Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals – murderers, thieves and robbers. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas’ life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman’s father had to offer prospective husbands something of value – a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man’s daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

Other stories tell of Nicholas saving his people from famine, sparing the lives of those innocently accused, and much more. He did many kind and generous deeds in secret, expecting nothing in return. Within a century of his death he was celebrated as a saint.

Sailors, claiming St. Nicholas as patron, carried stories of his favor and protection far and wide. St. Nicholas chapels were built in many seaports. Nicholas was so widely revered that thousands of churches were named for him. Nicholas’ tomb in Myra became a popular place of pilgrimage.

Through the centuries St. Nicholas has continued to be venerated by Catholics and Orthodox and honored by Protestants. By his example of generosity to those in need, especially children, St. Nicholas continues to be a model for the compassionate life.

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas’ feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves. In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint’s horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Hungarian children clean their shoes or boots and put them on the windowsill and wait for Santa Claus to fill them with sweets and presents. But if they haven’t behaved themselves and they are on the naughty list they might not get sweets only thin twigs painted gold and called “virgács”.

Here is a short summary of the story. Can you fill in the gaps in the text?

Nicholas was a (1)…….. man from the village of Patara. He came from a devout (2)………. family. His parents died early. Nicholas used his whole (3)…………… to help the (4) ………, the sick, and the suffering. He was the (5)………. of Myra. He was (6) ………….. and (7) ………….. for his faith. He provided (8) …………. for a poor man’s three daughters with bags of (9) ……… tossed through an open window. That’s where the legend of (10) ……………. originates from. Sailors claim St. Nicholas as (11) ……… . . He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra. The (12)………….. of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th. December 6th is still the main day for (13)…………. and (14)…………….. in much of Europe. Hungarian children put their clean shoes or boots on the (15) ………. and wait for Santa to fill them with sweets and presents.

Key:

1. Greek

2. Christian

3. inheritance

4. needy

5. bishop

6. persecuted

7. exiled

8. dowry

9. gold

10. Santa Claus

11. patron

12. anniversary

13. gift giving

14. merrymaking

15. windowsill

Heartbreaking photos show a sick baby orangutan found dumped in a cardboard box by a British animal charity in Borneo. Gito was left out in the broiling midday sun to die after his cruel owner tired of keeping him as a pet.

The group that saved him, International Animal Rescue, said he was so lifeless when they reached him that, at first, they thought he was dead. “He was lying corpse-like with his arms folded across his chest and this, along with a lack of hair and gray flaking skin, made him look almost mummified in his cardboard coffin,” said Alan Knight, CEO of the charity which runs an orangutan sanctuary in Borneo.

Gito was being kept as a pet by the head of the village of Hamlet Giet, Merawa Village, in Simpang Hulu District, about 100 miles from IAR’s orangutan rehabilitation centre in Ketapang. He had been bought for less than £20 from a man who had almost certainly killed his mother in order to steal and sell her baby. He was kept in a cardboard box sodden with urine and fed entirely on condensed milk. When IAR found him he was severely dehydrated and malnourished.

Gito was in such urgent need of medical attention that the local Forestry allowed the rescue team to rush him to the International Animal Rescue clinic without waiting for a BKSDA official to accompany them. They set off at sunrise by motorbike and arrived back at the IAR centre to find the medical team waiting for the arrival of the sick baby after a torturous nine-hour journey.

Gito, who is only between three and four months old, was put on a drip to rehydrate him and given a thorough medical check up. He was dehydrated, feverish, had stiff hands and feet and was suffering from diarrhoea. Tests also revealed that he was suffering from a highly contagious skin disease that causes intense itching and irritation. Treatment was begun immediately to relieve the condition and the medical team have been massaging coconut oil into Gito’s skin to soothe and soften it.

Alan Knight added: “It’s hard to stomach the shocking state Gito was in when we rescued him. Our team has seen a significant increase in the number of baby orangutans being kept as pets and some of them have only recently been taken from the wild. Gito is in safe hands now and receiving expert treatment and care at our centre in Ketapang. But tragically there are many more like him in desperate need of our help. Forest fires in Ketapang Regency have resulted in an increase in the number of baby orangutans being captured. These helpless animals can and will be rescued – but we urgently need more funding for our work. The public responded magnificently earlier this year when we rescued Budi the baby orangutan and I’m praying for the same generous response once again when people see the sorry state of little Gito and read his story.”

source: Rex Features