What is Saint Nicholas?
[[File:Nikola_from_1294.jpg|thumb|Nicholas of Myra, on a Russian [[icon]] done in the 12th century]] '''Saint Nicholas''' (Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος, ayios nicholaos) (270–6 December 343),<ref>{{cite web|title=Who is St. Nicholas?|url=http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38|publisher=St. Nicholas Center|accessdate=7 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=St. Nicholas|url=http://www.roca.org/OA/5/5m.htm|publisher=Orthodox America|accessdate=7 December 2010|archive-date=7 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907060906/http://www.roca.org/OA/5/5m.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> or '''Nikolaos of Myra''', was the [[Bishop]] of [[Myra]]. He was born in the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[colony]]<ref>David D. Mulroy, Horace, Quintus Horatius Flaccus 1994, “[[Horace]]'s Odes and Epodes” – p.183</ref> of [[Patara]], in Asia Minor. Myra is near [[Antalya]], in modern-day [[Turkey]]. In the 11th century, his remains were taken to [[Bari]], [[Italy]], to save them from [[Turkish people|Turk]]ish ([[Muslim]]) invaders. He is the patron saint of very many groups, including thieves and murderers. So far as is known, what he did in that respect was to protect the ''falsely accused''.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=45 |title=Saint Nicholas ::: People |work=stnicholascenter.org |accessdate=February 9, 2011 }}</ref> He is venerated in both [[Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Catholic Church]]es. == Life == [[File:Ilja Jefimowitsch Repin - Saint Nicholas of Myra saves three innocents from death.jpg|thumb|''Saint Nicholas saves three innocents from death'' is a painting by [[Ilya Yefimovich Repin]], done in 1888]] His parents were relatively well-off. Nicholas is said to have distributed his fortune among the poor. This is relatively well documented. Less documented deeds of his include saving children from drowning. Nicholas saved young girls from being made [[prostitute]]s (because their fathers did not have the money for a [[dowry]]). He helped seamen in a storm and saved a