Saint Nicholas of Myra, Bishop & Confessor
S. Nicolai Episcopi et Confessoris
Saint Nicholas, the fourth-century Bishop of Myra, is among the most beloved saints of both East and West, famed for his charity, his defence of the faith, and his protection of the poor.
Saint Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in Lycia, a region of Asia Minor, during the fourth century. Though the details of his life have been much overlaid by later story, his veneration is among the most ancient and widespread in the whole Church, and he has been honoured for sixteen centuries as a model of pastoral charity and of zeal for the true faith.
A shepherd of his people
What the constant tradition of the Church hands down is the memory of a bishop of extraordinary goodness. Saint Nicholas is remembered as the father of the poor, who gave away his goods in secret that the needy might be relieved without shame; from this comes the much-loved account of his providing dowries for three impoverished maidens. He is honoured as a protector of children, of sailors, and of all in distress, and countless churches from the East to the far West have borne his name.
He lived in the age when the Church emerged from the great persecutions, and ancient tradition counts him among the bishops who suffered for the faith before the peace of the Church, and who afterward upheld the divinity of Christ against the Arian heresy. The Roman Martyrology and the long memory of the faithful witness to the honour in which he has always been held.
His witness today
So great was the love of the people for Saint Nicholas that his relics, translated to Bari in Italy in the eleventh century, became one of the chief places of pilgrimage in Christendom. His feast on the sixth of December falls in the season of Advent, and his open-handed charity has made him, in the popular mind of many lands, a herald of Christmas giving. Beneath the affection lies a true saint: a bishop who spent himself for his flock and pointed all things to Christ.
The Collect
O God, who didst adorn blessed Nicholas, thy Bishop, with countless miracles: grant, we beseech thee; that by his merits and prayers we may be delivered from the fires of hell.
Deus, qui beátum Nicoláum Pontíficem innúmeris decorásti miráculis: tríbue, quæsumus; ut ejus méritis et précibus a gehénnæ incéndiis liberémur.
Patronage
He is the patron of children, sailors, and the poor, invoked by many in need; his relics are venerated at Bari in Italy.
In the Modern Calendar
In the modern calendar his feast is observed on 6 December as an optional memorial.
Common Questions
When is the feast of Saint Nicholas?
His feast is kept on 6 December in the calendar of the 1962 Roman Missal, as a Third Class feast during Advent.
Who was Saint Nicholas?
He was the fourth-century Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor, renowned for his charity to the poor and his defence of the orthodox faith. He is one of the most widely venerated saints in both the Eastern and Western Church.
Is Saint Nicholas the same as Santa Claus?
The popular figure of Santa Claus grew out of the memory of Saint Nicholas and his secret generosity to the needy, especially children. Behind the later folklore stands a real bishop and saint whose feast the Church keeps each December.
See where this feast falls in the Church’s year on the liturgical calendar, or find a Traditional Latin Mass near you.
These pages are offered with love for the saints and for all who seek them. If anything here should need correcting, we humbly beg your pardon and ask your help — kindly write to [email protected], and we will mend it as soon as we can.
Receive the coming feasts, Mass times, and reflections from our community — sent with care, never spam.