The Orthodox Christians who follow the old church calendar celebrate the feast of Saint Hierarch Nicolas the Wonderworker on December 19. By tradition, Saint Nicholas leaves treats in the shoes or stockings of children who were obedient, while the naughty children get a rod, IPN reports.
Contacted by IPN, Andrei Prohin, Doctor of History, scientific researcher, ethnographer, vice director of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, said Saint Nicholas lived in the III-IV centuries of our era, during the time of Emperor Constantine the Great. He is one of the most venerated saints of the Christian Church. According to secular tradition, Saint Nicholas is one of the most beloved saints and is considered the protector of sailors, traders and people who are weaker and less protected.
Andrei Prohin noted that the icons representing Saint Nicholas often contain a ship or a small boat in the background. According to Christian tradition, sea is the symbol of earthly life. The life is full of unpredictable moments and dangers similar to the sea, which can be agitated and stormy. That’s why Saint Nicholas is considered the defender of people who go through difficult patches.
According to the scientific researcher, the custom that the children should prepare their shoes or stockings to receive presents, or rods if they were disobedient, the night before Saint Nicholas Day, is newer and comes from Western Europe and the United States, but has folkloric roots. “The practice comes from the miracles that are said to have been worked by Saint Nicholas during his lifetime. The figure of Santa Klaus appeared in a similar way, Klaus being an abbreviation of Nicholas. This expanded gradually to our area,” said the ethnographer.
On December 19, parishioners go to church to attend the morning service, give alms and pray for wellbeing.
