St. Nicholas
Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, defender of Orthodoxy, and beloved wonderworker known throughout the world.
Saint Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in Patara of Lycia (modern-day Turkey). From his youth, he dedicated himself to God and was known for his extraordinary charity. After the death of his wealthy parents, he distributed his entire inheritance to the poor.
The most famous account of his generosity tells of a poor man with three daughters who could not afford their dowries. On three separate nights, St. Nicholas secretly threw a bag of gold through the man's window — providing for each daughter in turn. This inspired the tradition of gift-giving on his feast day.
As Archbishop of Myra, he suffered imprisonment during the Diocletian persecution and was present at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, where he zealously defended Orthodoxy against the Arian heresy. He fell asleep in the Lord around 343 AD. His holy relics were translated to Bari, Italy, in 1087, where they continue to exude sweet-smelling myrrh. His feast is celebrated on December 6.