Saint Nicholas - Ave Maria Hour

Saint Nicholas of Myra was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor during the time of the Roman Empire.

Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, prostitutes, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people, and students in various cities and countries around Europe. His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints, and his legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus ("Saint Nick") through Sinterklaas.

Very little is known about the historical Saint Nicholas. The earliest accounts of his life were written centuries after his death and contain many legendary elaborations. He is said to have been born in the Greek seaport of Patara, Lycia in Asia Minor to wealthy Christian parents. In one of the earliest attested and most famous incidents from his life, he is said to have rescued three girls from being forced into prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights so their father could pay a dowry for each of them. Other early stories tell of him calming a storm at sea, saving three innocent soldiers from wrongful execution, and chopping down a tree possessed by a demon. In his youth, he is said to have made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine. Shortly after his return, he became Bishop of Myra. He was later cast into prison during the persecution of Diocletian, but was released after the accession of Constantine. An early list makes him an attendee at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he is never mentioned in any writings by people who were actually at the council. Late, unsubstantiated legends claim that he was temporarily defrocked and imprisoned during the Council for slapping the heretic Arius. Another famous late legend tells how he resurrected three children, who had been murdered and pickled in brine by a butcher planning to sell them as pork during a famine.

Do you enjoy the variety of Chesterton Radio shows? Please consider supporting us.
http://Patreon.com/ChestertonRadio
Join our family and access Patron-only podcasts

Visit the Chesterton Radio Shop
http://Shop.ChestertonRadio.com

Follow us on Parler
https://parler.com/profile/ChestertonRadio/posts

Follow us on GAB
https://www.gab.com/chestertonradio

Follow us on Twitter
@ChestertonRadio
https://twitter.com/ChestertonRadio

Enjoy our shows anytime!
http://Christmas.ChestertonRadio.com
http://CinnamonBear.ChestertonRadio.com
http://Plays.ChestertonRadio.com
http://Listen.ChestertonRadio.com
http://Player.ChestertonRadio.com
http://Orthodoxy.ChestertonRadio.com
http://EverlastingMan.ChestertonRadio.com
http://Eugenics.ChestertonRadio.com
http://Distributism.ChestertonRadio.com
http://FatherBrown.ChestertonRadio.com