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Saint Nicholas — A Faithful Witness | ||||
| Throughout history, many legends about Saint Nicholas have circulated around the world, bringing us the character we know today as Santa Claus. But who was the man behind the fictional character of Santa Claus? Nicholas was born in the third century in the Roman Empire’s province of Lycia in modern Turkiye (Turkey). According to tradition, he was a man full of generosity and conviction. He was born to wealthy parents who left him their fortune when they died. Instead of squandering his inheritance on himself, he used it to help those in need. He even exposed a corrupt government official who hoarded grain to push its price higher. While many have preserved stories of Nicholas’ righteous acts, few know of his sufferings for Christ. Sometime after the Roman emperor Diocletian took power in A.D. 284, he instigated a horrific persecution of Christians. Nicholas was imprisoned for refusing to deny Jesus as God. According to Eusebius’ Church History, an edict ordered all church leaders arrested. Prisons were so full of Christians that there was no room for actual criminals. Diocletian destroyed churches and burned Scriptures, and the killing of Christians became a form of entertainment for the Romans. Diocletian aimed to finish off the church for good, but the courage of believers martyred for their witness had caused many others to place their faith in Christ. Having failed, Diocletian abdicated the throne in A.D. 305. According to one source, he returned home to be a cabbage farmer. Nicholas was released from prison and is believed to have died around A.D. 343, on December 6, a date that is celebrated today as “Saint Nicholas Day” in nations such as Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. You can read or listen to the story of Saint Nicholas in God’s Courageous Gift-Giver for FREE on the VOM App.
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