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Amigos w/ Common Interests
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What Ever Happened...
...to The Real Saint Nick?
Jolly Old St. Nick, Good St. Nick,
St. Nicholas The Wonderworker...
There are many legends about this shy, poor little rich boy. Historians say he was orphaned at an early age when his parents died of the plague in the 4th century in Patara, Turkey. Soon after, Nicholas was sent to live with his uncle, an abbot in a nearby monastery.
Impressed by his uncle's teachings, and determined to live the life of a good man, he vowed to use the money inherited from his wealthy parents to help others. Later he was ordained a priest, and when the bishop of his district died, he was made Bishop of Myra.
An early act of kindness attributed to him was the legendary rescue of three young women from slavery and degradation. Their father had no money for a wedding dowry - and was about to sell them into prostitution - when bags of gold, one for each sister, mysteriously appeared over three successive nights (some legends have St. Nicholas secretly throwing it down the chimney).
In 1087, the bones of St. Nicholas were given a final resting place in Bari, Italy around which the Italians built an entire basilica.
Throughout Europe hundreds of medieval churches were named for him.
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