St. Nicholas: Fact or Fiction?

December 6 is St. Nicholas Day, but what do we really know about the historical St. Nicholas, and how did he become “Santa Claus”? In this class, you will learn about the man behind the legend. We will marvel at the beautiful frescoes illustrating the main events of his life and view photos of the ruins of the church at Myra in Turkey, where Nicholas served as bishop until his death in 326 CE. WE will learn about another church dedicated to St. Nicholas on the aptly named “St. Nicholas Island,” not far from Myra. Here, archaeologists believe, St. Nicholas was originally buried before his bones were removed to Myra and eventually “rescued” by sailors and taken to Bari, Italy, where they remain today in the crypt of the St. Nicholas Church.