Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra

You all probably know that “Santa Claus” or “Father Christmas” finds his origins in the legends of Nikolaos, bishop of Myra (a city in ancient Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey). He is commonly thought to have been born in the latter part of the third century (around 270 AD). There’s not much historical certainty about his life–very little, if anything, exists of him in terms of written accounts. However, the fact that by the 500s churches were being named after him, and stories were circulating about his exploits, tells us something of his popularity and reputation.

While we can’t rely on them for historical fact, we can get a picture of this man from these strands of story and legend. The things we know of the history of the period also help us build that picture. Probably the most important fact to bear in mind is that for much of Nikolaos’s early life, Christianity was an illegal, persecuted religion. This situation came to a head during the notorious persecution by the Emperor Diocletian which began around 303, and officially ended with the signing of the Edict of Milan in 313. What does this tell us? First, that if it’s true his parents were rich Christians, they would not have kept this wealth by broadcasting their faith. Nikolaos would have been raised a Christian, but would have grown up under the scrutiny and pressure of the Empire. There were many leaders in the church who, under threat and torture, turned their back on their faith; for Nikolaos and his parents to hold firm says a lot about the strength of their convictions.

It’s possible, therefore, that Nikolaos was not as financially challenged as many of his fellow Christians. The legends speak of his generosity: leaving coins in people’s shoes, throwing money through the window of a house where the parents were about to sell their daughters into prostitution to save them from starvation, and so on. These are consistent with him being of means, but also of his wanting to keep under the Empire’s radar by giving in secret.

Under the Emperor Constantine, Christianity was recognized as a legal religion and the persecution ended. When the biblical doctrine of Christ’s divinity was challenged, Constantine feared the rift in the church would bring disunity to the Empire, so he convened a council of church leaders in Nicea. The year was 325, and it is believed that by this time Nikolaos had been appointed bishop of Myra. Though the accounts of the council don’t mention him, if our timeline is correct, then it is very likely Nikolaos was there. The stories tell of him being a staunch defender of the orthodox position. One even tells of him getting up during the council and slapping Arius for his denial of Christ’s divine status. These are later stories, but again, they are consistent with the character of a man who grew up clinging to his faith, watching fellow Christians give their lives for that same faith, while others succumbed to the pressure of persecution and recanted.

I read that in recent years, Bishop Nikolaos’s bones were exhumed for scientific examination. So far, scientists have determined that he was barely five feet tall, and had a broken nose. These bare facts leave a lot of room for the imagination, especially given the historical context of his life. While many Christians rightly decry the “Santa” of popular culture, let’s not discard the Nikolaos of history in the process. From what we know of this man, Christians the world over should honor him as an example of Christian fidelity, love, and generosity.

Facial reconstruction of Bishop Nikolaos based on his exhumed skull.