Saint Nicholas: New patron of Chrzanow
“The local council in Chrzanow has accepted the proposal of Mayor Ryszard Kosowski to regard St. Nicholas as the city’s new patron.
“”St. Nicholas has been for centuries the traditional patron of our city. Now, his presence becomes more formal,”” Kosowski said. “”Since the 13th Century this St. has been the patron of the parish in the center of the city. In the future, we want to build a monument beside the church.””
Local authorities plan to restore the historic crest of Chrzanow, on which there is a picture of St. Nicholas. The actual crest was created in 1809 by the authorities of the Duchy of Warsaw. The Duchy was a Polish state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit.
St. Nicholas is one of the most important St.s in all Christian churches, and is important as the patron of sailors, travelers, bakers, merchants and most importantly children.
St. Nicholas was born probably to wealthy parents at Patara in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor. He was chosen bishop of the poor diocese of the capital of Myra in the 4th Century, which he ruled with great care and faith.
He died at Myra in Lycia. By the time of Justinian in the 6th Century, a basilica was built in his honor at Constantinople. From the 9th Century in the East and the 11th Century in the West, he has been one of the most popular saints of Christendom and the subject of many legends.
The most famous legend is about three young girls. Their father, a citizen of Patara, lost his fortune, and because he could not raise dowries for his three daughters, he was nearly forced to give them over to prostitution. When Nicholas heard that, he threw a bag of gold through the window of the man’s house at night.
The eldest girl was married with it as her dowry. Nicholas did the same for each of the other girls. The kindness of St. Nicholas to the three daughters is known as “”The Visit of St. Nicholas.””
In 1822, Clement C. Moore wrote his famous poem, “”A Visit From St. Nicholas.”” It was published as “”The Night Before Christmas.”” The poem is considered the basis for the modern-day image of Santa Claus as a fat, bearded man in a red suit bearing gifts.
Santa Claus in Poland comes down the chimneys each year on the night of Dec. 6. The next morning good girls and boys find gifts left by Santa.
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