Jmj

Today, December 6, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Nicholas of Myra (from Asia Minor [Turkish], abbot, bishop, c. 346)
St. Abraham of Kratia (Syrian, abbot in Bithynia [Turkey], bishop, hermit, died c. 558 in Palestine)
Sts. Aemilianus, Tertus, Dativa, Dionysia, Majoricus, Leontia, and Boniface (African ... a physician, a monk, two women (sisters), a small son of St. Dionysia, and fellow Christians ... martyred [flayed, burned, beaten] by Arian hereics in 484)
St. Asella (Roman, virgin, leader of religious community, c. 406)
St. Gerard (French, Benedictine abbot, d. 1109)
St. Gertrude the Elder (French, widow, abbess, d. 649)
St. Isserninus (Irish, bishop, 5th century)
St. Peter Paschal [Pedro Pascual] (Spanish, Mercedarian priest, tutor to king of Aragon, bishop, opposed Islamic doctrine and hostage-taking, martyred [beheaded] by Muslims in 1300)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron saint -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John


-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 06, 2001

Answers

-- (_@_._), December 06, 2001.

Rejoice! Rejoice! December 6 is the feast day of Saint Nicholas who is more commonly known as “Santa Claus”. In his book the “True Story of Santa Claus” Paul Prokop writes the following:

St. Nicholas lived in the fourth century A.D. and was the Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor. He was well known for his holiness and his generosity to the poor, and also for being a fierce defender of the true Christian faith. He had a great reputation for working miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. Some stories even say that he brought children back to life.

St. Nicholas was imprisoned for preaching Christianity during the persecution carried out by the Roman emperor Diocletian, but was released when Constantine made Christianity legal in the Roman Empire. He was present at the Council of Nicea in 324 A.D., at which he strongly denounced the Arian heresy.

The name of Saint Nicholas has been invoked by many of the faithful for centuries, and he is the patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas was famous for giving gifts, especially to the poor and to those in trouble. It is this reputation that is the source of his association with gift giving at Christmas. Saint Nicholas’s name was transformed by the Dutch to “Sinter Klaas”, and finally to Santa Claus. His feast day is celebrated on December 6.

It is difficult to separate fact from legend regarding the life of Saint Nicholas. But we can be sure of one thing: Saint Nicholas is alive and well and living in the glorious company of the risen Christ, where he enjoys the promise of the resurrection that awaits all those who love the Lord. (End of Story)

Saint Nicholas, pray for us!

Ed

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), December 06, 2001.

Thanks, Ed! JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 06, 2001.

Jmj

On December 6, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints and blesseds whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Nicholas of Myra (from Asia Minor [Turkish], abbot, bishop, c. 346)

St. Abraham of Kratia (Syrian, abbot in Bithynia [Turkey], bishop, hermit, died c. 558 in Palestine)
Sts. Aemilianus, Tertus, Dativa, Dionysia, Majoricus, Leontia, and Boniface (African ... a physician, a monk, two women (sisters), a small son of St. Dionysia, and fellow Christians ... martyred [flayed, burned, beaten] by Arian hereics in 484)
St. Asella of Rome (Italian, virgin, leader of religious community, c. 406)
St. Gerard of Soigny (French, Benedictine abbot, d. 1109)
St. Gertrude the Elder of Hamaye (French, widow, abbess, d. 649)
St. Isserninus (Irish, bishop, 5th century)
St. Peter Pascual of Valencia [Pedro] (Spanish, Mercedarian priest, tutor to king of Aragon, bishop, opposed Islamic doctrine and hostage-taking, martyred [beheaded] by Muslims in 1300)
St. Polychronius (priest, martyred by Arian heretics in 4th century)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints or blesseds and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@Hotmail.com), December 06, 2003.