Saint Nicholas (tradition)

On the eve of the day of Saint Nicholas (the saint’s day is 6 December, but the traditions take place on 5 December), Czech villages and towns fill with costumed groups. The central character is a tall old man with white moustache, a mitre and a bishop’s staff. He is usually accompanied by the devil and an angel. When Nicholas invited by the child’s parents, he enters the house with authority, while the devil, who wears a hairy disguise with horns, a bag over his shoulder and a chain, makes a loud noise in order to admonish the child for his or her bad behaviour. The devil’s threats are followed by the angel’s soothing words, who wears a white robe and wings, and is sometimes also decorated by a gold star on the forehead. When the child promises to behave well in the following year and sings or recites a song, Nicholas gives him or her sweets and fruit.

Nicholas’s visits have many versions. In some regions (e.g. in southern Moravia), there is a tradition of large Saint Nicholas processions, with dozens of Masopust-type masks: zoomorphic masks and various characters. The Church’s religious and educational idea of Nicholas is based on the celebrations of the bishop saint who lived in the 3^rd and 4^th centuries in Myra, especially venerated in eastern Christianity. His generosity, which may be the source of the tradition of giving presents, is documented by a legend according to which he threw coins to help an indebted man marry his daughters, so that they would not end up in a brothel. Another motivation for the tradition could have been the custom of giving presents to students in Medieval school on the feast day of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas became the benefactor of children, the patron of unmarried girls, the protector of sailors, fishermen, merchants, pilgrims and many other professions. The oldest records of high-spirited student processions celebrating the day of Saint Nicholas date from the Middle Ages.

In East and Southeast Europe, Saint Nicholas is not represented wearing bishop’s insignia. He is rather seen as a patron providing help in various predicaments. Through a corruption of his Dutch name Sinter Klaas and by moving the date of his celebration, the American and de facto global phenomenon of Santa Claus was born.