Nikolaos, the Greek Bishop of Myra, is said to have died on this day 1664 years ago, at the age of 76. Myra, in the province of Lycia, is mentioned in Acts 25:5 as a place where Paul changed ships on his way to Rome as a prisoner. It is currently known as Demre, a minor town of around 16,000 people in the Antalya Province of Turkey, but in early Christian times Myra was the thriving metropolis of Lycia.
Nikolaos of Myra lived during the time of Constantine, and he died just 9 years after the great emperor. During his lifetime he saw Christianity change from being a persecuted minority sect to an officially approved religion following the Edict of Milan in 313AD. Nikolaos developed a reputation for giving gifts in secret, for example by putting coins in people’s shoes, and as stories and legends about him grew over the years he gradually evolved into the mythical character Santa Claus.
In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas’s Eve is celebrated each year on 5th December with the giving of gifts. Children put their shoes in front of the chimneys in their houses, and the next morning they find small presents in their shoes. The name Sint Nikolaas became abbreviated to Sinterklaas, and hence to our present day Santa Claus. Sinterklaas wears a red bishop’s mitre and a red cape, with white flowing hair and beard, indicating the derivation of the present day Santa Claus costume.