It is one of the most popular days in countries like Germany. And it is that none other than Saint Nicholas visits us. But,What is celebrated on Saint Nicholas Day in Germany?? Who was this character? We just want to give you a first clue. And it is that thanks to him, we have a visit from Santa Claus every year. Isn’t it true that this Saint Nicholas must be someone very important? And so much so that he is! Let’s see. And from now on, you will see it with very special eyes. Who knows… maybe you’ll even start to follow him even if you were never much of a Santa fan before.
When is Saint Nicholas celebrated?
Saint Nicholas is a festival that takes place on December 6. It is aimed mainly at children, although this does not mean that older people cannot also be enthusiastic about the coming of Saint Nicholas and all that it represents. And it is that he is not only known in Germany, his country of origin, but also that the whole world pays homage to the Saint. In fact, there are more than two thousand temples in his honor.
Who was Saint Nicholas?
Saint Nicholas was a real character. A 4th-century Catholic bishop who lived in Germanic lands. For the Germans it is Saint Nikolaus. And not only is he in charge of bringing gifts, but many people have blind faith in him and invoke him when they need a favor, especially in case of catastrophes, serious economic crises or, for sailors, shipwrecks. He is an endearing and kind man who wants the well-being of his peers and seeks to contribute to making people happy, leaving gifts and sweets, especially for children.
It is not by chance that this concept of the Saint is held. And it is that in real life, this man distributed his fortune among the poorest people in the place. He did it when his parents died, instead of enjoying his heritage, he decided to share it with those who needed it most. After doing so, he decided to go live in a monastery and lead a humble lifestyle.
He became bishop by chance. Well, after making several trips, including the Holy Land, when they returned to Turkey, they were looking for a successor for the recently deceased bishop. As fate would have it, the decision made was that the next priest who arrived at the temple would take charge. And this was none other than Nicholas.
But it was not for this that he became famous, but he made merits of envelope. For example, it is said that he threw money down the chimney of a poor man who was prostituting his daughters because he had no money to support them or pay their dowry. However, thanks to the kind and anonymous donation of Nicolás, the man was able to get his daughters out of that hell and marry them as God intended.
Saint Nicholas and his link with Spain
We are talking about Saint Nicholas being popular in Germany, but did you know that he is also related to Spain? You are right. And it is that in countries like Holland and Belgium a Saint Nicholas is expected who arrives by ship, coming from Spanish lands. Of course, we do not know for sure why. Perhaps it is simply because the sweets and exotic fruits that the Saint usually brings are identified with warm lands such as the Spanish ones.
The evolution of Saint Nicholas
In Spain we tend to wait more for the Three Wise Men and, in second place, although climbing more and more positions, for Santa Claus. But in other places like Germany, the Saint is greatly admired. First, because he is associated with curious appearances when he has been summoned in dangerous situations on the high seas, which is why sailors hold him in great veneration. Hence he is considered patron saint of sailors.
The Saint was ahead of other characters such as the Witch Befana, whom he left behind on his mission to bring the gifts at Christmas. The only thing that happened is that the famous Protestant reform took place and this modified the tradition in a certain way, because the arrival of Saint Nicholas and the delivery of the gifts changed the date, going from being December 6, to being celebrated on 25, respecting the date attributed to the birth of the Child Jesus.
We all know the fat guy dressed in red from the North Pole, right? You are right. Over time, the figure of Saint Nicholas underwent some evolutions. And the Saint changed his bishop’s miter for the red cap and his bishop’s symbols were eliminated, to make way for the Saint we know today.
Do you know the history and origin of Christmas? Here we tell you: