St. Nicholas

Feast Day: December 6th
Patron of: Bakers and Pawnbrokers

At a young age, Nicholas’ deeply religious parents died in an epidemic leaving him with a large inheritance. He obeyed Jesus’ words, “Sell what you have and give your money to the poor,” using all of it to assist the needy, the sick and the suffering. As Bishop of Myra he became known for many great deeds. In one instance, a bag of gold mysteriously
appeared in the house of a family who was struggling to provide a proper dowry for their daughters’ marriages. When thrown through the window by Nicholas, it landed in the family‘s shoes that were set by the fire to dry. Hence, the tradition of Christmas stockings
and sitting out shoes on the eve of St. Nicholas’ feast day.