Saint Nicholas

6 DECEMBER 2016. Not a myth nor legend, St. Nicholas was a priest in Asia Minor (today Turkey) who was renowned for meeting the earthly and spiritual needs of his flock. We hang stockings today because of the earliest stories of St. Nicholas, who always wished to help those in need in a way so  that they did not know from whom the help had come. This was done out of humility, and the earliest stories relate to us that St. Nicholas placed gold coins in stockings hung out to dry so that those who received the help would not believe themselves indebted to the Church.

How can the renown of one bishop from the third century still have an impact on us today? Because kindness is always in demand. St. Nicholas, when it was found out what he was doing, only asked for prayers in return for his gifts. Are kindness and prayerfulness the way we celebrate Christmas today?