On December 6th, the Universal Western Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra. While St. Nicholas is one of the most well-known and recognized saints, especially in popular culture – i.e. Santa Claus, – he is also an extraordinarily important Christian saint.
St. Nicholas is one of the most influential early saints of the Church and while his name is known, not much more is usually known of him. Earlier on in his life he spent time in the Holy Land and lived close by to where the believed sight of Our Lord’s nativity was. He was connected enough with the area that there is still a Church named for him in the Holy Land in a city still under his patronage. Nicholas’ uncle has also been the Bishop of Myra prior, and when his successor died, the legend states that the priests of the city stated that the next priest to enter the city’s church the next morning would be made the Bishop. Nicholas happened to go early in the morning to pray and so was made the Bishop of Myra.
He also was persecuted and held prisoner by the Emperor Diocletian but was eventually released, notably by Constantine the Great who was the liberator of the early Church. Perhaps most famously there is an apocryphal story of St. Nicholas being present at the first Council of Nicea in 325 and upon hearing the heresies of Bishop Arius, the namesake of the Arianism and the Arian heresy, denying the divinity of Our Lord, slapped or struck him across the face.
On a more positive note, Nicholas was a great friend to the poor and gave as much as he could so that they would benefit. After his parents died when he was a young man, he had all of his inheritance and wealth that they left to him sold and given to the poor. Because of his generosity and gift-giving, it is now customary on his feast day to leave chocolates or other sweets in people’s shoes.
His compassion to the poor, service to the Church, and fidelity to Our Lord and the Faith truly have shown him to be a great saint which is what has led to him being so beloved and venerated still today.
Born and Raised to Jewish parents in New York City, Kai Breskin is a recent convert to the Catholic Faith. A member of the Boston College class of 2026, he is studying Political Science, Philosophy, and History. His intellectual passions include Christian theology, history, and liturgical study. His hobbies include sailing, playing the piano, and singing, with a specific focus in Gregorian Chant.
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