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St. Nicholas of Myra

Feast 12-06

Patron of

About

Nicholas was born around 270 in Patara, in the Roman province of Lycia, in present-day Turkey. Orphaned young and left a fortune, he used his inheritance to help the poor. The most famous story tells how he secretly provided dowries for three impoverished sisters by throwing bags of gold through their window at night, saving them from slavery.

Nicholas became bishop of Myra and was imprisoned during the persecution of Diocletian. He attended the Council of Nicaea in 325, where, according to tradition, he struck the heretic Arius in his zeal for orthodoxy. He was also credited with calming storms at sea and saving sailors, and with rescuing three innocent men from execution.

He died on December 6, around 343, and his relics were later taken to Bari, Italy. His secret gift-giving made him the model for Santa Claus, and he remains the patron of children, sailors, and many cities and nations.

children, kids, child, childhood, little ones, youngsters, pediatric, childrens health, school age, toddlers, babies, sailors, sailor, seafarers, seamen, navy, mariners, sailing, seamen and sailors, merchant marine, nautical, ship crews

Suggested prayer

O God, who moved St. Nicholas of Myra to throw bags of gold through a window at night to save three sisters from slavery, grant through his intercession that children and sailors may be protected, and that we may be generous with what we have. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sources

Other saints to pray to

For children

For sailors