photo credit: tim caynes

For all the legend surrounding Santa Claus and Christmas, it’s surprising that the best story concerning the early Christian saint is forgotten.  Saint Nicholas was a real person. He was the bishop of Myra and defender of young women’s honor and Christian orthodoxy. It’s not only believed that he attended the Council of Nicea in 325 but that he also showed Arius who’s boss with a little fist-in-face action.

At the first Council of Nicea, Nicholas, bishop of Myra, met the arguments of Arius by bestowing upon the jaw of that venerable presbyter such a violent blow that a temporary disuse of that important organ of debate was rendered necessary (Lewis George Janes, A Study of Primitive Christianity, 294).

So when Santa comes to town, a lump of coal should be the least of your worries!