Saint Nicholas has something for Everyone – Even Pawn Brokers

John B. Manos

13 years ago

Today’s feast is that of Saint Nicholas, a saint worthy of notice by anyone and everyone. He was a Bishop at the young age of 22. (22!). He is famed with resurrecting people from the dead, including three young boys who had been butchered by their father. He brought wheat to his famine struck area by a miracle. When the ships were in port, he asked the sailors to deliver some wheat. They objected at first because their freight was due in weight to the Emperor. Saint Nicholas promised them that whatever they delivered would not cause them to report damage to the Emperor. They did it. Despite having given Saint Nicholas a bounty of wheat, when the sailors arrived at their destination port, all wheat they owed was accounted for!

Saint Nicholas is a worthy legend and it’s worth reading more about his holy life.

Try some of these:

When the city of Myra was threatened by the invading Muslims and fell into their hands, out of fear that his remains might be desecrated by the heathens, his body was transported by Italians to Bari on the east coast of Italy in the year 1084 where it remains to this day within a magnificent basilica built in his honor. His remains are reputed to exude a fragrant myrrh-like substance known as myron. This phenomenon known as “manna of St. Nicholas” was present during the reinternment of his body in the 1950ies.

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And from where do pawn brokers get there three ball symbol?

A man of Patara had lost his fortune, and finding himself unable to support his three maiden daughters, was planning to turn them into the streets as prostitutes. Nicholas heard of the man’s intentions and secretly threw three bags of gold through a window into the home, thus providing dowries for the daughters. The three bags of gold mentioned in this story are said to be the origin of the three gold balls that form the emblem of pawnbrokers.