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Show ; Santa Claus a Bishop The r.ame of Santa Claus is merely slurring the IHitch San Nicholas-which Nicholas-which is. of course. Saint Nicholas American children are probably the only ones in the world who say it just that way. .Nicholas was an actual person, tie was Bishop of Jlyra, iu I.. vein, Asia Minor, in the first part of t tie fourth century of the Christian era. Lie wa-' the youngest bishop in t lie history ol the church t-'rom the day ot His birth Nicholas revealed his piety and grace He refused mi fast days to take the natural nourishment ot a child. But Nicholas was not a barefoot re cluse vowed to poverty His fathei was a wealthy merchant, and hi riches, inherited hy the magic wand which fairy godfathers wield enabled him to be a dispenser of the good things of life as earthly representative of the Supreme Givet of Gifts. The hankers and brokers wished to j give sanctity and dignity to their busi ness aud also adopted the generous Nicholas us their heavenly protector He Wits, in fact, the most populat saint in the calander. The feast of Saint Nicholas was originally celebrated on December 6 But when church people in the late Middle ages tried to suppress, for one reason or another, the festivities which grew up around the Boy Saint's day the children refused to give him up and gradually his festival was assim ilated with Christmas day. Joht-Macy Joht-Macy In the Bookman. |