Did Santa Clause come from the Catholic Church?

Question

I was at a catholic hospital when my mother had heart surgery. I notice in the lobby that some of their (Saints) I guess is what you called them, was in some picture that was really old. I also notice one of them I can't remember his name, that had a red Cap kinda like Santa Claus.

Was Santa Clause orginal like the pope or something?

Answer 1

Yes. He was a bishop, and his name is St. Nicholas of Myra (Also called NICHOLAS OF BARI).

Bishop of Myra in Lycia; died 6 December, 345 or 352. Though he is one of the most popular saints in the Greek as well as the Latin Church, there is scarcely anything historically certain about him except that he was Bishop of Myra in the fourth century.

Some of the main points in his legend are as follows: He was born at Parara, a city of Lycia in Asia Minor; in his youth he made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine; shortly after his return he became Bishop of Myra; cast into prison during the persecution of Diocletian, he was released after the accession of Constantine, and was present at the Council of Nicaea. In 1087 Italian merchants stole his body at Myra, bringing it to Bari in Italy.

The numerous miracles St. Nicholas is said to have wrought, both before and after his death, are outgrowths of a long tradition. There is reason to doubt his presence at Nicaea, since his name is not mentioned in any of the old lists of bishops that attended this council. His cult in the Greek Church is old and especially popular in Russia. As early as the sixth century Emperor Justinian I built a church in his honour at Constantinople, and his name occurs in the liturgy ascribed to St. Chrysostom. In Italy his cult seems to have begun with the translation of his relics to Bari, but in Germany it began already under Otto II, probably because his wife Theophano was a Grecian. Bishop Reginald of Eichstaedt (d. 991) is known to have written a metric, "Vita S. Nicholai." The course of centuries has not lessened his popularity. The following places honour him as patron: Greece, Russia, the Kingdom of Naples, Sicily, Lorraine, the Diocese of Liège; many cities in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Belgium; Campen in the Netherlands; Corfu in Greece; Freiburg in Switzerland; and Moscow in Russia. He is patron of mariners, merchants, bakers, travellers, children, etc. His representations in art are as various as his alleged miracles. In Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, they have the custom of making him the secret purveyor of gifts to children on 6 December, the day on which the Church celebrates his feast; in the United States and some other countries St. Nicholas has become identified with Santa Claus who distributes gifts to children on Christmas eve. His relics are still preserved in the church of San Nicola in Bari; up to the present day an oily substance, known as Manna di S. Nicola, which is highly valued for its medicinal powers, is said to flow from them.

Answer 2

Santa Claus is commonly associated with St. Nicholas of Myra, a bishop and Saint in the Catholic Church.

The most famous assoiation is Clement Moore's poem, 'A Visit from St. Nicholas,' more commonly known as 'Twas the Night before Christmas!'

Anyway, below is a link with a brief history of St. Nicholas. He is the patron saint of children, but one of the most famous stories associated with him is of a poor man in his church who had 3 daughters but no money for dowries. When the one was ready to marry, St. Nicholas is said to have put enough of his own money for her dowry in a sack and, in the middle of the night, tossed it into the home of the man. Then, as each of the other daughters came of age, he did it again. Even today in some cultures, on December 6th, St. Nicholas leaves a bag of goodies on the doorstep; usually nuts & candies!

Answer 3

no... most of the associations of Christmas are pagan in origin... yule log, christmas tree, santa claus... all of them are European remnants of the pagan holiday that was transformed to Christmas to make Catholicism more palatable

Answer 4

hi is amarican

see NO2
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01 Amish,Newborn,one&only, son,child,Word of God,Saudi,AUSTRALIA (mars)
02 valentine firelove,hindus,Agriculture, Santa Clause Nasser,Tailor,Redneck,moremen (Venus)
03 Ghostbusters,holyghost, Ethnic,Antichrist,Turkey, homosexual,Random Patchwork,Macadam= LuckyStones,Match Maker,captain,Bermuda
04 Worship,Gladiators, catholic,mothers,Most mercy,Shalom,Islam= Harmless,politic,Qu'ran, mobilhomesTrailer tent,Bedouin's,Qatar(moon
05 Vatican,Royal,Senator, Italians,Bahrain(sun)
06 virgin,Servent,teachers, Kuwait
07 Buddha,Roman,Easter, Babylon,egg&Mussels,Healing, Judge, Iraq,Iran,Japan=sunshin
08 googl,Sisters,scotch, North,falls,Shower,Baha'i, Russians=morning
09 Christian,Fathers,North, Travel,Modern,Doctor,noon= midday,Europe (Jupiter
10 Judaism,Jehovah,Saturday, Grandfather,creator,Future,old testament, Planet,Star,astrology, Astral,Asterism,promise,Land, Bank,Taxation great,UK,USA,afternoons=Orange (Saturn
11 Baptist,will,dreams, Chancellor,brothers,Irish, Ascetics,Wild, Jurassic,Apple,Wester, Morocco=sunset
12 French culture,six back side, Hippie,making money from charity, SmokeWeed,Pyramids,Maya, cemetery,Undertaker, crying on dead,South Afro,Moses,night=dark,exit, metaphysical,Vampire,Voodoo, slave

Answer 5

no,,santa clause is from the north pole

Answer 6

yeah pope of the hopeless.

Answer 7

http://www.revivalfirespub.org/gospel.html

Answer 8

no ... definitely not