Editing Saint Nicholas (section)

== Veneration and celebrations ==
{{further|Saint Nicholas Day}}
Among Greeks and Italians, Saint Nicholas is a favorite of sailors, [[fishermen]], ships and sailing. As a result, and over time, he has become the patron saint of several cities which maintain [[harbour]]s. In centuries of Greek [[folklore]], Nicholas was seen as "The Lord of the Sea", often described by modern Greek scholars as a kind of Christianized version of [[Poseidon]]. In modern Greece, he is still easily among the most recognizable saints and 6 December finds many cities celebrating their patron saint. He is also the patron saint of all of Greece and particularly of the [[Hellenic Navy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/greece/ |title=Greece |publisher=St. Nicholas Center |access-date=12 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212080429/http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/greece/ |archive-date=12 December 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Pyhän Nikolaoksen katedraali 2.jpg|thumb|Eastern Orthodox [[Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Kuopio|Saint Nicholas Cathedral]] in [[Kuopio, Finland]]]]
In the [[Eastern Orthodox]] Church, Saint Nicholas's memory is celebrated on almost every Thursday of the year (together with the [[Twelve apostles|Apostles]]) with special hymns to him which are found in the liturgical book known as the [[Octoechos (liturgy)|Octoechos]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goroshkova |first1=Natalia |title=ON THE SPECIAL DEDICATIONS OF THE SEVEN DAYS OF THE WEEK: WHEN AND TO WHOM TO PRAY |url=https://orthochristian.com/97364.html |website=OrthoChristian |access-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928212505/https://orthochristian.com/97364.html |archive-date=28 September 2023}}</ref> Soon after the transfer of Saint Nicholas's relics from Myra to Bari, an East Slavic version of his [[Hagiography|Life]] and an account of the transfer of his relics were written by a contemporary to this event.<ref>{{cite web | title=Feasts and Saints, Commemorated on May 9 | publisher=Orthodox Church in America | url=http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101336 | access-date=4 April 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710062655/http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101336 | archive-date=10 July 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Devotional [[akathist]]s and [[Canon (hymnography)|canons]] have been composed in his honour, and are frequently chanted by the faithful as they ask for his [[intercessory prayer|intercession]]. He is mentioned in the [[Liturgy of Preparation]] during the [[Divine Liturgy]] (Eastern Orthodox [[Eucharist]]) and during the [[All-Night Vigil]]. Many Orthodox churches will have his [[icon]], even if they are not named after him. In [[Oriental Orthodoxy]], the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Coptic Church]] observes the Departure of St. Nicholas on 10 Kiahk, or 10 Taḫśaś in Ethiopia, which corresponds to the Julian Calendar's 6 December and Gregorian Calendar's 19 December.<ref name="synaxarium">{{Cite web | title=St. Nicholas the Wonderworker | work=Synaxarium (Lives of Saints) | url=http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/synexarion/nicholas.html | publisher=Coptic Orthodox Church Network | access-date=13 December 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213222622/http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/synexarion/nicholas.html | archive-date=13 December 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="kiahk10">{{Cite web | title=Commemorations for Kiahk 10 | url=http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/4_10.html | publisher=Coptic Orthodox Church Network | access-date=13 December 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231163727/http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/4_10.html | archive-date=31 December 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Nicholas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice celebrated on his [[Saint Nicholas Day|feast day]], 6 December. For those who still observe the [[Julian calendar]] the celebration currently takes place thirteen days later than it happens in the [[Gregorian calendar]] and [[Revised Julian calendar]].<ref name="Carus2002">{{cite book|last=Carus|first=Louise|title=The Real St. Nicholas|date=1 October 2002|publisher=Quest Books|isbn=9780835608138|page=2|quote=In Myra, the traditional St. Nicholas Feast Day is still celebrated on 6 December which many believe to be the anniversary of St Nicholas's death. This day is honored throughout Western Christendom, in lands comprising both Catholic and Protestant communities (in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Saint's feast date is 19 December). On 5 December, the eve of St Nicholas Day, some American boys and girls put their shoes outside their bedroom door and leave a small gift in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon will be there.}}</ref>

In [[Serbia]], the most common [[Slava (tradition)|Slava]] (annual ceremony and veneration of a Serbian family's patron saint) is Saint Nicholas' day celebrated on 19 December.

