December 6^th--The Feast of Saint Nicholas--Svaty Mikulás in Czech

What is the tradition in the Czech lands?

St Nicholas Coming Down from Heave
Czech Postcard
St Nicholas Center Collection

St Nicholas with Angel and Devil
1937 Czech Postcard
St Nicholas Center Collection

On the eve of his feast day (that is the evening of December 5th), St. Nicholas visits children in their homes with his entourage of the devil and an angel. Traditionally, he quizzed children on the prayer-book and the Bible. Today's questions are mostly about the previous year's behavior. The angel writes each child's record in a large book. Children sing or say a poem to the saint. The devil rattles his chains, threatening to carry bad children off, but the angel protects the children. There can be more devils than only one.  St. Nicholas is clothed in a long robe and holding a staff. He is often depicted as a Bishop in white and gold wearing a miter which is a special tall pointed hat worn by a bishop. He also carries a crosier which is a hooked staff carried by a bishop that represents a shepherd's staff. The devil has a chain or bell and a sack. He has horns and a long, red tongue. His animal-like appearance is furthered by a shaggy black fur coat and other essential devilish accessories. The angel is dressed in white, she has wings and a gold star on her forehead.

The good children receive stockings filled with tangerines, nuts, chocolates, and small gifts. It is said that bad children get old potatoes or coal in theirs. Parents and other relatives also give a St. Nicholas gift, which may be hidden so children must hunt to find it.

In many cases gift giving on both Saint Nicholas Day (mostly candy in the shoes) and Christmas (traditionally in the form of small practical notions like pens) were consolidated. However, many others still celebrating Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th.

Saint Nicholas and Companions in Cornhill,  Texas--December 6th, 1915.

Photo reprinted from the 2003 Calendar of the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center.

Original photo submitted by Mary Jo Rebecek

Was there ever a real Saint Nicholas?

Yes, St. Nicholas of Myra, who is also called Nicholas of Bari.

Extensive legends about the life and deeds of St. Nicholas have been passed down in a wide variety of forms. According to them, Nicholas was born around the year 250 or 260 A.D. in the town of Patara in southwest of Asia Minor, to a family of wealthy and devout Christians. After the death of his parents, he gave everything away to the poor. With the gratitude of his home town, Nicholas then chose to leave for the Holy Land. On his way back from Palestine, Nicholas was named a bishop in the town of Myra. Previously, before Nicholas arrived, an angel had appeared in Myra and declared that the first man who entered the church on the morning of the second day would be named to the bishopric.

At first, Nicholas suffered for his Christian beliefs, because Christians were being persecuted by the ruling of Emperor Diocletsian. Nicholas was imprisoned and spent a period in exile on pain of death. Not until Emperor Constantine in 313 was the practice of Christianity permitted. Nicholas then returned home, where he became famous as a bishop for his zealous defense and advancing of Christianity. His other holy deeds include his assistance to sailors and fishermen who fell into the sea in distress, his resurrection of three wrongfully condemned soldiers and murdered men. Nicholas also ensured the people had enough food in times of famine when he miraculously multiplied the grain so they had enough bread, and he defended widows, children and all those persecuted and mistreated.

Before his death, Nicholas visited the Holy Father in Rome, and on his return journey stayed for some time in Bari, southern Italy, to where his remains were later transferred. He died at about the age of 90 and was buried in Myra. Miracles occurred even after his death; two springs with therapeutic properties sprang from his grave. Nicholas was helpful after his death not only to faithful Christians, but to those who hadn't accepted Christ and turned to him in distress for help.

The cult of St. Nicholas began spreading in the 6th century, when he was perceived as a defender of Christians against non-believers. The cult made its way to Europe through the travels of merchants and pilgrimages to the Holy Land. The cult was brought to Northern European cities by Norman sailors. Northern France had become the best-known center of culture in Western Europe, and there Nicholas was the patron saint of pupils, first in monasteries and then soon after in secular schools as well. The image of Nicholas - bishop, patron and protector - spread from France eastwards, and at the same time north over the Alps from Italy, so that by the 12th century it had also taken hold in Germany. From there it spread to Central Europe and by the 15th century had spread throughout all of Europe. The cult of Saint Nicholas became a fixture of the Greek, Orthodox and Latin Churches.

In the Czech Republic, 124 churches have been consecrated to him, among the most famous and most significant being the St. Nicholas cathedral in the Mala Strana section of Prague, which is one of the most priceless of all Czech baroque buildings.

The Cathedral  of Saint Nicolas, Prague, CR

What is the most famous tale associated with Saint Nicholas?

Even before the young Nicholas had become a priest, a repeated deed of generosity symbolically characterized the beloved Saint. As the legend goes, the generous deed was bestowed upon a widowed nobleman who lived in the same town as Nicholas and his parents. The nobleman, once wealthy, but now without a penny, found himself desperate and unable to take care of his three teenage daughters.

To support himself and his two youngest daughters, the one-time nobleman conspired with an evil woman who agreed to buy and sell his oldest daughter into slavery or 'ill repute.' Hearing of the poor man's plight, the young Nicholas tied three hundred florins into a handkerchief, resembling a small, round sack. One evening, after dark, Nicholas secretly threw the small, round sack of gold coins through an open window in the poor man's house. Then as quietly as he came, young Nicholas hurried away from the house and into the shadows of the night.

The next morning, when the gold coins were found, the poor man and his daughters blessed their anonymous 'gift-giver', and used the money as a dowry so that his oldest girl could be married. Their household was able to survive for a time, but soon the poor man and his daughters were again in financial straits. With nowhere else to turn, the man again colluded with the evil woman who agreed to buy and sell his now oldest daughter. However, before this could happen, the young Nicholas heard of the poor man’s struggle, and again threw a second small, round sack of gold coins through an open window in the man's house, silently disappearing into the dark of night.

The next morning, the gold coins were found, and the poor man and his two daughters blessed their mysterious gift-giver, because the now oldest daughter could be married using the money as her dowry. The poor man and his last remaining daughter survived well enough for a while, but after time passed they found themselves once again in desperate need, and the man returned to the evil woman who agreed to buy and sell his last remaining daughter. Hearing of the poor man's desperation, young Nicholas again came secretly to the man's house and threw a third small, round sack of gold coins through an open window. This time however, the man spotted Nicholas trying to make his silent getaway.

When the man caught up to him, he told Nicholas, "If you had not saved us in time, our family would have been destroyed, materially and morally." A modest and noble man, Nicholas was much too humble to accept such praise, and said, "Please, do not tell anyone of this deed as long as I live." The man agreed, and not until the death of Saint Nicholas did he ever tell a single soul.

Sources:

The Saint Nicholas Center

Radio Prague