St. Nicholas Church

 
St. Nicholas

St. NICHOLAS

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in Patara, a village in what is now Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

St. Nicholas was buried in a tomb outside the city of Myra (Demre - South of Turkey) over which a chapel was subsequently erected. In the 6C it was replaced by a large church. This church is located in the town of Demre. The building was damaged by the Arab raids then repaired and surrounded with walls by Constantine IX and the Empress Zoë in the 11C. At the end of the 11C Italians from Bari stole the bones of St. Nicholas breaking his sarcophagus and built a famous pilgrimage church over his mortal remains in Bari. Several relics of St. Nicholas such as fragments of his jawbone and skull, are today kept in the Archeological Museum of Antalya.