In [[Monaco]], the [[Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate]] was built from 1874 on the site of St Nicholas's church, founded in 1252. A children's Mass is still held on 6 December in the cathedral.

[[File:De Grey Hours f.57.r St. Nicholas.png|thumb|Saint Nicholas depicted in a 14th-century English [[book of hours]]]]
In late [[England in the Middle Ages|medieval England]], on Saint Nicholas Day parishes held [[Christmastide]] "[[boy bishop]]" celebrations. As part of this celebration, youths performed the functions of priests and bishops, and exercised rule over their elders. Today, Saint Nicholas is still celebrated as a great gift-giver in several Western European and Central European countries. In medieval times, Christian [[nuns]] in Belgium and France began to deposit baskets of food and clothes anonymously at the doorsteps of the needy, which gave rise to the practice of gift giving on Saint Nicholas Day.<ref name="DeeAnn2013">{{cite book |last1=DeeAnn |first1=Mandryk |title=Canadian Christmas Traditions: Festive Recipes and Stories From Coast to Coast |date=15 September 2013 |publisher=James Lorimer & Company |isbn=978-1-4594-0560-8 |page=237 |language=en}}</ref> According to another source, on 6 December every sailor or ex-sailor of the [[Low Countries]] (which at that time was virtually all of the male population) would descend to the harbour towns to participate in a church celebration for their patron saint. On the way back they would stop at one of the various ''Nicholas fairs'' to buy some hard-to-come-by goods, gifts for their loved ones and invariably some little presents for their children. While the real gifts would only be presented at Christmas, the little presents for the children were given right away, courtesy of Saint Nicholas. This and his miracle of him resurrecting the three butchered children made Saint Nicholas a patron saint of children and later students as well.<ref>{{cite book|last1=McKnight|first1=George H.|title=St. Nicholas: His Legend and His Role in the Christmas Celebration and Other Popular Customs|date=1917|publisher=Putnam's|location=New York|isbn=978-1115125055|pages=37–52|url=https://archive.org/stream/stnicholashis00mckn#page/n7/mode/2up|access-date=25 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212100924/http://www.archive.org/stream/stnicholashis00mckn#page/n7/mode/2up|archive-date=12 December 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> The custom of giving gifts on Saint Nicholas Day is popular in various parts of Christendom, with a popular tradition including children placing their shoes in the [[foyer]] for Saint Nicholas to deliver presents therein.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sandford |first1=John |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary German Culture |date=3 April 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-81610-9 |language=en}}</ref>

[[Santa Claus]] evolved from Dutch traditions regarding Saint Nicholas ([[Sinterklaas]]). When the Dutch established the colony of [[New Amsterdam]], they brought the legend and traditions of Sinterklaas with them.<ref>Joe Wheeler & Jim Rosenthal, "St. Nicholas A Closer Look at Christmas", (Chapter 8), Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2005.</ref> Howard G. Hageman, of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, maintains that the tradition of celebrating Sinterklaas in New York existed in the early settlements of the [[Hudson Valley]], although by the early nineteenth century had fallen by the way.<ref>[http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/oct1979/v36-3-bookreview15.htm Theology Overview] Hageman, Howard G., 1979. "Review of ''Saint Nicholas of Myra, Bari, and Manhattan: Biography of a Legend''", ''Theology Today'', Princeton. Princeton Theological Seminary. vol. 36, issue 3 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207061529/http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/oct1979/v36-3-bookreview15.htm |date=7 December 2008 }}</ref> [[St. Nicholas Avenue]] and St. Nicholas Terrace, streets in the [[Harlem, New York City|Harlem]] neighborhood of [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], an area originally settled by Dutch farmers, were named for St. Nicholas of Myra.  The name later was taken for nearby [[St. Nicholas Park]], located at the intersection of St. Nicholas Avenue and 127th Street.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/st-nicholas-park/history |title="St. Nicholas Park", New York City Department of Parks & Recreation |access-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206150446/https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/st-nicholas-park/history |archive-date=6 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Nicholas is honored in the [[Calendar of saints (Lutheran)|calendar of saints]] of the [[Lutheran Church]]es, as well as in [[Calendar of saints (Church of England)|Church of England]] and in the [[Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church)|Episcopal Church]] on 6 December.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celebrating St. Nicholas Day at Home |url=https://blogs.elca.org/worship/3121/ |publisher=[[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] |access-date=22 December 2022 |date=3 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Calendar|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/calendar|access-date=27 March 2021|website=The Church of England|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bEq7DwAAQBAJ |title=Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018 |date=2019-12-17 |publisher=Church Publishing, Inc. |isbn=978-1-64065-235-4 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Eastern Orthodox Feast Days for Saint Nicholas of Myra in Lycia ===

