The little girl in the foreground, for instance, has a bucket full of treats. St. Nicholas, also called Nicholas of Bari or Nicholas of Myra, (flourished 4th century, Myra, Lycia, Asia Minor [near modern Demre, Turkey]; feast day December 6), one of the most popular minor saints commemorated in the Eastern and Western churches and now traditionally associated with the festival of … The Feast of Saint Nicholas (Dutch: Het Sint-Nicolaasfeest, c. 1665–1668), is a painting by Dutch master Jan Steen, which can now be found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.It measures 82 x 70.5 cm. St Nicholas’s Day was celebrated in all social classes, including the imperial family: at Court gifts were distributed in the evening of the 5 December, and on 6 December the imperial family attended mass at the Convent of St Nicholas on Vienna’s Singerstrasse, later dissolved by Joseph II. St. Nicholas is one of the most popular of all the saints. The picture, painted in the chaotic Jan Steen "style," depicts a family at home on December 5, the night celebrated in the Netherlands as the Feast of Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas. The feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6 for western Christian countries while in the east, the holiday is observed on December 19. But he left behind no writings: the legends surrounding his life are all we have. During his lifetime, he lived his life as a servant of God. The feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated around the world in various cultures. Saint Nicholas’ Story. St. Nicholas was thankful too, and that’s why at Christmastime we try to be just like him. And why is he associated with Christmas? That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. In many countries, children await anxiously for the … The weather outside is cold and dark, but on the feast of St. Nicholas, everything turns cheerful. St. Nicholas Day, feast day (December 6) of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra. The feast of St. Nicholas, bishop, falls on December 6, at the beginning of Advent. Nicholas’s remains, from the beginning, were observed to exude a sweet-smelling oil, or myrrh, called “Saint Nicholas Manna.” The Dutch continued to celebrate the feast day of Saint Nicholas, December 6. Through his kindness, caring and generosity to all, he became known throughout the world. St. Nicholas is revered in both the Eastern and Western Church and was well known as a saint, long before Saints were officially approved by … Children in families who celebrate St Nicholas' Day receive treats - including candy, cookies, small toys, or fruit - in stockings, socks, shoes or bags on December 6. St. Nicholas Day Around the World. St. Nicholas is the Saint better known as "Santa Claus" (Sinterklaas in the Dutch whence "Santa Claus" comes). Our own family tradition is a hybrid of several cultural traditions related to St. Nick. He is the patron saint of Russia and the special protector of children. One of the oldest stories tells of the townspeople of Myra celebrating the good saint on the eve of St. Nicholas' feast day. This is how some cultures around the world remember this day: Shen’Kollë in Greece If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. He was also a fierce advocate for those who had been unjustly condemned. Celebrate St Nicholas' Day. The feast of St Nicholas takes place in December. In England, there are hundreds of churches named after him. Some countries celebrate St. Nicholas Day on … His image in America has been mixed up with a lot of traits and imagery from sources as disparate as the poetry of Clement Moore, pagan Norse mythology, and American advertising. Good children receive gifts from the saint. It remains a popular tradition and for children, receiving presents on Saint Nicholas Day is still a bigger event than Christmas. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of multiple diverse groups including children. Sailors, claiming St. Nicholas as patron, carried stories of his favor and protection far and wide. As his popularity spread during the Middle Ages, he became the patron saint of Apulia (Italy), Sicily, Greece, and Lorraine (France), and many cities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands (s ee list). Although traditionally a Catholic holiday, the Feast of St. Nicholas survived in the Protestant Netherlands, although in a secularized form to be celebrated by all. Bari, Italy, celebrates a feast May 9 of each year, as it has since 1087, celebrating the transfer of Nicholas’s remains to Saint Nicholas Cathedral there. Nicholas Day is held on December 6th, the day in which St. Nicholas, the Bishop Nicholas of Myra, died. St. Nicholas of Myra, (280-343 AD), whose feast we celebrate today, is a wonderful example of keeping focused on the Lord. Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia is famed as a great saint pleasing unto God.