IPR: Friday, December 6 is the Feast of St. Nicholas who is largely regarded as the individual behind the legend of Ole St. Nick and Santa Claus. Who was he really?
MARY: The legends of St. Nicholas are based on an actual individual, the Bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey), from the 3rd century. He was known for secret gift-giving and for multiplying abundance.
One legend associated with him, which is the backdrop for the idea that Santa Claus comes down the chimney, is that there was a family with three daughters who did not have enough money for their dowry so the girls could marry. Because of this they were left little choice for reputable careers or stations in life. To assist them through this trial, and to not expose them in their need, St. Nicholas took three bags of gold and, on successive nights, he dropped them down the chimney where the mother and her daughters had hung their stockings to dry and in this manner the daughters were helped through their dire need.
IPR: How is this related to the stars overhead in this season? Or is it?
MARY: Prior to our own time it was believed that not only did the stars bear influence in human life but that human beings could "speak back to the stars" through great deeds undertaken on behalf of their fellow man. For instance, someone we might regard through the lens of Christian culture as a Saint is someone who has achieved something on behalf of his fellow man. Then when this individual passes through the gate of death it is as though this "deed" is written in the stars.
At the same time as the Feast of St. Nicholas the star Mira in the constellation Cetus comes to its highest place in our sky. Mira is the "miracle star" or "star of wonder" and it is the only star known by astronomers to have a tail. So here we have this star of wonder coming to its peak at the same time we are celebrating the Feast of St. Nicholas who is sometimes known as "Nicholas the Wonderworker" so there seems to be a poetic harmony between earthly celebrations and heavenly gestures.