SAINT NICHOLAS
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Help us, Lord! to find the hidden road
that leads from love to greater love,
From faith to greater faith.
Strengthen us, O Lord!
Screw up our strength to serve Thee with simplicity.- E. Crozier *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~
SAINT NICHOLAS, feastday December 6
Patron saint of children, mariners, poor people, pilgrims
St. Nicolas, [is] a 1948 Christmas cantata, opus 42, by Benjamin Britten, text by Eric Crozier, about the life of the most famous Christmas saint, including the story of the boys pickled in brine. TEXT OF ST. NICOLAS
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Nicolas was born at Patara in Asia Minor and died during the first half of the fourth century, having long served as Bishop of Myra, the capital of his native country Lycia. He is a hero of many popular legends, but few facts of his life are certain.
In 1087 his relics were captured from his tomb at Myra and carried away to the Italian city of Bari, where a new church was built to enshrine them. Here they continued, as at Myra, to work miracles: the shrine, which is said to exude a miraculous, sweet-smelling oil, became a place of pilgrimage from all parts of Europe.
In the Middle Ages four hundred churches were dedicated to his honour in England alone. He is the patron-saint of Russia and Greece, and is universally know to children in his disguise of 'Santa Claus.'
Nicolas was born of wealthy parents. From his babyhood he showed
signs of exceptional grace and refused to feed on canonical fast-days. He was taught by the Church in boyhood and youth, and when his parents died of the plague he gave all his wealth to charity and went in pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Coming back to the city of Myra, he was chosen Bishop according to a revelation made before his arrival, and served this diocese faithfully until his death.
During the persecution of the martyrs (303-311) Nicolas was imprisoned under Diocletian. Later he was one of the three hundred and eighteen Bishops summoned to attend the first great Church Council at Nicaea, where he is said to have disgraced himself, but given great glory to God, by striking the founder of the Arian heresy.
Most legends of Nicolas are concerned with his care of the poor and oppressed, and with his power of appearing from great distances to rescue those who called on him. The three golden balls that he carries in statues and pictures symbolize the purses of gold he secretly gave to rescue three girls of noble family from prostitution.
copyright 1948 in U.S.A. by Boosey & Co. Ltd.
Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced to prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man's window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint's feast. In the English-speaking countries, St. Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus—further expanding the
example of generosity portrayed by this holy bishop. -from Saint-A-Day
Links to historical information about the life St. Nicholas and as patron saint:
St. Nicholas Links -- An EXCELLENT page with many links!
Saint Nicholas- Catholic Saints Online
Saint Nicholas- Lives of the Saints
Books about St. Nicholas
The Life of Saint Nicholas/ as transcribed in pictures and text, R.O. Blechman, 131pp. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1996.
Saint Nicholas: life and legend, Martin Ebon, 119pp., Harper & Row, 1975.
The Legend of St. Nicholas, translated by Refna Wilkin, juvenile, 30pp. illustrated, H.Z. Walck, 1970.
A St. Nicholas Anthology: The Early Years, selected and edited by Burton C. Frye, 439pp. illus., children's liturature collection, Merideth Press, 1969.
St. Nicholas and the Tub, Brian Burland, juvenile, illustrated, Holiday House, 1964.
Fictional autobiograpy of St. Nicholas of Myra: The Confessions of St. Nicholas, by Richard Eads, paperback, 315pp., ISBN: 189365267X, Dec. 99.
ST. NICHOLAS PRAYER
St. Nicholas, patron of children,
may this candycane, shaped like your Bishop's staff,
be a reminder of Advent joy.
Help us prepare for the miracle of the coming of Jesus.
Help us not to be blind to the gifts of getting ready.
Help us be sincere in the greetings we send and receive,
with love and prayer.
Kind St. Nicholas, protect us from shoppers' fatigue,
help us to be kind and generous of heart.
Whereever candy canes are hung, may they bring the bright blessings of
God.
Let them be reminders of the joy of sharing
and our call to be God's peaceful children as we wait for Jesus.
St. Nicholas, pray for us!
AMEN!
Here is a lovely French prayer found on the internet, a prayer for a St. Nicolas Parish somewhere in France. The translation follows.
Prière à Saint Nicolas
O bon saint Nicolas, toi qui fais la joie des enfants,
mets en mon coeur l'esprit d'enfance dont parle l'Evangile
et apprends-moi à semer du bonheur autour de moi.
Toi dont la fête nous prépare à Noël,
ouvre ma foi au mystère du Dieu fait homme.
Toi, l'évèque et le pasteur,
aide-moi à trouver ma place dans l'Eglise.
O bon Saint Nicolas, patron de cette paroisse,
veille sur tous ceux et celles qui viennent en cette église prier Jésus,
ton Seigneur et le leur,
ainsi que sur tous ceux qu'humblement,
aujourd'hui, je te confie.
AMEN.
Prayer to Saint Nicholas
O good Saint Nicholas, you who are the joy of the children,
put in my heart the spirit of childhood, which the Gospel speaks,
and teach me to seed happiness around me.
You, whose feast prepares us for Christmas,
open my faith to the mystery of God made man.
You, bishop and shepherd,
help me to find my place in the Church.
O good Saint Nicholas, patron of this parish,
watch over those who come to this church to pray to Jesus,
your Lord and theirs,
as well as over those who humble [themselves to you],
Today I confide in you.
AMEN.
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