Nicholas, 4th Century Bishop of Myra, visited St. Paul’s on Friday and Sunday. December 6 is the day Christians commemorate St. Nicholas. Nicholas was not attired for making deliveries but instead with his official mitre and crozier, symbols of a Christian bishop. The crozier symbolizes a Bishop’s role as shepherd, helping to gather and guide the flock. A bishop’s flock constitutes many congregations gathered together in fellowship and cooperation. The mitre is a symbol of religious leaders that has evolved going back to the time of Moses and was worn by his brother Aaron. Mitres are a distinctive sign of the bishop and are familiar in churches and on the chess board.
Nicholas is known as “wonder worker”; special patron of children, seafarers, travelers, brewers, and even robbers. Though legends about him abound, St. Nicholas was a real person, the 4th century Bishop of Myra, in present day Turkey, was revered for his charity. According to legend, he was famous for his giving to the poor, and so has become a symbol of anonymous gift-giving.
Nicholas participated in the first great ecumenical council of the church where 300 Bishops gathered at Nicea. The worked together to define their understanding of Jesus and the Trinity and produced the Nicene Creed.
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He visited the preschool children on Friday and spoke at the worship on Sunday.
