Unfortunately, when it comes to celebrating Christmas and the joyful character of Santa Claus, the that we see of him nowadays is a big difference from his true origins. Now, you might be thinking about the North Pole, his reindeer, elves and a toy workshop for the millions of good little children all around the world.
However, the origins of Santa Claus began on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in a small town called Patara. Called Nicholas, he was born in 270 to wealthy parents, and upon reaching adulthood, he received a large wealth when they died. He also felt the calling for the Christian religion and accepted a position as the bishop of the nearby town of Demre.
Poverty and unhappiness upset him, so he used his newfound wealth to combat it. He dropped bags of gold coins down chimneys, gave nuts and fruit to good children, and often helped to look after the sick and elderly.
Upon his death, his sarcophagus was placed in his church but unfortunately, his fame was spreading worldwide. He was named a Saint and Italian sailors stole his bones to take to Italy with them. Over hundreds of years, his also changed. Adapted by the commercial world to help sell Christmas, the red suit Santa that we see now is nothing like the original Santa Claus.
The jolly, gift-giving figure of Santa Claus is beloved by children around the world. But where did Santa really come from? An exploration of history shows that Santa Claus originated from Saint Nicholas, a Christian bishop born in 270 AD in Patara, located in modern-day Turkey.
The Historical Saint Nicholas
According to legend, Saint Nicholas was born to a wealthy family in the seaport city of Patara, located in the ancient region of Lycia which is in modern-day Turkey. He became the Bishop of Myra, another city in the same region. As a bishop, Nicholas was known for his generosity, such as giving money to poor families to help pay for their daughters’ wedding dowries. After his death, stories of his miracles and acts of kindness spread across the Christian world.
The historical Saint Nicholas lived in a time when Christianity was still a new persecuted religion in the Roman Empire. He was imprisoned during Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of Christians. After Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity Nicholas participated in the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. He staunchly defended orthodox Christian beliefs against the heretic Arius.
According to legend from the 14th century, Nicholas physically struck Arius at the council for denying Christ’s divinity. While entertaining, this story was written long after Nicholas’s time so its accuracy is doubted by modern historians. But it shows how Saint Nicholas was revered for defending Christian orthodoxy.
The Development of Santa Claus
St Nicholas became extremely popular in Greece and Russia. Sailors and fisherman prayed to him since he was associated with miracles at sea. The name Santa Claus comes from the Dutch name for St Nicholas – Sinterklaas.
In the 16th century, Dutch Christians brought Sinterklaas with them to New Amsterdam, later called New York City He delivered gifts on December 5th, the eve of his feast day Over time, Sinterklaas evolved into the figure of Santa Claus. His feast day coincided with Christmas Eve.
Clement Moore’s 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas described Santa as a jolly elf driving a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Cartoonist Thomas Nast’s illustrations in Harper’s Bazaar fleshed out Santa’s visual image. Brands like Coca-Cola and retailers like Macy’s cemented Santa as a bearded plump man in a red suit.
While Santa Claus absorbed influences from different cultures, his origin lies with Saint Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, located in modern-day Turkey. The real St. Nicholas was not a magical elf, but a devout Turkish Christian bishop renowned for his charity.
Tracing Santa Back to Turkey
There is plenty of evidence showing Turkey as the birthplace of the historic Saint Nicholas, who inspired Santa Claus.
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Patara in Lycia was Saint Nicholas’s hometown. It was a prosperous seaport that exported grain and lentils. The Mediterranean climate enabled excellent harvests. Archaeological remains of Patara include the granary where Nicholas’s family stored their grain.
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Nicholas served as Bishop of Myra, another Lycian city. Rock tombs carved into cliffs outside Myra reflect the region’s status in the Roman Empire. The Byzantine Church of St. Nicholas in Myra was built over the tomb of Saint Nicholas.
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In 1087 Italian merchants took St. Nicholas’s relics from Myra without permission and brought them to Bari, Italy. This theft further angered relations between the Roman Catholic West and Greek Orthodox East during the Great Schism.
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Modern archaeological excavations have uncovered St. Nicholas’s sarcophagus in Myra. While his bones are in Bari, the sarcophagus is an important Turkish site honoring St. Nicholas.
From these key pieces of evidence, historians agree Nicholas was born around 270 AD in Patara, Lycia. He lived his entire life in ancient Lycia, in what is now southwestern Turkey. The city of Demre near Myra now has a bronze statue of St. Nicholas and holds annual celebrations in his honor.
Honoring St. Nicholas’s Turkish Heritage
While Santa Claus has become a quintessential part of Christmas celebrations across the world, it is important to honor St. Nicholas’s origins in Turkey. St. Nicholas lived his entire life under Roman rule in ancient Lycian cities along the Mediterranean coast of modern-day Turkey.
Nicholas’s hometown of Patara was a thriving harbor whose ruins can still be explored in Turkey today. As Bishop of Myra, Nicholas was at the forefront of the early Christian church when it was still a persecuted minority religion in the Roman Empire. Nicholas courageously attended the Council of Nicaea to defend orthodox theology, which earned him nearly two millennia of renown.
Santa Claus absorbed pagan and Christian rituals from across Northern Europe and later the United States. But the story began with a generous Turkish bishop performing good works and miracles in the name of Christ. While children may think of Santa as living at the North Pole, history shows Santa Claus truly traces his origin to Turkey.
Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and more..
Unfortunately, when it comes to celebrating Christmas and the joyful character of Santa Claus, the that we see of him nowadays is a big difference from his true origins. Now, you might be thinking about the North Pole, his reindeer, elves and a toy workshop for the millions of good little children all around the world.
However, the origins of Santa Claus began on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in a small town called Patara. Called Nicholas, he was born in 270 to wealthy parents, and upon reaching adulthood, he received a large wealth when they died. He also felt the calling for the Christian religion and accepted a position as the bishop of the nearby town of Demre.
Poverty and unhappiness upset him, so he used his newfound wealth to combat it. He dropped bags of gold coins down chimneys, gave nuts and fruit to good children, and often helped to look after the sick and elderly.
Upon his death, his sarcophagus was placed in his church but unfortunately, his fame was spreading worldwide. He was named a Saint and Italian sailors stole his bones to take to Italy with them. Over hundreds of years, his also changed. Adapted by the commercial world to help sell Christmas, the red suit Santa that we see now is nothing like the original Santa Claus.
Santa Claus is from Turkey? BBC News
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