the 4th century Bishop of Myra who, as a nursing infant, fasted on holy days and whose bones were stolen after his death. Instead of a “right jolly old elf,” St. Nicholas is the patron saint ...

There was, indeed, a real Christian bishop who used the same moniker: Nicholas of Myra, also known ... as no surprise that Saint Nicholas is primarily known as the patron saint of children ...

Saint Nicholas was born in Lycia in Asia Minor ... anything historically certain about him except that he was Bishop of Myra in the fourth century. As a young man he is said to have made a ...

Patron of Switzerland; St. Nicholas of Tolentino; and St. Nicholas I, Pope in the 9th century. St. Nicholas, of Myra or Bari is venerated in both the Latin and Greek calendar of Saints on December 6.