Visiting Puglia ----- of and

Dr. Law Chi Lim

Puglia is a region of that is located at the “heel” if Italy can be geographically described as a boot. The region comprises around 7,500 sq miles with a population of 4 million. While this is by no mean a big region, you will be surprised to know that half of all olive oils from Italy are in fact produced here. This part of Italy has always been a favourite holiday destination for Italians who flock here in the summer for the warm turquoise sea and sandy beaches. In recent years, foreign visitors, too, are increasingly drawn here to the beaches as well as the sights.

Yes, there are really a lot of sights to be seen because, over the years, numerous people of different cultures have made their marks here. First inhabited since the Paleolithic (aka Stone) Age, it was subsequently colonised by the ancient Greeks who were followed by the Romans. It was part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire until the Normans arrived in 1043. Then the Spaniard came and ruled from 1505 for the next 200 years. The Turks and the Venetians were also here at some time until the unification of Italy in the 1860s. Because of this rich history, this region boasts no less than three UNESCO World Heritage sites and churches that rival Florence (hence its nick name of “Florence of the South). The country-side is dotted with hilltop towns and villages just as pretty as anywhere in Italy. Travellers who have grown weary of the crowds in Tuscany or Campania will find uncrowded sights here with wonderful cuisine to match. Most importantly, everything from accommodation to food here are still relatively cheap compared to that of other tourist destinations in Italy.

But, perhaps the first surprising thing I learn about Puglia on arrival here is how it is connected to Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas

In (the capital of Puglia where most tourist will first set their foot on) , there is a very special called the di San Nicola with immense religious significance among the faithfuls in because this church houses the main of Saint Nicholas .

Tradition has it that Saint Nicholas was a Greek born in the year 270 AD. He subsequently became the of the city of (in modern day southern ). When he died on 6 December 343, he was buried in a church there. Over the ensuing millennium, stories about him spread across Europe, attesting to his miraculous powers and his generosity especially to children. He became patron saint of children, sailors, merchants, and anybody you can think of, in various cities and countries all around Europe. In fact, even up to this day, his images and statues can be found in many churches in North America, Europe and Russian. Anyway, after his death, his remains were buried in a church in Myra and the site became a must-visit for pilgrims. Then in 1087, a group of sailors from the Italian city of Bari went there and “removed” (in spite of vigorous protest from the locals), the major bones of Saint Nicholas’s skeleton from his sarcophagus on the pretext that Asia Minor was then heavily under the influence of the Turks and people feared for the safety of the saint’s remains. Since then, the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari is an important stop over for pilgrims from both Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox faith. In the underground chamber in the Basilica di San Nichola where the bones are housed, there is a small chapel built especially for the pilgrims from the . Interestingly, his relics in Bari are said to exude a miraculous water substance known as “myrrh” with miraculous power which has been extracted yearly on the 9 May (the date of the Translation of the Bones from Myra to Bari). However, because of the decreasing amount (only 50ml these days) in recent years , it has been diluted with holy water to make it accessible to more people who want it. Well, certain scientific explanations have been proposed to explain the phenomenon. But who needs them to spoil such a good story?

Santa Claus

But how come Saint Nicholas is considered to the predecessor of Santa Claus? Well, one of the most beloved story about his generosity described how he rescued three girls of a very poor family from possible prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights. If you think this story sounds familiar, you are absolutely right. Just imagined that it happened around 25 December, and you have it. In fact, Saint Nicholas was widely known as the patron saint of children and in the Netherlands, there is a long tradition there of a legendary figure based on him called Sinterklaas who was the bearer of gifts to children on the eve of St. Nicholas feast day (6 December). That name sounds familiar, right? No wonder. When a large number of Dutch people emigrated to North America (in the early 19th century), they took the tradition along with them, and the name SinterKaas was slowly anglicised to Santa Claus. Initially, celebration of Santa Claus in North America took place on 6 December each year.

In time, due to the concerted efforts of a series of poets and writers (particular those of children’s books), Santa Claus was assigned the task of bringing gifts to children on Christmas Eve. The commercial world grabbed the chance and was largely instrumental in commercialising Christmas as we have all witnessed it. Santa’s image has also been standardised: a fat, kind and grandfather-like old man with a white beard, wearing a red coat with white fur trim. Yes, and he lives in the North Pole and has reindeers pulling his sleigh. And, in a twist of fate, this image was subsequently exported back to Continental Europe in the late 19th century, and the people there also began to celebrate Christmas with a similar legendary figure. In Britain, in particular, the figure of Father Christmas actually first appeared in the 15th century , and the early images were neither chubby nor wearing red . Gradually the image of Father Christmas was merged and standardised with that of Santa Claus from across the Atlantic, and modern dictionaries even consider the two names synonymous.

Well, Merry Christmas, everyone!!!