THE LEGEND OF ST NICHOLAS THE RED SUITED SANTA Part two – Growth and Prohibition

In the eyes of the Catholic church, a saint is a person who’s lived such a holy life that even after death and their ascent to heaven they are still able to help the earth-bound souls.

It was believed that the white bearded St Nicholas clad in his red bishop’s robes continued to help the less fortunate through his gift giving.

So, in the years following his death the St Nicholas legend grew.

 

As Christianity flourished within the Holy Roman Empire so did St Nicholas and by the year 450 many churches in the Eastern provinces of the empire in Asia Minor and Greece were being named to honour him and by the year 800, he was the most popular saint in the Eastern Catholic Church.

 

Such was his growing popularity as a Saint and his high regard amongst Christians that his mortal remains, which had been held in his church in Myra since his death, were stolen by a band of Italian sailors in 1087 A.D. and taken to Italy where they remain to this day, housed in the Basilica de St. Nicola in Bari.

 

The St Nicholas legend spread ever wider around the world and in 13^th century France December sixth became the feast of St Nicholas or Bishop Nicholas Day and as his fame spread north his red bishops robe was replaced by more practical suit of clothes, still red, but trimmed with white fur and his bishops mitre was replaced by red fur trimmed hat.

Then by the end of the 15^th century, St Nicholas was with the exception of Jesus and Mary the most popular religious figure in the Christian world.

 

Even after the protestant reformation when the worship of saints and relics was discouraged the people kept faith with Nicholas.

 

When in the 17^th century the puritan Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector of England, he banned anything about Christmas the might be construed as enjoyable.

He banned any kind of feasting, drinking or dancing he even banned the hanging of holly.

In America, the puritans went further by banning even the mention of St. Nicholas as well as gift-giving, candle-lighting and carol-singing.

But this only served to make people believe in St Nicholas even more.