Mysteries of St. Nicholas

Far from being the jolly St. Nick of popular imagination, the real St. Nicholas, a fourth-century Anatolian bishop, was a miracle worker so renowned that Roman Emperor Theodosius II established his first church just a century after his death. The many accounts of his life, spanning over a thousand years, praise him for his piety and generosity, often shown through secret gift-giving. (Sound familiar?) Due to his many interventions for those in need, he came to be seen as the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, clergy, children, brewers, and many more. The works in his honor, including musical plays, make frequent mention of incidents from his life.