THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412200173
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: Linda McNatt
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
ARTISTS HELEN Spaetzel and Laura Baldwin Huff spent months researching the many legends of Santa Claus before they began working on their unique collection.
They explored each country where Santa roams the land during the holidays. And they discovered that Santa is known by different names in different countries all over the world.
In China, for example, he is called Dun Che Lao Ren, meaning ``Christmas Old Man.'' In Japan, he is Hoteiosho, translated ``Traveling on Foot of God.'' In Brazil, Santa is ``Papa Noel.''
Other names Santa is known by include Father Christmas, Grandfather Noel, Papa Noel, Sinter Klaas, Grandfather Frost and Petit Noel.
By whatever name he is known, the artists, through their research, believe that many of the legends go back to a man who was born in a small village not many years after Christ.
The following story is from ``The Santa Claus Book,'' by Willis Jones. Spaetzel and Huff found the book in the Hampton library. It is now out of print:
There was a bishop Nicholas of Myra in Asia Minor who gave gifts and brought miracles for boys, girls and grown-ups some 1,700 years ago.
The story began in 270 A.D. along the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea in a country called Lycia, a small part of what now is Turkey. About 350 miles across the sea from the village is Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. Christianity had been brought to Lycia by Paul, one of the most traveled apostles, only a little over two centuries earlier.
On the western edge of the town of Patara and near the sea, there was a fine house with rich farmlands, and this was the home of a most devout couple - Epyhanus and his wife, Johane.
Although they were comfortable, they felt poor because they didn't have any children. As if in answer to their prayers, a boy was born to them. The event was declared a miracle, and the baby was named Nicholas, meaning victorious.
It is said of him that when he first bathed in the tub, he stood up and raised his arms as if praising God. Then he proceeded to refuse to take milk from his mother after sundown on Wednesday and Friday, fasting days of the church.
In his ninth year, both of his parents died during a plague. Nicholas transferred the great love he had for his mother and father to the poor and needy of the little town.
His guardians did not restrain his love, which was expressed in good deeds, such as giving away food, clothing and sometimes money, always in secret and usually at night.
There are lots of legends about Nicholas. One tells about an elderly nobleman who had three lovely daughters but had lost all his wealth. Each maiden had a suitor, but custom dictated that no girl would be taken in marriage unless provided with a suitable dowry by her family.
So without telling their father, the girls decided to draw lots to see which one would offer herself for sale on the town's auction block, meaning that she would enter into prostitution to provide dowries for the other two.
When word of their plight reached Nicholas, he waited only for cover of night before proceeding to their home, where he lowered a small bag of gold through the open window of the eldest girl's room.
Whether or not the gold actually fell into a stocking is not known. But in any case, the girl was soon married. On other dark nights, the same act of kindness was repeated for the other two daughters with equally happy results.
On the third occasion, a noise brought the father to his window just in time to see that it was Nicholas who had saved the family from disgrace. With gratitude in his heart, he kept the secret safe for years.
This particular story has been told and retold for generations. . . .
Nicholas later attended a monastery and eventually became a bishop. He was loved and respected by all.
There are 21 miracles in many early manuscripts from the ninth and 10th centuries credited to Nicholas as a saint and miracle worker, hence the name St. Nicholas. . . .
From the saint's tomb for years after his death trickled a continuous flow of oil with magical powers of healing.
Nicholas died on Dec. 6, probably in the year 343. The people in the town built an elaborate crypt for his remains in the church of Myra. . . . It still stands in the town now known as Demre, Turkey.'' MEMO: Main story on page 8. by CNB