Nikolaus of Myra

Unpack your sack, St. Nikolaus

I've been well-behaved, as everyone knows.

I am an honest child - you know this for sure -

listening to my Mom, not annoying her.

I never teased my sister all year,

never took her toys nor put her to fear.

Unpack your sack, St. Nikolaus

I've been well-behaved, as everyone knows

I'm nice and kind and early to bed

close my eyes right away. I am a good lad.

And as nice as I was, I will be next year too

Please smile for me and fill my shoe!

German Song translated by Karola Klier

So do German children still sing on December 6, the day Saint Nikolaus form Myra is celebrated.

He was bishop of Myra in Asia Minor, the later Byzantine Empire in the fourth century. Saint Nikolaus (Nikolaoz) is the patron saint of Russia, Croatia, Serbia, as well as of the merchants, sailors, students and kids. Among the most famous legends that are told about him is the one when he saved the three virgin girls: a father had fallen poor and so he could not come up for the dowry for his three daughters to get married. Thus the only way out was to prostitute them. Nikolaus was not a bishop just then, but happened to be a beneficiary heir of valuable property. He got to know about the girls' fate and so at night he secretly threw a piece of gold through the window of every virgin daughter for three consecutive nights. Yet in the third night the father got to know about the benefactor. This legend made Saint Nikolaus one of the most popular saints.

However, celebrating the feast of St. Nikolaus has become a part of German tradition mainly because he is the children's patron saint. Usually the Gospel read on December 6 was the one of The Parable of the Talents (Mat. 25,14-23):

¹⁴"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

¹⁹"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'