NICHOLAS, SAINT ( A highly popu lar saint cif the Roman Catholic Church, rever enced with still greater devotion by the Rus sian Church. Of his personal history hardly anything is known with certainty. He is said to have been Bishop of Myra in Lyeia and to have taken part in the Council of Nic:pa. With more probability, however, he is referred to a later date, but he certainly lived prior to the reign of Justinian, in whose time several of the churches of Constantinople were dedicated to Saint Nicho las. The great popularity of Saint Nicholas rests mainly on the traditions, both in the West and in the East, of the many miracles wrought through his intercession. Ile is regarded in Catholic countries as the special patron of the young, and partienlarly of scholar.: also parish clerks. travelers• sailors, and pawnbrokers. As his protection was implored against robbers, these persons came to be called 'Clerks of Saint Nicho las.' In England his feast was celehrated in an
cient times with great solemnity in the public schools and elsewhere: the supposed day of hi; death. December 6, is still observed with curious popular ceremonies: in t:erinany. The nearness of his feast to that of I'llristmas ))ay led to the confounding of the two, so that we are told that Santa Klaus. a Dutch of the name Saint Nicholas, gives the presents of Christmas. In art Saint Nicholas is represented as clad in episcopal robe.; and carrying three purse:. three different stories, illustrating the saint'; charity. The supposed relies of Saint Nicholas were Con veyed from the East to Bari, in the Kingdom of Naples. May 9, Itc+7. and in the Russian Church the anniver,:ary of this translation is still ob served is a fest iva I.