Who is Santa Claus?

Saint Nicholas Myra or Saint Nicholas of Bari (also known as Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker) is a devout christian who was born on March 15, 270 in Patara, Roman Empire. When his parents died, he used his inheritance to help the poor and sick. Then he was ordained a priest by his uncle who was bishop, and later he became the bishop.

One of the popular stories of Saint Nicholas is when he helps a poor father has three daughters who wants to sell them as a servant because they were unable to marry due to their poor status. Saint Nicholas secretly helped the poor family by going under cover at night and threw a purse of gold through the open window of the house. Then the father immediately arranged a marriage of his first daughter. And after the wedding, Saint Nicholas threw another purse of Gold and the father immediately arranged a wedding for his second daughter. The father, wants to know the kind person who helped them by staying awake in two nights until he caught Saint Nicholas doing the same act of charity towards the third daughter. The father fell on his knees and thanking Saint Nicholas. But the saint ordered him not to tell anyone. These secret gift-giving is the base of the popular secret gift-giving of Santa Claus to the children when they were asleep.

Legend says that Saint Nicholas was also a great opponent of Arianism as he is one of the bishops who attend the Council of Nicaea and signed the Nicene creed.
As the Santa Claus character is more popular than Saint Nicholas, let us remember this Saint, pray to him especially this season of Christmas.

Saint Nicholas of Myra, pray for us!

Source:

https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/saint-nicholas

https://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=8459,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas