Hello everyone and welcome to Saint Study Episode 127 – “St. Nicholas of Myra”
- Thank you for joining us – maybe we can all learn enough today that by the end of the program we will say, “I didn’t know that” (But now I do!)
- What is a saint? A Canonized Saint is someone recognized by the Church as having led a life of great charity & heroic virtue. Their example of how to conquer any sin imaginable is so important that it was worth recognizing these men & women in a significant way. Anyone (canonized or not) whose soul was cleansed in Purgatory and now resides in Heaven is a Saint. It is every Christian’s goal to become a saint.
We always begin our learning by inviting the Holy Spirit to be with us…
- In the Name Of The Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Amen.
- Dear Heavenly Father we ask you to be with us as we hear about the lives of your Saints. We ask that our minds be open and that you may fill us with the knowledge that was so loved by the men and women who lived lives of heroic virtue and great charity. Allow us to understand and emulate these Saints who we now know are in your company. In your name we pray, Amen.
Let’s look at The Saint for this weeks study St. Nicholas of Myra
- Saints Birth, Life-Bio, Death, Feast Day,
  - Born between 260 & 280 AD
  - Born to wealthy Christian parents
  - When he was still a boy his parents died in a plague
  - Nicholas became the heir to his family’s modest fortunes.
  - Nicholas was a good Christian boy who wished to help others.
  - His parents had left him among other valuables, three bars of gold
  - Nicholas came to know of a man who had three daughters but no dowry
  - The man was distraught because they barely had enough to get by with and his daughters were going to sell themselves into servitude
  - One night the man prayed to our Lord to help him feed his family.
  - That night through an open window, Nicholas, knowing the man was too dropped a gold bar into the oldest daughters stocking which was hanging on the mantle to dry.
  - The next morning the man was so excited that God answered his prayers.
  - The oldest daughter now had a dowry and they weren’t going to starve
  - It happened again for the 2^nd daughter and then the 3^rd.
  - According to the sources I read, the man waited near the stocking and discovered St. Nicholas dropping a gold bar into the stocking from the chimney. This is likely where we got Santa Claus and the anonymity and the chimney entrance.
  - Nicholas had become a priest and wanted to be a hermit.
  - God revealed to him in a dream that he should stay with his people in the city and help them.
  - Nicholas still wanted to see the Holy Land and Egypt. He visited there for a while but upon his trip home to Myra, the ship he was riding on was in a terrible storm.
  - All hands except Nicholas thought the ship would surely sink. Nicholas prayed to God for relief from the storm. The storm cleared and they reached their home port. From that point on sailors adopted Nicholas as their patron. “May St. Nicholas have the tiller”
  - Some time passed after Nicholas returned to Myra. One day the Arch Bishop died and the priests had to figure out who was going to be the next bishop. After praying to God to send them another Bishop, It was revealed to them that “The first one to come through the door the next morning would be the new Bishop”
  - This revelation was unknown to Nicholas. As was his way he went to church early every day. Nicholas was the first one to pass and while he was praying, his fellow priests came around him to tell him the good news. After that Nicholas was the new Bishop of Myra.
  - Another miracle given credit to Nicholas was when the crops had failed and the people were starving. Nicholas went to but a load of grain from a man who was preparing to sail his ship to another country.
  - The man explained that he could not sell this grain as another had already purchased it. Nicholas told him he did not need much. Only enough to feed his people.
  - Nicholas promised the merchant that if he would sell him some grain that he could be assured that by the time he reaches his destination that the grain would be restored.
  - When the man reached his destination, Nicholas’ promise was fulfilled. All the grain the man had sold was accounted for.
  - Another tradition passed down tells how St. Nicholas heard of two wrongfully accused men had been condemned to death by a corrupt judge. Nicholas arrived just at the moment the executioner was about to behead the two men. Nicholas was said to have taken the sword from the executioner and warn the judge to change his ways or he would have the wrath of the Bishop of Myra and the Wrath of heaven on him.
  - It was said that Nicholas could also hear the cries of children in serious peril. He rescued children who had fallen in wells or were lost from there parents (Sometimes kidnapped)
  - Nicholas was present at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. He argued successfully for the doctrine on the Trinity.
  - Nicholas spent many days in prison among the thieves and murderers. Nicholas was always released and died an old man on December 6^th, 343 AD. (Or so we think)
  - He was buried in the Cathedral in Myra (Now modern day Demre, Turkey)
  - His feast day is December 6^th. (Advent Saint)
  - The Santa Claus Story
    - The Tie with Santa Claus is mainly from the European immigrants coming to the United States and passing on these stories about St. Nicholas.
    - The name “Santa Claus” is thought to have been morphed from the non English speaking immigrants trying to say St. Nicholas in English. “Snt Nckls.” Almost without vowels.
    - In 1823 A Visit from Saint Nicholas or 'Twas the Night Before Christmas was the first publication of the poem that went on to become an American classic—and produced enduring images of an American St. Nicholas.
    - In 1873 The St. Nicholas Magazine appears. It was an Illustrated Magazine for Girls and Boys that Editor Mary Mapes Dodge named for the children's saint. (Who was the essence of loving and giving). The new magazine offered gifts to children as St. Nicholas did — gifts of fun and learning.
Patronage
- is the patron saint for

Children	Newly engaged couples	Sailors
Wrongly condemned	Murderers & convicts	Russia
Greece	Judges	Pawn Brokers
Paupers	Scholars	Bakers
Travelers

Conclusions – Interesting notes about their life or sainthood
- Saint Nicholas was wonderful man who cared deeply for his people and gave us some of the best examples of charity.
- There was more material about St. Nicholas but remember SaintStudy is not meant to be a all inclusive program about the saint. It was meant to give listeners enough that they will be able to go out on there own with the references listed to find out even more about these amazing people.
- There is plenty about how Santa Claus ties into St. Nicholas I barely touched on. (Find out how Santa Claus became popular around the world)
Preview of next episode
- This episode wraps up Season one. When SaintStudy begins season two we will start with Episode 201 - St. Francis of Paola. The schedule for both seasons is on the web site.
References
- EWTN Television Network
- www.ewtn.com
- http://www.stnicholascenter.org
- www.saints.sqpn.com

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Thanks for listening everyone. We hope you enjoyed hearing about the lives of these Saints.
We’ll see you again soon for season two of SaintStudy!

May The Peace of our Lord

Be always with you…Have a good day!