Sign-In
Cart
St. Nicholas: The Bishop, the Bones, and the Making of Santa Claus
Paperback
Religion General Ancient RomeCatholicism
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: May 4 2026
Pages: 90
Weight: 0.29
Height: 0.19 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Before Santa Claus, there was Nicholas of Myra.
Long before the red suit, the sleigh, the reindeer, and the glittering mythology of Christmas, there was a real man: a fourth century bishop from the coast of ancient Lycia, remembered for courage, charity, relics, miracles, theological conflict, and one of the most extraordinary transformations in cultural history.
St. Nicholas: The Bishop, the Bones, and the Making of Santa Claus uncovers the remarkable journey of Nicholas of Myra from early Christian bishop to beloved saint, from the shrine at Myra to the stolen bones of Bari, from medieval devotion to Dutch Sinterklaas, and from old European folklore to the modern image of Santa Claus.
Inside this book, readers will discover:
The real historical world of Nicholas of Myra
The Council of Nicaea and the legends surrounding Nicholas
The secret charity that shaped the tradition of gift giving
The miracles, relics, and cult of Saint Nicholas
The dramatic theft of his bones and the rise of his western devotion
How Sinterklaas became Santa Claus
How poetry, art, advertising, and Christmas culture remade a saint into a global symbol
This is a serious, fascinating, and richly told account of the man beneath the myth. It follows Nicholas through history, legend, theology, relic culture, folklore, and festive imagination, revealing how one bishop's memory survived empire, schism, pilgrimage, commerce, and reinvention.
The Santa Claus known today did not appear from nowhere.
He began with a saint.
And behind that saint was a man.
Also from
Long, Shera
Also in
Religion General
The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World
O'Brien, Barbara
Paperback
The Destiny of Modern Societies: The Calvinist Predestination of a New Society
Zafirovski, Milan
Paperback
Queer Faith: Reading Promiscuity and Race in the Secular Love Tradition
Sanchez, Melissa E.
Paperback
The Sullivanians: Sex, Psychotherapy, and the Wild Life of an American Commune
Stille, Alexander
Hardcover
Life Together and Prayerbook of the Bible: Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, Volume 5
Kelly, Geffrey B.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich
Bloesch, Daniel W.
Hardcover
Friendship and Society: An Introduction to Augustine's Practical Philosophy
Burt, Donald X.
Paperback
The Kabbalistic Mirror of Genesis: Commentary on the First Three Chapters
Smith, David Chaim
Paperback
Chant & Be Happy: Based on Teachings of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Paperback
Medieval Handbooks of Penance: A Translation of the Principal Libri Poenitentiales
Gamer, Helena
McNeill, John
Paperback
Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds
Fugelsang, John
Hardcover
As a Man Thinketh - the Original 1902 Classic (includes the Mastery of Destiny) (Reader's Library Classics)
Allen, James
Paperback
Live Laugh Love: The Secret History of White Christian Women and the World They Made
Kobes Du Mez, Kristin
Hardcover
The Jesus Discoveries: 10 Historic Finds That Bring Us Face-To-Face with Jesus
Johnston, Jeremiah J.
Paperback
Don't Believe Everything You Think (Expanded Edition): Why Your Thinking Is the Beginning & End of Suffering
Nguyen, Joseph
Hardcover
Tactics, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions
Koukl, Gregory
Paperback
40 días de viaje en silencio hoy: Una guía para escuchar a Dios en el silencio
Zambrano, S.
Paperback
Braving the Truth: Essential Essays for Reckoning with and Reimagining Faith
Bessey, Sarah
Evans, Rachel Held
Hardcover
A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Selected from the World's Sacred Texts
Tolstoy, Leo
Hardcover
Determined to Believe?: The Sovereignty of God, Freedom, Faith, and Human Responsibility
Lennox, John C.
Paperback
Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging
Buchdahl, Angela
Hardcover
The Culting of America: What Makes a Cult and Why We Love Them
Mestyanek Young, Daniella
Reed, Amy
Hardcover
Nothing Is Impossible with God: Eleven Heroes. One God. Endless Lessons in Overcoming.
