Nicholas was born around the early fourth century at Patara in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). He became bishop of Myra, and he was well known for his personal piety, his zeal for the faith, and the miracles that resulted from his prayers. According to tradition, he secretly gave money to a poor family to prevent three daughters from being sold into slavery because they each lacked a dowry, one of his many acts of charity to the poor. Nicholas was imprisoned during the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Diocletian and confessed his faith in Christ. For whatever reason, however, he was imprisoned but not executed, and by God’s grace, he survived. He attended the Council of Nicaea, where he defended the deity of Christ and condemned the heresy of Arianism. He died in 346 and was later buried in Myra. (Adapted from Saints: Becoming an Image of Christ Every Day of the Year, by Beutner)
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