The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.
Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who
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Because of the many wars and attacks in the region, some Christians were concerned that access to the tomb might become difficult. For both the religious and commercial advantages of a major pilgrimage site, the Italian cities of Venice and Bari vied to get the Nicholas relics. In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari succeeded in spiriting away the bones, bringing them to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy. An impressive church was built over St. Nicholas' crypt and many faithful journeyed to honor the saint who had rescued children, prisoners, sailors, famine victims, and many others through his compassion, generosity, and the countless miracles attributed to his intercession. The Nicholas shrine in Bari was one of medieval Europe's great pilgrimage centers and Nicholas became known as "Saint in Bari." To this day pilgrims and tourists visit Bari's great Basilica di San …show more content…
Nicholas' feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves! In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint's horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ
Is Santa truly a secular figure or is he a religious one? This has been a long-standing argument. However, instead of viewing Saint Nick as either secular or religious, it would be more beneficial to examine him as a figure consisting of both religious and secular elements. It is true that the contemporary Santa Claus may be more associated with secular concepts, such as consumerism, but it is also crucial to emphasize the origins of the jolly old man. He is the product of Western Christianization. It is thought that he was created from a combination of the historical figure of Saint Nicholas, a Christian saint, who was known for giving gifts, and the fictional character of Father Christmas from British folklore (CITE). Santa Claus can be viewed
Francis of Assisi is one of the most influential personalities in the entire world. In the book ‘Francis of Assisi: Performing the Gospel Life,’ Cunningham recounts the life of this humble monk who lived in the medieval times, and shaped the Christian life, which spread in Western culture throughout the rest of history. I believe Cunningham accurately accounts for the life of Francis of Assisi, and in doing so; he provides a trajectory of the Christian faith from its early and historical proponents through its fusion with western culture, and its subsequent spread throughout the world.
St. Francis of Assisi was born in Umbria in the year 1182. He was a child every father hoped for, he was filled with life, a determined and courageous individual. He was gifted with rather good looks, qualities that attracted friends and a gift of leadership. His father was an extremely wealthy merchant in Assisi. But this son, his favourite, was the one who broke Peter Bernardone’s heart. The boy turned on his father, and in a vicious event that eventually resulted into a public scene. St. Francis of Assisi stepped away from his father, his business and left his father in a state of immense emotional suffering.
“A wiffin’, sniffin’ gift, especially for you! It’s from Secret santa, bet you can't guess who!... It’s a woman!” Can you imagine a woman saying this? This holiday season at Macy’s Department store in New York City they hired 5 women to play the role of santa. The reason why the women were hired was because there were not enough men to play the role of Santa . Adults got VERY mad when they found out that Santa was being played by a woman. They said that they would never shop there again. i believe that Santa should not be played by a woman.
The story of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss at first glance is nothing more than a story about a grinch and his plan for Christmas, but if you criticize it under a different school of thought like Marxism this story's theme is very different. One way the theme of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” changes when criticized though marxism is the seeing of a class system in the different characters. In this story the Grinch is hated by all the Whos and is seen as the lowest class while the Whos are the upper class ruling over the Grinch. In marxism it’s believed that there will always be conflict between the social class and the oppressed will revolt eventually, and this is exactly what happened with the Grinch trying to steal Christmas.
Saint Nicholas had some significant events happen to him when he was a young that made had have the impact of what he did in his life. Nicholas parents died when he was young and left him a lot of money, which made him a rich man after time. “He lost both of his parents as a young man and reportedly used his inheritance to help the poor and sick.” His uncle took care of Nicholas and raised him after they passed away. Later on St. Nicholas served in Myra as a bishop, Myra is a city now known as Demre.
Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December. In Alpine countries, Saint Nicholas has a devilish companion named Krampus On the preceding evening of 5 December, Krampus Night or ', the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. Sometimes accompanying St Nicholas and sometimes on his own, Krampus visits homes and businesses.
One version of Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) that became more known was the Netherlands’ version known as Sinterklaas. The name Santa Claus comes from the name Sinterklaas. The Dutch tradition states that Sinterklaas lives in Madrid and chooses a different harbor every year so that the children can come and see him.8 He is said to travel with his servants called “Black Peters”. Unlike the legend of Santa Claus described before, Sinterklaas’ servants take the bad children back to Spain for
I invite you to consider the life of an interesting human being with me in this paper. Let us investigate together the man known as Irenaeus of Lyons. We will endeavor to gain an overall verbal portrait of the man who is considered the most significant ecclesiastical witness before Eusebius and the leading theologian in the second century A. D. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church both consider Irenaeus to be one of their “holy saints“. The name Irenaeus means a “‘man of peace,’ and the early Christian historian Eusebius honored Irenaeus as a peacemaker in keeping with his name.”
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966&2000) explains not only the life of the Grinch but the Whos as well. Through the theorists of Karen Horney and Erik Erikson, viewers can learn why the Grinch’s personality is formed. Not only had it formed, but through the years it transformed.
Is it a good idea to tell kids about Santa? Some people believe that telling their children about Santa Claus is a good thing but others disagree. Some people worry about telling their kids Santa is real because they are afraid that they will feel betrayed. Kids that believe in Santa has said to help with their creative development. Parents should allow their children to believe in Santa Claus.
St. Francis of Assisi was considered to be a magnificent man. He had a very appealing way of life that people now know and talk about everyday. When learning many new items and discoveries about St. Francis, I accomplished better knowledge about him. This paper will describe the life of St. Francis in depth talking about his early life, his imprisonment and turning towards God, and his works and teachings.
I sat up wanting to check again. I left the comfort of my warm, soft bed and headed down stairs toward the Christmas Tree. Although I was inside I could still feel the cold of December nipping at my nose. The tree was the very definition of pulchritude; of course nothing was under the deceiving tree. What was I expecting?
Also in the 4th century, a bishop in Turkey who came to be called St. Nicholas was known for good deeds involving children. St. Nicholas is illustrated in medieval and renaissance paintings as a tall, dignified and severe man. His feast day on December 6 was celebrated throughout Europe until about the 16th century. Afterwards, he continued to be known in Protestant Holland.
Jesus and Santa Claus consciously and subconsciously play an enormous role in society. They are seen nearly everywhere, in movies, on billboards, and in ads nearly all year round at any given time. But where did they all come from, and why do they continue to have such a massive impact on people worldwide.