"Happy Saint Nicholas Day!"
December 6th is widely celebrated in Europe as The Feast of Saint Nicholas.
In brief...the history of Saint Nicholas can be traced back to a bishop of the fourth century who was known for his generosity. When his wealthy parents died young, Nicholas used his inheritance to help the ill, the struggling and children in need. He is believed to have died on December 6, 343 and was canonized as a saint within a century. Over time, celebrations and traditions developed to honour his spirit of generosity.
There are many stories and legends about Saint Nicholas. One such story has Saint Nicholas tossing bags of gold through open windows...on one occasion some of the gold pieces landed on the wet shoes and socks drying by the fireplace. That led to the custom of hanging stockings or leaving out shoes for Saint Nicholas to fill with presents. On the eve of his arrival, children would place their clean and polished shoes outside the front door filled with carrots, an apple or hay for Saint Nicholas' donkey.
Share a meal with a friend to celebrate.
Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church was photographed near Drobot, Saskatchewan on December 19, 2019.
Enjoyed reading the history of St. Nicholas and the origins of Christmas stockings. Hadn't heard any previous reference to shoes though.
ReplyDeleteThanks MA. The donkey got his or her share of the spoils on Saint Nicholas Day!
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