Cultural Vignette: The Celebration of St. Nikolas Day in German-Speaking Countries

Saint is the common name for of . He was born in Patara, Lycia in the middle of the Third Century. His parents died at an early age and he came to live with his paternal uncle in Myra who introduced him to Christianity. Nicholas entered the monastery of Sion in his hometown and was ordained bishop of Myra around 300. Soon thereafter the severe persecution of Christians led to his arrest in 310. In 325 he attended the 1st council of Nicäa. He died December 6, 326, 345 or 351.

Many wide-spread legends surround the figure of St. Nicholas. One tells us that Nicholas secretly supported a poor family through monetary gifts that he threw through a window into

Nicholas of Myra stockings that hung from a fire place. Nicholas’ good deed prevented that the poor father had to coerce his three daughters into prostitution. Another legend maintains that he came to the rescue of three innocent people who were sentenced to death. Nicholas appeared in the emperor’s dream and asked him for forgiveness. In another version of the same legend, Nicholas courageously grabbed the executor’s sword.

Some more mysterious legends: Three pilgrims departed Ephesus on a boat to return holy oil to Diana’s Temple. While in route on the sea, they encountered a storm. Nicholas came on board, calmed the sea, and navigated the boat into the harbor.

 Three boys who were looking for work fell into the hands of a butcher. The butcher cut them up and put the remains into a salt barrel. When Nicholas heard of the event, he brought the boys back to life.  From the 15th century on, the legend of the wheat traders emerged: During a famine in Myra, Nicholas asked only 100 bushel of

Zusammengestellt und adaptiert von Antje Carlson, Ph.D. 1 wheat that was shipped to Rome. He assured them that through his prayers, none of the wheat would be missing when they arrived. It supposedly came true. Nicholas was able to feed the community for many years and could also dispense seeds.

The cult of St. Nicholas developed more fully about 200 years later in Greece and initially manifested itself in Slavic countries. He became one of the most popular Saints with many legendary narratives, which are evidence of his friendly and helpful character. In the Byzantium tradition Nicholas became one of the most worshiped Russian Saints. In the 6th century Nicholas was worshipped in the Greek Church and the cult moved to Nicholas’ plundered grave Rome by the 8th century and from there spread increasingly over middle and south Europe. Around 980 the first Nicholas Church was built in Brauweiler. Grave plunderers had taken Nicholas’ remains around 1087 but at the end of the 11th century Nicholas was put to rest in Bari. On the debris of the destroyed governor’s palace arose the monumental basilica St. Nicola which Pope Urban II consecrated in 1098. The transfer day is marked with May 8th, a day that Bari celebrates with a big parade. Between the 11th and 16th century more than 2.200 churches have been named after St. Nicholas on this side of the Alpes.

In Germany the Greek Empress Thephanu, who was married to Emperor Otto II, promoted the veneration of Nicholas. Already then the tradition that St. Nicholas gifted children came into existence. The basis was the tradition of the “Bishops’ game” „ludus episcopi puerorum” in monastery schools, where one student could act as a Bishop. This “game” took first place on the “day of the innocent child” but was later changed to St. Nicholas day. Since 1555 Nicholas has been associated as the good father who brings gifts to children. Empress Thephanu Among Orthodox Christians, he is remembered with more reverence and less frivolity.

Children playing the Bishop’s game

Zusammengestellt und adaptiert von Antje Carlson, Ph.D. 2 This historical character was the inspiration for a mythical figure known as Nikolaus in Germany and in the Netherlands and Flanders, which in turn was the inspiration for the myth of . Sinterklaas (a contracted form of Sint ) is a major celebration in the Netherlands. Saint Nicholas is revered by many as the patron saint of seamen, merchants, archers, children, prostitutes, pharmacists, lawyers, pawnbrokers, prisoners, the city of Amsterdam and of Russia. The American and British Santa Claus derives from this festivity, the name 'Santa Claus' being a degeneration of the Dutch word Sinterklaas. Some elements of this part of the Saint Nicholas tradition could be traced back to the Germanic Wodan riding through the sky god Wodan (Odin). The appearance is similar to some portrayals of this god. In the Saint Nicholas tradition in the Netherlands he rides a horse over the rooftops, and this may be derived from Odin's riding through the sky. Also his assistants, the Zwarte Pieten ('Black Peters') may be a remnant of the raven that accompanied Wodan.

The history of the festive Saint Nicholas celebration is complex and reflects conflicts between Protestantism and Catholicism. Since Nicholas was a canonized saint, replaced the festival that had become associated with the Papacy with a "" () celebration on Eve. The Nicholas celebrations still remain a part of tradition among many Protestants, albeit on a much lower scale than Christmas. The Protestant Netherlands, however, retain a much larger Saint Nicholas tradition. Many Catholics, on the other hand, have adopted Luther's Christkind.

In Germany, Nikolaus is usually celebrated on a small scale. Many children put a boot, called Nikolaus- Stiefel, outside their front doors on the night of December 5 to December 6. St. Nicholas fills the boot with gifts, and at the same time checks up on the children to see if they were good. If they were not, they will have charcoal in their boots instead. Sometimes a disguised Nikolaus also visits the children at school or in their homes and asks them if they "have been good" (sometimes ostensibly checking Nikolausstiefel a book for their record), handing out presents on a per- behavior basis. This has become more lenient in recent decades. But for many children, Nikolaus also elicited fear, as he was often accompanied by , who would threaten to beat, or sometimes Chocolate actually eat the children for misbehavior. Nicholas

Zusammengestellt und adaptiert von Antje Carlson, Ph.D. 3 Knecht Rupert or Ruprecht furthermore was equipped with goat legs. In Switzerland, where he is called Samichlaus, he would threaten to put bad children in a sack and take them back to the Black Forest. In other accounts he would throw the sack into the river, drowning the naughty children within. These traditions were implemented more rigidly in Rupert or Ruprecht with St. Nicholas St. Nicholas visiting a classroom and Catholic countries such as Austria. reading from the golden book In highly Catholic regions, the local priest was informed by the parents about their children's behavior and would then personally visit the homes in the traditional Christian garment and threaten them with rod-beatings.

In parts of Austria, Krampusse, whom local tradition says are Nikolaus' helpers (in reality, typically children of poor families), roamed the streets during the festival. They wore masks and dragged chains behind them, even occasionally hurling them towards children in their way. These Krampusläufe ( runs) still exist, although perhaps less violent than in the past. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Mikuláš is often also accompanied by an who acts as a counterbalance to the ominous Knecht Ruprecht (čert). In Slovenia Saint Nikolaus (Miklavž) is accompanied by an angel and a devil (parkelj) corresponding Austrian Krampuss.

Austrian Krampusse with St. Nicholas.

Zusammengestellt und adaptiert von Antje Carlson, Ph.D. 4 Map of Turkey showing the location of ancient Myra, St. Nicholas’ hometown.

Approximate location of Myra / Demre

Sources: http://www.dioezese-linz.at/pfarren/ansfelden/nikolaus.asp http://www.nikolaus-von-myra.de/legenden/index.html www.filzmooser-perchten.at/ http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaus_von_Myra

Zusammengestellt und adaptiert von Antje Carlson, Ph.D. 5