In Britain, children call him Father Christmas. In Germany, he is Kriss Kringle. And of course, you know him as a Santa Claus. But do you know that hundreds of years ago, Santa Claus was called by the name 'St. Nicholas'? The true story of Santa Claus begins with Saint Nicholas of Myra. Though he is one of the most popular saints in the Greek as well as the Latin Church, there is scarcely anything historically certain about him except that he was was a fourth century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra. He was born in the fourth century in Patara, Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) Born the only son of wealthy Christian parents Theophanes and Nonna. His mother, Nonna, after giving birth was immediately healed from illness. The newborn infant, while still in the baptismal font, stood on his feet three hours, without support from anyone, thereby honoring the Most Holy Trinity. St Nicholas from his infancy began a life of fasting, and on Wednesdays and Fridays he would not accept milk from his mother until after his parents had finished their evening …show more content…
Nick in jail, but St. Nicholas was a prisoner for Christ. In A.D. 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered that all Christians be persecuted. Those suspected of following the Lord were ordered to sacrifice to pagan gods. Nicholas and thousands of others refused. Christians believed in one god and one god alone, so their conscience would not allow them to obey the Emperor's order. Angered by their stubbornness, Diocletian warned the Christians that they would be imprisoned. The Emperor carried out the threat and St Nicholas who resisted too was also imprisoned. For more than five years, St Nicholas was confined to a small cell. He suffered from cold, hunger, and thirst, but he never wavered in his beliefs. In 313, when Diocletian resigned, and Constantine came to power Nicholas was released, and he returned to his post as Bishop of Myra.