dj c-los
12-16-2003, 02:54 PM
The last paragraph describes "Black Peter."
This was a topic on the radio today.
Anyone ever heard of this? You can do a search on an internet search engine and it comes up.
The Roots of Santa Claus
Although there are no historical documents available to verify a "real" Santa Claus, according to tradition, a boy named
Nicholas was born between 255 and 257 A.D. in the ancient Lycian seaport city of Patara. Nicholas' family was wealthy, and he
traveled throughout Palestine and Egypt. Nicholas' parents died while he was fairly young, and left him very wealthy. Nicholas
was a very religious and devoted man, and he decided that the best use of his money was to share it with others.
Many stories have been told about Nicholas, but one of the most famous is that as a young man, he heard about an honorable
family with three daughters. Unfortunately, this family was poor. In those times, a girl who did not have a dowry would be
unable to marry, and Nicholas heard that the father was going to have to send his daughters to a "brothel" to become
prostitutes. When Nicholas heard of this terrible problem and the plight that the girls were in, he made up his mind to help the
family. Legend tells us that as each girl reached the age when she needed her dowry, that Nicholas tossed a bag of gold
through the family's window during the cover of night. Each bag was just right to pay for the dowry of the girl!
Nicholas was appointed as bishop of Myra; however, he was soon imprisoned by the Roman Emperor Diocletian who
persecuted Christians. When Constantine the Great became Emperor, he released Nicholas. Nicholas had a reputation for
being very generous and very kind, and was known for coming to the aid of people in need. Stories were told of Nicholas
saving sailors lost in storms, rescuing children and giving gifts to the poor. When Nicholas died, he was buried in his church of
Myra. Many miracles were attributed to Nicholas, and he was soon designated as Saint Nicholas.
The Legend Grows
During the middle ages, thousands of churches were dedicated to St. Nicholas. His legend was told everywhere, and St.
Nicholas became an extremely popular story among liturgical plays. St. Nicholas' was famous throughout Europe and the
stories told about him were always as a "bringer of gifts."
An anonymous Greek wrote in the tenth century that, "the West as well as the East acclaims and glorifies him. Wherever there
are people, in the country and the town, in the villages, in the isles, in the furthest parts of the earth, his name is revered and
churches are built in his honor. Images of him are set up, panegyrics preached and festivals celebrated. All Christians, young
and old, men and women, boys and girls, reverence his memory and call upon his protection. And his favors, which know no
limit of time and continue from age to age, are poured out over all the earth; the Scythians know them, as do the Indians and
the barbarians, the Africans as well as the Italians." (Catholic Online Saints)
The feast day of Saint Nicholas was December 6th, but after the Reformation, German Protestants celebrated the Christkindl
(Christ Child) on his feast day, December 25th. Although the Christ Child was very revered, people did not want to give up
such a popular hero as St. Nicholas. We now celebrate the Christ child and St. Nicholas together on December 25th. Because
the information regarding St. Nicholas was mostly undocumented and is largely through tradition rather than known facts,
"Saint" Nicholas was dropped from the official Roman Catholic calendar in 1969. However, he remains a favorite among many
Catholic Christians.
Saint Nicholas remained popular in Europe throughout the centuries. He was known by a variety of names including Sankt
Nikolaus in Germany and Sanct Herr Nicholaas or Sinter Klaas in Holland. Often the stories of Saint Nicholas included stories
of him riding through the sky on a horse. He was said to wear bishop robes and was accompanied by an elf named "Black
Peter." Black Peter's job was to "whip naughty children." (Encarta)
This was a topic on the radio today.
Anyone ever heard of this? You can do a search on an internet search engine and it comes up.
The Roots of Santa Claus
Although there are no historical documents available to verify a "real" Santa Claus, according to tradition, a boy named
Nicholas was born between 255 and 257 A.D. in the ancient Lycian seaport city of Patara. Nicholas' family was wealthy, and he
traveled throughout Palestine and Egypt. Nicholas' parents died while he was fairly young, and left him very wealthy. Nicholas
was a very religious and devoted man, and he decided that the best use of his money was to share it with others.
Many stories have been told about Nicholas, but one of the most famous is that as a young man, he heard about an honorable
family with three daughters. Unfortunately, this family was poor. In those times, a girl who did not have a dowry would be
unable to marry, and Nicholas heard that the father was going to have to send his daughters to a "brothel" to become
prostitutes. When Nicholas heard of this terrible problem and the plight that the girls were in, he made up his mind to help the
family. Legend tells us that as each girl reached the age when she needed her dowry, that Nicholas tossed a bag of gold
through the family's window during the cover of night. Each bag was just right to pay for the dowry of the girl!
Nicholas was appointed as bishop of Myra; however, he was soon imprisoned by the Roman Emperor Diocletian who
persecuted Christians. When Constantine the Great became Emperor, he released Nicholas. Nicholas had a reputation for
being very generous and very kind, and was known for coming to the aid of people in need. Stories were told of Nicholas
saving sailors lost in storms, rescuing children and giving gifts to the poor. When Nicholas died, he was buried in his church of
Myra. Many miracles were attributed to Nicholas, and he was soon designated as Saint Nicholas.
The Legend Grows
During the middle ages, thousands of churches were dedicated to St. Nicholas. His legend was told everywhere, and St.
Nicholas became an extremely popular story among liturgical plays. St. Nicholas' was famous throughout Europe and the
stories told about him were always as a "bringer of gifts."
An anonymous Greek wrote in the tenth century that, "the West as well as the East acclaims and glorifies him. Wherever there
are people, in the country and the town, in the villages, in the isles, in the furthest parts of the earth, his name is revered and
churches are built in his honor. Images of him are set up, panegyrics preached and festivals celebrated. All Christians, young
and old, men and women, boys and girls, reverence his memory and call upon his protection. And his favors, which know no
limit of time and continue from age to age, are poured out over all the earth; the Scythians know them, as do the Indians and
the barbarians, the Africans as well as the Italians." (Catholic Online Saints)
The feast day of Saint Nicholas was December 6th, but after the Reformation, German Protestants celebrated the Christkindl
(Christ Child) on his feast day, December 25th. Although the Christ Child was very revered, people did not want to give up
such a popular hero as St. Nicholas. We now celebrate the Christ child and St. Nicholas together on December 25th. Because
the information regarding St. Nicholas was mostly undocumented and is largely through tradition rather than known facts,
"Saint" Nicholas was dropped from the official Roman Catholic calendar in 1969. However, he remains a favorite among many
Catholic Christians.
Saint Nicholas remained popular in Europe throughout the centuries. He was known by a variety of names including Sankt
Nikolaus in Germany and Sanct Herr Nicholaas or Sinter Klaas in Holland. Often the stories of Saint Nicholas included stories
of him riding through the sky on a horse. He was said to wear bishop robes and was accompanied by an elf named "Black
Peter." Black Peter's job was to "whip naughty children." (Encarta)