St. Nicholas: The Real Santa Claus God loves a cheerful giver (1Corinthian 9:7)

S T M ARY C OMPUTER C ENTER, E AST B RUNSWICK, NJ, Sunday School Computer Program© 2003 St. Nicholas: The Real Santa Claus

Who is Santa Claus? What do you know about Santa Claus? What do you like best about him?

Santa Claus is a Saint Santa Claus is really a SAINT in our Church. His name is Saint Nickolas.

St. Claus is St. Nicholas He was from the city of Mora. His father's name was Epiphanious and his mothers name was Tona. They were rich and loved God. They had no children to bring joy to their hearts and share their money.

St. Nicholas was Holy Then God answered their prayers and gave them a son, Saint Nicholas. God made him holy and blessed since he was a little boy. When he went to school, he was very smart. He learned even more from the Holy Spirit than he did from his teachers.

St. Nicholas Became a Monk He learned all the teachings of the church since he was a young boy and he became a deacon. Later he became a monk in a monastery where his cousin was the abbot. Because he was very good, they made him a priest when he was only nineteen years old. God gave him the gift of performing signs and healing the sick.

The Rich Man Who Lost Everything There was a very rich man in the city of Mora who lost all his wealth. He had three daughters who had passed the age of marriage, and he could not marry them because they were poor.

God Revealed to St. Nicholas Satan caused the man to think that he should make his daughters live in sin so that they might get their food by doing bad jobs. God revealed to St. Nicholas the thoughts that were in this man's head.

One Hundred Dinars St. Nicholas took one hundred dinars of his father's money and tied it up in a sack, and during the night he threw the money into the window of that man's house. When the man found the gold, he was surprised and was very happy. He was able to give his oldest daughter away in marriage.

Another One Hundred Dinars During another night the saint threw another hundred dinars into the man's house and the man was able to give his second daughter away in marriage. The man wanted to know who this charitable person was. The third time when the saint threw the gold into the house, the man was watching and immediately when he felt the drop of the sack, he went out of his house running to see who was throwing the gold to him.

Thanking God He found the kind bishop St. Nicholas and the man bowed down at his feet and thanked him because he saved his daughters from poverty and from a life of sin. The saint refused to accept any thanks and asked them to thank God.

Conclusion St. Nicholas is known for his generous giving that is why all the children ask him to bring presents and goodies during Christmas time. We also have to be generous like St. Nicholas and give others from what we have.

Application Give some of what we have to a poor child in Christmas. Share what we have with others. Color a picture of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus)

Coloring