Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

#3 Free Preview Chapter 1: Who Is Santa Claus, Really? Note to Children You may have come to the age where some of your friends are telling you that Santa doesn’t exist. You may be perplexed. Let me assure you that I went through this when I was young. I came across an article about the real Santa Claus in a newspaper. I still believe in Santa Claus. In fact, I consider Santa Claus to be a good friend, and so can you. Part of my reason for writing this book is to encourage all children to know the Truth about Santa Claus. Santa Claus is a kind of nickname for a real man – Nicholas of Myra in Lycia. Now, that is quite a mouthful for you, as children. I used to call my grandmother by the name “Granny” since it was too difficult for me to pronounce “grandmother.” This is the same with Santa. If you want to get a better understanding of the reasons why young children, like you, are encouraged to believe these strange stories rather than the Truth, ask your parents to get a copy of the Miracle on 34th Street DVD based upon the 1947 version (if you don’t already have it)! Do people help Santa do his work? Of course, Santa does! In the movie, does Santa give Susan Walker her house? He does, because Santa knows what Susan wants and needs, although her mother does not. Susan’s mother has no idea about a house to make a home. Doris Walker and Fred Gailey grow to love each other and realize that they can purchase Susan’s dream house. Was Santa the main person to fulfill this? Of course, Santa is! Why was Santa’s cane there? How can Santa get around the world so easily? Why not? Miracles happen every day. Santa is alive even though he reposed (a nicer word than “died”). Santa doesn’t require people to assist him, but many people don’t believe in miracles, so they don’t really believe that Santa can do great things for them. Santa can be great friend to you if you will only trust him and learn about him. Finally, as you grow older, you can learn more about the real Santa, Nicholas. You can develop a friendship with Nicholas. Does Santa really live in the North Pole, with elves, and flying reindeer? These were invented to help children understand Santa. Santa lives in heaven and cares about many people, but he loves children. Santa wants the very best for you. You will learn more about his special relationship as you get older. Does Santa wear a red suit and have a wife? Since Americans invented the name Santa Claus and they invented the idea that he comes on Christmas Eve, they couldn’t imagine him wearing anything less than the outfit. They couldn’t imagine Santa not having a wife, so they decided that Santa must have a Mrs. Claus. When I was a boy, there was no Mrs. Claus. The real Santa was an Orthodox bishop (some people use the term “pastor” or “Senior Pastor”) of the Community (or, Ecclesia), so he wore clothes appropriate for his position. Nicholas functioned like a CEO (or an employee in a store). Nicholas is usually observed wearing red. I will use the term CEO throughout the book. If you didn’t understand some of this, don’t worry! When you get older, just look at this again! Just don’t give up on trusting Santa Claus, until you are old enough to know Nicholas! Then, you can learn to be a great CEO following Nicholas’ example. Now back to your parents. Santa Claus? Santa Claus is a real man who lived at one of the most radical times of change in the Roman Empire. This was the period when the capital of the Roman Empire moved from the city of Rome to New Rome, then Constantinople, now called Istanbul. Santa Claus is an Americanization of the Dutch name for Nicholas who is known as the Wonderworker of Myra in the province of Lycia. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra. The word “bishop” can be understood, in terms of enterprises, as a CEO. It is also known by the common name of “bishop.” Nicholas’ fame is justified, since he is an exceptional example of a CEO. His story is verifiable in history. He was a signatory of the First Ecumenical Council, A.D. 325, that took place in Nicaea under the authority of Constantine the Great, Emperor of Rome. Nicholas’ incorrupt relics are contained in Bari, Italy. This means that his body lies in a tomb where his body remains as it was on the day he died. The Orthodox Church has many Saints who have incorrupt relics. I had the honour of seeing the relics of St. John of San Francisco, California, in the Holy Virgin Cathedral. Nicholas is one of the most famous people in the world today. His guidance and example are well known to people throughout the world. We will look at these examples throughout this book. It is truly disappointing that a famous person, such as Nicholas, is so poorly represented through a fictional characterization that fails to even realize how his name has been so Americanized without reference to the real great man. This started in the United States based upon exposure to the recognition of Nicholas by the people of Dutch descent living in New Amsterdam (now New York). Americans were unable, apparently, to pronounce the Dutch name for Nicholas, so it came to be “Santa Claus.” Even though the famous poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” was also known as “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” Nicholas’ name was lost in the United States along with his rich history. Even Canada has been infected by this onslaught of misinformation designed to advertise products for Christmas. Nicholas’ Day is recognized throughout the world on 6th December.