* 9 May – Translation of the relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari, in 1087.<ref>{{cite web |title=Translation of the relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari |url=https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/05/09/101336-translation-of-the-relics-of-saint-nicholas-the-wonderworker-fro |website=Orthodox Church in America |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724154811/https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/05/09/101336-translation-of-the-relics-of-saint-nicholas-the-wonderworker-fro |archive-date=24 July 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 10 May – Passage of the [[relic]]s (sojourn) in 1087 of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker through the island of [[Zakynthos]], while on their way to [[Bari]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ἡ πάροδος τοῦ ἱεροῦ λειψάνου τοῦ Ἁγίου Νικολάου τοῦ Θαυματουργοῦ ἐκ τῆς νήσου Ζακύνθου |url=https://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3094/sxsaintinfo.aspx |website=Synaxaristis |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423022121/https://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3094/sxsaintinfo.aspx |archive-date=23 April 2023 |language=el |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 20 May – Arrival of the relics in Bari.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Service of Matins for Saturday, May 20, 2023 |publisher=Digital Chant Stand of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America |page=7 |url=https://dcs.goarch.org/goa/dcs/p/s/2023/05/20/ma/gr-en/se.m05.d20.ma.pdf |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724160603/https://dcs.goarch.org/goa/dcs/p/s/2023/05/20/ma/gr-en/se.m05.d20.ma.pdf |archive-date=24 July 2023 |language=el, en |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Μετακομιδὴ Τιμίων Λειψάνων Ἁγίου Νικολάου τοῦ Θαυματουργοῦ |url=https://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3291/sxsaintinfo.aspx |website=Synaxaristis |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319091519/https://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3291/sxsaintinfo.aspx |archive-date=19 March 2012 |language=el |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 29 July – Nativity of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nativity of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker |url=https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/07/29/206397-nativity-of-saint-nicholas-the-wonderworker |website=Orthodox Church in America |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724155044/https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/07/29/206397-nativity-of-saint-nicholas-the-wonderworker |archive-date=24 July 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Movable holiday on the Sunday between 16 and 22 August – Synaxis of All Saints of Lefkados.<ref>{{cite web |title=Synaxis of All Saints of Lefkados |url=https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/08/synaxis-of-all-saints-of-lefkados.html |website=Orthodox Christianity Then and Now |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209190715/https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/08/synaxis-of-all-saints-of-lefkados.html |archive-date=9 December 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 22 September – Synaxis of All Saints of Tula (commemoration of the protection of Tula from the invasion of the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray in 1552).<ref>{{cite web |title=Synaxis of the Saints of Tula |url=https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2023/09/22/102702-synaxis-of-the-saints-of-tula |website=Orthodox Church in America |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724154102/https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2023/09/22/102702-synaxis-of-the-saints-of-tula |archive-date=24 July 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 6 December – Commemoration of his death.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia |url=https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/12/06/103484-saint-nicholas-the-wonderworker-archbishop-of-myra-in-lycia |website=Orthodox Church in America |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121041851/https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/12/06/103484-saint-nicholas-the-wonderworker-archbishop-of-myra-in-lycia |archive-date=21 November 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>