Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of Russia. Nicholas was born at the end of the third century in Lysia, Asia Minor. Growing up in prayer and fasting from a young age, Nicholas entered the monastery in Zion. Seeing the sanctity of his life, the residents of the monastery soon chose him as their superior.
He showed special compassion for the poor and sick. The saint used every opportunity he could to help them. Nicholas once heard that a poor father was leading his three daughters into a life of sin. He immediately brought some gold coins to the house one night. The father performed the marriage of the eldest daughter with the proceeds from the sale of the gold coins. Pleased with this, the saint tossed the gold coin again. With that, he made the marriage of his second daughter. When the gold coin was tossed a third time, father saw Nicholas and thanked him. It is on the basis of this incident, it is said that Nicholas is Santa Clause.
Once a cruel father killed his three children and put them in a basket for sale. It is said that Nicholas, on hearing this, raised the three children. Nicholas was later elected Bishop of Myra. The belief about this election is as follows: After the death of the Bishop of Myra, the clergy gathered to elect a new Bishop. ‘The new bishop will be the first to enter the Church of Myra on a particular day,’ was the decision of the clergy. Nicholas, who had returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that day, was the first to ascend to the temple. He has immediately ordained the new bishop. In 350, Nicholas, the father of the poor, was called to heaven for eternal rest.