Bream, Shannon
Hardcover
The Nag Hammadi Scriptures: The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume
Robinson, James M.
Meyer, Marvin W.
Paperback
Mary Magdalene Revealed: The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel & the Christianity We Haven't Tried Yet
Watterson, Meggan
Paperback
The Books of Enoch: The Complete and Original Edition, Also Includes the Book of Jasher and the Book of Jubilees
Charles, R. H.
Paperback
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World
Comer, John Mark
Hardcover
I Belong to Me: A Survivor's Guide to Recovery and Hope After Religious Trauma
Levings, Tia
Hardcover
Mythology (75th Anniversary Illustrated Edition): Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
Hamilton, Edith
Hardcover
Consagracion a San Jose: Las Maravillas de Nuestro Padre Espiritual
Calloway, Donald H., MIC
Paperback
Pray Like a Champion Today: Sacred Stories from the Sidelines of Notre Dame Football
Wills, Nate, CSC
Paperback
Every Moment Holy: New Liturgies for Daily Life: (Pocket Edition) (Over 100 Prayers and Illustrations for Practicing Mindfulness of the Presence of Go
McKelvey, Douglas Kaine
Hardcover
Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and the Fight Over Free Speech in Modern America
Loeffler, James
Hardcover
The Official Study Guide to I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
Jimenez, Jason
Geisler, Norman L.
Paperback
The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation
Blanding, Michael
Hardcover
A Celebration of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual Intimacy
Rosenau, Douglas E.
Paperback
Spiritual Hygiene: A Practical Path for Clean Living, Inner Authority, and Divine Freedom
Vanzant, Iyanla
Hardcover
Did America Have a Christian Founding?: Separating Modern Myth from Historical Truth
Hall, Mark David
Paperback
It Works: The Famous Little Red Book That Makes Your Dreams Come True!
Jarrett, Roy Herbert
Jarrett, Rh
Paperback
From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership
Sprinkle, Preston
Paperback
A Catechism of the Strange: Stigmata, Relics, and the Miracles That Shape the Soul
Allen, W. Tyler
Paperback
Bless & Release: The physics of letting go-and wanting what's meant for you.
Laporte, Danielle
Paperback
Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe
Meyer, Stephen C.
Paperback
Los Destinado al ��xito: C��mo alcanzar tus mejores sue��os
Gebel, Dante
Paperback
The 10: 10 Challenge: 10 Weeks, 10 Ways to a Jesus-Led Life
Lesperance, André
Jackson, Andrea
Paperback
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs: How the People of the Bible Really Lived
Vos, Howard
Paperback
Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence
Leo XIV, Pope
Paperback
Unoffendable Bible Study Guide Plus Streaming Video: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better
Hansen, Brant
Paperback
Through a Season of Grief: 365 Devotions for Your Journey from Mourning to Joy
Leonard, Kathy
Dunn, Bill
Paperback
40 Días De Viaje En Silencio Transformar Tu Vida Desde El Silencio: Recupera Paz, Fuerza Y Claridad Interior
Montes, Lucía
Paperback
The Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods and Goddesses
Illes, Judika
Hardcover
Beyond Wellness: How Restoring the Religious Roots of Spiritual Practices Can Heal Us
Bucar, Liz
Hardcover
The Hardest Sermons You'll Ever Have to Preach: Help from Trusted Preachers for Tragic Times
Zondervan Publishing
Paperback
The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History
Throckmorton, Warren
Hardcover
Dwelling in Christ: Discover the Threefold Path of Spiritual Transformation
Bailey, Jonathan R.
Paperback
Falling Upward, Revised and Updated: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
Rohr, Richard
Hardcover
The Genesis 6 Conspiracy Part II: How Understanding Prehistory and Giants Helps Define End-Time Prophecy
Wayne, Gary
Paperback
David Bowie and the Search for Life, Death and God: A Spiritual Meditation on His Music and Creativity
Ormerod, Peter
Hardcover
The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth
Barr, Beth Allison
Paperback