Today, December 6th is a special day for me — Saint Nicholas Day! But this is a child’s holiday you may scream! Right you’re.
Christian children would polish their boots the night before St. Nicholas Day and put them outside their rooms. Next morning, St Nicholas came leaving them filled with cookies, candies and toys.
Where does this cute tradition originate? It was the third-century priest Nicholas of Myra who lived in what is today modern Demre, Turkey. As his story goes he threw coins of gold into a sack through window into house each night for three nights so in order to rescue three girls from being forced into prostitution. Today the sack is called stockings and the candy represents the cold coins.
I have traveled to Demre where St. Nicholas lived. The old christian church in Demre induced a feeling of awe and peace inside me. St. Nicholas was born nearby, on the what is today Patara beach. One of the most beautiful beaches I have even seen.
And lastly, I lived in the Ukrainian town of Nikolaev. This shipbuilder town was named after our same 3rd century priest because he is also the patron saint of sailors.
Happy St. Nicholas Day.
