Christian Men and Women

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas was a good man and the bishop of Myra (now called Turkey) who lived about 1600 years ago. There are many stories about him helping people. The most famous one is the one in which he helped three girls who were going to be sold into slavery by their father.

In those days when a girl married, her father had to give some money to the bridegroom and his family. This money was called a dowry. Girls without a dowry could not find husbands. Where Nicholas lived there was a man with three daughters but the man had lost all of his money. As he had no dowry he told the girls that he would have to sell them as slaves. When Nicholas heard this he gathered together all of his own money and begged more from people he knew. He filled three bags with coins and went by the house of the man with three daughters. Nicolas did not want people to know what he had done. The young girls were now saved from a life of slavery thanks to the kindness of Saint Nicolas.

Younger children remember the kindness of Saint Nicolas at Christmas time and often he is known as Santa Claus.

The virtues that Saint Nicholas showed throughout his life were Justice, Hope and Love (Charity).