SAN NICOLA IN UK AND USA SPARKS ENORMOUS INTEREST

By The Revd Canon Dr J Rosenthal

2007 was a remarkable year for St Nicholas in his appearances in places where English is spoken. The Cathedral in Canterbury was overflowing with people as the saint made his way down the aisle flanked by the Archbishop of Canterbury (as close to pope we get as Anglicans) and the Bishop of Dover. Other festivals were met with great exuberance in London's Sloane Square, the parish at the Tower of London, Durham Cathedral, St Nicholas Anglican Cathedral, Newcastle and more. These are all Anglican churches, the Roman Catholics seem uninterested in restoring the tradition.

St Nicholas made a return visit to a large parish in Philadelphia, but first made his first visit to New York with great expectation. The warmth of the reception was generous and real. Walking from St Thomas Episcopal Church on Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center with its huge Christmas tree and ice-skating attracted hundreds of well wishers. I gave talks to the Church Club at fashionable St James Church, Madison Avenue and spoke to Dutch St Nicholas Society at the Harvard Club. Smiles, applause, and great enthusiasm marked all of the above events. Chicago has a large Roman Catholic Bari based community who observe the May fest with authentic processions and the taking of the statue on Lake Michigan.

The recognition of the essence of the real San Nicola is becoming very popular, once people realise just whom San Nicola is and how his tradition is so important. What is needed are more books, cards, ornaments and images of the saint that people can buy and keep out as symbolic of the true Santa. If only a large American company would take the risk.

The three images of the one saint also causes some confusion, but the additional symbols often heal that problem, such as the three golden balls or the children in the pickle barrel. The austere Bari image is radically different from the Netherlands (USA/UK as well) Sinterklaas bishop and both are different from the Orthodox classic icon image. Bari should have more of the "Western" image evident. The St Nicholas Society donated an original artwork of the western bishop image that we hope has been placed somewhere noticeable for the western visitors. The Bari clergy are very welcoming to the Anglicans who come, but a public symbol, as with the Orthodox, who often are very prominent, is much needed.

Purists may say Nicholas' feast in December has little to do with Christmas, but history shows, that, through the name rendered in Holland of Sinterklaas, Santa Claus became the new focus and thus the feast of St Nicholas itself was seen as a gateway to Advent and Christmas. It makes sense in a popular way. and the hope of those of us in English-speaking parts of the world that, not only will devotion and interest in the life of the saint and indeed Myra and Bari will flourish, by that also the need to say goodbye to Santa Claus or at the least restore his rightful name as St Nicholas.

The interest level is so high it sometimes makes me wish I could manage the St Nicholas Society UK/USA fulltime. The USA based website St Nicholas Centre also has sent thousands on the road to recovery the identity of Santa Claus or Father Christmas, with so much information on St Nicholas available that one would need a week to look at every aspect of the
www.stnicholascenter.org extravaganza.

My visits to Myra (Demre Turkey) have been done with mixed emotion. The intolerance to Christianity is deplorable especially in light of the fact that those of strong anti-Christian vigour seemingly have no problem selling rather nice wax icons not only of Nicholas but also Jesus and Mary. The UK/USA tourist/pilgrim loves the church/museum and finds the visit very unique. Little English is heard.

But then the UK/USA person finds Bari itself a strange phenomenon. The quiet old city, though rife with petty crime and pickpockets (I know for fact at least twice), and as I stated the Dominicans are welcoming.

The one very hard fact is that souvenirs at the basilica are gorgeous but also very expensive. Again some less expensive "Western" images could serve the cause for renewal in English speaking places well. The local shops also have some nice items, but the Bari image needs to be mixed with icons and western bishops as well. Please!

Not only is St Nicholas the truly ecumenical saint but he is also a perfect evangelistic saint, as he can draw people into church and prayer as people see him as friendly, accessible and appealing. Some people have very bad feeling re churches of all kinds. San Nicola can be a great help in this difficult situation.

Bari also needs an English speaking presence and some helping of people trying to get from the faraway airport at a reasonable cost.

The tradition of St Nicholas is a gift to the world, the church and beyond. English speaking parts of the world need more support in finding ways to sustain interest and maximise exposure of this true man of God, the one, true and only historic image of what is called Santa (Saint) Claus (Nic-claus).

In 2009 in Advent a new feature length film will premiere in the cinemas all over the world. This is a great opportunity. Will we respond to its challenge? Join St Nicholas Society now...nicholasmyrabari@gmail.com.

© 2009  St Nicholas Society/Rosenthal