veneration of the saint has been documented for the previous century – broke open the sarcophagus in St. Nicholas’ Basilica in a coup on May 9, 1087 and brought the relics of the saint to safety in their hometown.
The broken sarcophagus in the basilica is still venerated by many believers today...:
The action and the transfer of the relics to Bari are documented by contemporary sources. And the Basilica of San Nicola in the center of Bari is still an important pilgrimage destination for Christians today...:
There is historical evidence that suggests that some of the saint's relics were brought to Constantinople (Istanbul) as early as the early Middle Ages.
When the later Emperor Otto II married the Byzantine princess Theophanu in 972, she brought part of her marriage to the German Empire.
These remains have been in the Imperial Cathedral in Worms since 1058...:
December 6th - and now we come to today's date - is the alleged death anniversary of Saint Nicholas of Myra. It therefore became a commemoration day - on which small (!) gifts - mostly sweets - are given to each other.
When St. Nicholas appears as a figure on December 6th, he often does not do it alone. Depending on the region, Santa Claus has different companions.
In many parts of Germany, Knecht Ruprecht comes with him - a rather bad-tempered companion who admonishes naughty children or even threatens with a rod...:
In the Netherlands it is the "Zwarte Piet" ("Black Piet") who travels with the "Sinter Klaas". The performers of Piet are mostly white men who paint their faces black...:
And so the Dutch "Sinter Klaas" got caught between the fronts of daily politics!
Because this practice of so-called "blackfacing" is currently being attacked in certain circles in the Netherlands, because they believe it serves racist stereotypes.
However, the critics are receiving increasingly violent "backlash" from other Dutch people who want to stick to the old tradition...:
In Austria and Bavaria, the companion of St. Nicholas is not only unfriendly, he also looks the part. The "Krampus" (or "Barti") is a mystical figure that is usually depicted with fur and horns. Her nature also reminds many of representations of devil figures...:
I wish you all a happy St. Nicholas Day!
https://figure-mad.com/smf2/index.php?action=reporttm;topic=279.37;msg=153292
Santa Claus is coming on December 6th! But why actually?
The most important thing: Santa Claus really existed. Saint Nicholas was born around the year 280 and died around 350.
It is historically certain that he took part in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 as Bishop of Myra (today: Demre). Nicaea is today's İznik in Turkey...:
To this day, Nicholas is one of the best-known and most popular saints, across all denominations.
In the Orthodox Church, especially in Russia, Nicholas is still one of the outstanding saints.
In the Eastern Church he is called "Savior of the World" or "Angel on Earth"...:
In the western countries, on the other hand, the image of a philanthropic churchman developed, close to the people and full of kindness.
There are numerous - historically unproven - stories about the figure of St. Nicholas. He is said to have used the fortune that his parents allegedly left him to support the needy and saved girls from prostitution...:
Nikolaus is also supposed to save innocent convicts...
... and averted a famine. It is said that a dream persuaded the bishops of the province to elect the respected man to be the chief shepherd of the provincial capital, Myra.
For around 750 years his grave was in the Nikolaus Basilica in Myra, which was dedicated to him...:
Then the city was conquered by Muslims.
When the Muslims also occupied the city of Myra, sailors from the southern Italian town of Bari – where the veneration of the saint has been documented for the previous century – broke open the sarcophagus in St. Nicholas’ Basilica in a coup on May 9, 1087 and brought the relics of the saint to safety in their hometown.
The broken sarcophagus in the basilica is still venerated by many believers today...:
The action and the transfer of the relics to Bari are documented by contemporary sources. And the Basilica of San Nicola in the center of Bari is still an important pilgrimage destination for Christians today...:
There is historical evidence that suggests that some of the saint's relics were brought to Constantinople (Istanbul) as early as the early Middle Ages.
When the later Emperor Otto II married the Byzantine princess Theophanu in 972, she brought part of her marriage to the German Empire.
These remains have been in the Imperial Cathedral in Worms since 1058...:
December 6th - and now we come to today's date - is the alleged death anniversary of Saint Nicholas of Myra. It therefore became a commemoration day - on which small (!) gifts - mostly sweets - are given to each other.
When St. Nicholas appears as a figure on December 6th, he often does not do it alone. Depending on the region, Santa Claus has different companions.
In many parts of Germany, Knecht Ruprecht comes with him - a rather bad-tempered companion who admonishes naughty children or even threatens with a rod...:
In the Netherlands it is the "Zwarte Piet" ("Black Piet") who travels with the "Sinter Klaas". The performers of Piet are mostly white men who paint their faces black...:
And so the Dutch "Sinter Klaas" got caught between the fronts of daily politics!
Because this practice of so-called "blackfacing" is currently being attacked in certain circles in the Netherlands, because they believe it serves racist stereotypes.
However, the critics are receiving increasingly violent "backlash" from other Dutch people who want to stick to the old tradition...:
In Austria and Bavaria, the companion of St. Nicholas is not only unfriendly, he also looks the part. The "Krampus" (or "Barti") is a mystical figure that is usually depicted with fur and horns. Her nature also reminds many of representations of devil figures...:
I wish you all a happy St. Nicholas Day!
https://figure-mad.com/smf2/index.php?action=reporttm;topic=279.37;msg=153292
