San Nicola
Saint Nicholas of Myra: the biography of the Saint
Saint Nicholas of Myra is one of the most revered Saints in the whole world. Born in Pàtara, a Greek city in Lycia (now in Turkey), not much is known about his childhood. He was ordained as a priest in the city of Myra and, upon the death of the bishop, was acclaimed by the people themselves. During the persecution of Diocletian, he was imprisoned and exiled, but later freed by Constantine I. It is not certain whether he participated in the Council of Nicaea, but tradition holds that he strongly condemned Arianism. He died on December 6, 343.
The relic of Saint Nicholas
After the death of Saint Nicholas, his relics remained in the Cathedral of Myra until 1087, when the cities of Venice and Bari competed to take possession of the Saint's relics and bring them to the West. Sixty-two sailors from Bari organized a maritime expedition and managed to steal Saint Nicholas' bones, arriving with them in their city. Here they were temporarily entrusted to a Benedictine monastery and later transferred to the crypt of a new church dedicated to the saint, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, which at that time (October 1, 1089) was not yet completed. In reality, the sailors from Bari had overlooked the smaller bones, which were taken in a subsequent expedition by Venetian sailors and are now kept in the church of San Nicolò al Lido.
The tradition of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas of Myra is considered a miraculous Saint, and his figure gave rise to the tradition of Santa Claus. In fact, Saint Nicholas passes on the night between December 5th and 6th bringing gifts to children. The relics of the Saint are preserved in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and the Church of San Nicolò (Venice, Lido).
The cult and the legends
The cult of Saint Nicholas first spread in Anatolia, with pilgrimages to his tomb. Numerous writings in Greek and Latin furthered the veneration of the Saint towards the Byzantine-Slavic world and in the West, starting from Rome and the South (Italy). Saint Nicholas of Myra has been venerated in many parts of the world, especially in Russia, where his cult is widespread. There are many legends about the Saint, such as that he resurrected children or saved sailors during a storm.
Overall, Saint Nicholas of Myra is one of the most beloved Saints of Christianity, and his figure continues to be a source of inspiration for many people around the world, with many traditions and legends that have contributed to his spread and veneration.
