Today is the last vote in the round of 64. Today we see Bishop Nicholas of Myra sparring against Bishop Rudolph of Gubbio.
But let's be honest... How could I not vote for Santa Claus! If you haven't been following Lent Madness you might have missed the write up of the Bishop of Myra. I thought I'd include it here for you (and your child).
"Telling the story of Nicholas presents a unique challenge because of the sheer volume of historical record, legend, facts, and rumors about his life and impact. It is probably impossible to fully untangle the facts from the legends—and perhaps we don’t want to.
The bare facts are these. Nicholas was born in 270 CE to a wealthy Greek Christian family in Asia Minor. Following the loss of his parents, he went on a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine and was likely briefly imprisoned during an outbreak of Christian persecution. On returning from this journey, Nicholas was made the bishop of Myra, and in this role, he likely attended the Council of Nicaea. Nicholas died in 343, and shortly after his death he begins to be venerated for his kindness, generosity, and compassion.
In one of the best-known legends, Nicholas encountered a man with three daughters whose poverty did not allow him to provide them a dowry. Without a dowry, the young women would likely be sold into slavery. And so Nicholas secretly gifted the gold for their dowries—and according to legend, threw the gold through the window whereon it landed on their socks or shoes.
Again and again, the stories of Nicholas’s life come back to this theme of generosity and gift-giving. Whether it is the resurrection of the three youths, sparing the lives of those falsely accused, or returning children to their parents, Nicholas is remembered as the protector of the innocent, especially of children." -by David Hansen.
See you in Church!
