St Nicholas: 12 facts for Christmas time
NEWCASTLE Cathedral is dedicated to St Nicholas. One of four parish churches in Newcastle, St Nicholas’ Church was the largest and was part of the medieval heart of the old town. It became a Cathedral in 1882.
■1. St Nicholas is a historical figure – a Christian bishop from Myrna (now in Turkey). He is thought to have been born around the year 270 AD (during the time of the Roman Empire).
■2. Across the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St Nicholas’ life and deeds, leading him to be revered as a protector and helper of those of need.
■3. The body of St Nicholas is thought to be in the Church of St Nicholas, Bari, Italy. Many other churches around the world claim to have parts of the saint’s body, including fingers and teeth.
■4. St Nicholas has the most ‘patronages’ of all the saints! He is the patron saint of (amongst many others) : Pharmacists, bakers, bankers, brewers, brides, button-makers, cloth merchants, fire-fighters, fishermen, grocers, children, lawyers, mariners, murderers, newlyweds, perfumers, pilgrims, sailors, soldiers, teachers, travellers and weavers.
■5. One of the legends surrounding St Nicholas tells of him trying to rescue three daughters of a merchant. The merchant was so poor he had to sell his daughters as servants. Instead, St Nicholas threw three bags of gold through the merchant’s window one night to help each daughter. This has given rise to St Nicholas being the patron saint of pawnbrokers, whose symbols are three golden balls (usually hanging outside the shop).
■6. St Nicholas is widely known as the patron saint of children. Many of the legends which are connected to St Nicholas relate to him rescuing children
or secret gift-giving, leaving coins and presents in people’s shoes or stockings.
■7. Dutch settlers in 17th century America took with them the legend of St Nicholas who distributed presents at Christmas. Their ‘Sinterklaas’ eventually became known as Santa Claus.
■8. St Nicholas is also the patron saint of more than 150 towns and cities across the world, including Liverpool, Ghent, Amiens, Galway, Rimini, Aberdeen and Alicante.
■9. Thousands of churches around the world are dedicated to St Nicholas, including over 400 in England, 300 in Belgium and 50 in Rome.
■10. St Nicholas’ Day is December 6 and on the nearest Saturday to this date, Newcastle Cathedral honours its patron saint with a large Patronal Festival, including hymns and prayers acknowledging the life and role of St Nicholas and the work of the Cathedral.
■11. The seal of Newcastle Cathedral which is used for all official occasions (such as the installation of a new Bishop) is an image of a ship – in honour of sailors, who would be protected by St Nicholas as their ships sailed down the River Tyne.
■12. The Cathedral’s unique lantern spire was created in the 1440s and was originally used to house a beacon or fire which would guide ships down the river.