Saint Nicolas' Day

Today, 6th December, according the catholic calendar anyway, marks Saint Nicolas' Day (this is also apparently the celebration of Diana's birth, no, not THAT Diana, you poof!). St Nicolas is actually quite an important saint. He is the origin of Santa Claus, the patron saint of children, sailors, fishermen, the falsely accused, pawnbrokers, thieves and many cities too. Traditionally, he is represented with three children in a barrel (his legend says that he resurected them after they had been slaughtered and put there to cure by a butcher).

As such this is my Name Day since I am called after him (and my paternal great-grandfather, I think) "Victory of the Peoples" (Νικόλαος, Nikelaos, Nicolas). In all catholic countries, this is the occasion for some sort of celebration. France's version is quite tame and is limited to sending a greeting card simply wishing "bonne fête" to the person concerned.

The picture in this post (which I shot) represents the remains of a statue of Saint Nicolas in a lovely little church in my parents' village.

Tags: Name Day, Santa Claus, Nicolas, Saint Nicolas, Saint Nicholas, Nicholas.

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