WHO IS SANTA CLAUS?
[Nyerges is an author / lecturer / educator who has written such books as “Extreme Simplicity,” “How to Survive Anywhere,” “Guide to Wild Foods,” and other books. Information about his books and classes is available at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance]
I listened with interest to a radio conversation where a Christian woman complaining that Santa Claus has gained a more prominent role during the Christmas season than the Jesus child. She argued that this was a sign that “we” have allowed secularism – and maybe even paganism – to creep into the Christmas tradition. Really?
So, who is Santa Claus? Isn’t he just a made-up, wholly fictitious jolly man to make us feel happy during the dark of December? Not really. There actually was an historical figure, upon which the modern “Santa Claus” is based.
Nikolas of Myra was an historical 4th century Bishop in the Catholic church of Asia Minor (modern-day Demre, Turkey). Yes, he was a member of the still young Catholic church, and he was a priest! He was born on March 15, 270, in Pataya, Lycia, in Asia Minor, now Turkey. At that time, however, the area was culturally Greek, and was politically a part of the Roman diocese of Asia. He was the only child of wealthy Greek parents, who both died in an epidemic when Nikolas was young. Nikolas (also spelled “Nicholas”) inherited a fortune from his parents, and was then raised by his uncle (also named Nikolas), who was a Bishop of Patara, and who trained young Nikolas into priesthood.
Nikolas was said to be religious from an early age, and he always fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Because of his outspoken beliefs, he was persecuted by the Romans and was imprisoned during the persecution of Diocletian.
In case you never heard of the “persecution of Diocletian” (I hadn’t – I was probably playing hookie that day and missed that history lesson), it was the most severe of the Roman Empire’s persecutions against Christians, simply because they were Christians. It was also known as the “Great Persecution.” In 303, four emperors issued a series of dictatorial laws which essentially did away with any legal rights of Christians. The edicts demanded that the Christians comply with traditional Roman “religious” practices, meaning, giving sacrifices to the various Roman gods. This persecution was severe, but weakest in the British colonies where the Empire had the least sway. It was the most severe in the Eastern provinces, where Nikolas lived.
Nikolas refused to worship the Roman gods, so he was tossed into a prison, where he was reportedly hungry and cold for about 5 years. With the rise of Constantine, the persecutions came to an end in 313. Constantine is known for “Christianizing” the Roman Empire, and re-naming all the Mythraic and so-called “pagan” holidays so they could all now be regarded as Christian holidays. With Constantine in power, Nikolas was released.
Shortly after his return to his homeland in 317 A.D., Nikolas became the Bishop of Myra.
He was later invited to attend the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the famous council where much of the modern dogma of the Catholic church was determined. Nikolas of Myra was one of many bishops to participate in the Council at Constantine’s request. He is listed as the 151st attendee at the Council. There, Nikolas was a staunch anti-Arian. Arius, from Alexandria, held the belief that the “Son of God” did not always exist, but was created by the Father. Of course, no one could “prove” either point, but those are the sorts of things they all debated. Nikolas disagreed with Arius, and defended the then-developing orthodox Christian viewpoint. According to stories told, Nikolas got so angry at Arius that he punched him in the face! Really? Proto-Santa Claus punches a fellow man of the cloth? Wow! That would make an awesome video!
Back in his homeland, Nikolas became known as the generous bishop. Remember, he inherited wealth from his parents, and he would sometimes give gold and other valuables to those that he learned were in need. In one case, it is said that Nikolas tossed a bag of gold coins into a needy family’s yard, anonymously. He was said to be humble, and didn’t want to be seen giving money to people, so he did it secretly. He was so famous for giving such gifts in private when he traveled the countryside, children were told to go to sleep quickly or Nikolas would not come with gifts. This, apparently, is the origin of telling children to go to sleep or that Santa will not come.
In one story, he apparently snuck into the home of a family where the three daughters of a poor man were about to get married. Nikolas put some gold into the stockings which the girls left by the fire to dry. This, apparently, is the origin of hanging up stockings on Christmas eve.
He was also well known for the gifts that he gave to newly married couples during the already-established Christmas season.
Nikolas was a complex man, part of the new Catholic tradition which celebrated the birth of Jesus on the already-observed winter solstice. (Early Judeo-Christians did not celebrate the birth of Jesus, a date that has been lost to history, but historian know that Jesus was definitely not born on December 25).
Nikolas died on December 6, 343, which is to this day known as “Saint Nicholas Day.” Upon his death, he was buried in the cathedral of Myra. He is revered as a saint in most versions of Christianity and is especially honored in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
By the year 450, churches in Greece and Asia Minor were being named in honor of Nikolas. He was officially honored as a saint by the Eastern Catholic Church in 800. December 6 began to be celebrated as Bishop Nicholas Day in France by the 1200s.
As time went on, when ever someone received a mysterious gift, it would be attributed to Saint Nicholas!
The Dutch called Saint Nicholas “Sinterklass,” which is the most likely manner in which the name Saint Nicholas gradually evolved into “Santa Claus.” Along the way, Saint Nicholas was given some of the attributes of Odin, the Norse God, who could travel through the sky and who had a secret home somewhere around the north pole. Come to think of it, even the Superman story borrowed from Odin. Remember how Superman sometimes went to a secret cavern in the Northern coldlands and conversed with his ancestors via ice crystals?
The image continued to evolve over the years, with the Coco Cola company giving the world our modern Santa Claus, a somewhat sanitized and plumper Saint Nicholas with their early 20th century ads. This is when we began to see the fatter bearded man in the red suit.
Today, the man you see in the mall is the condensation of fact and myth, embodying the generosity of one Catholic Bishop, the good will of all who gave gifts in his stead, and bits of the mythology of Odin. Nicholas was not a “pagan,” and he was not a myth. He lived, and he continues to in the hearts and minds of all those who keep him alive.
[Nyerges is an author / lecturer / educator who has written such books as “Extreme Simplicity,” “How to Survive Anywhere,” “Guide to Wild Foods,” and other books. Information about his books and classes is available at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance, or Box 41834, Eagle Rock,CA 90041]
