Saint Nicholas: the real-life inspiration for Santa Claus

Nikolaos: The Retelling of the Story of Saint Nicholas

by Taylor R. Marshall

Many people have heard of Saint Nicholas who was the real-life inspiration for Santa Claus, the fictional character who gives gifts in secret on Christmas Eve. Taylor Marshal has written a novel that explores the life of the saint, Nikolaos: The Retelling of the Story of Saint Nicholas. A retelling is a new, and often updated or retranslated, version of a story.

Nikolaos is a Presbyter, an honorific title for Christian clergy. The word derives from the Greek presbyteros, which means elder or senior. Saint Nicholas is the Patron saint of sailors, merchants, and children. He was an Early Christian bishop from Myra, a port city in Asia Minor in present-day Demre, Turkey who lived during the Roman Empire in 299 AD. Catholic, Orthodox, Lutherans, and Anglican Christians honor Saint Nicholas.

A mysterious visitor, Eugenius, comes to relay a message to Nikolaos that three visitors will come to his home and that Nikolaos should give them hospitality. Nikolaos prepares for their arrival by buying food for a feast and making his house ready to give them a place to sleep, but he’s plagued by doubts of the strange visitor. Was this a dream or hallucination that Nikolaos experienced? How did Eugenius really appear in his house?

Nikolaos has a small but faithful group of people to whom he ministers. They converted from Paganism to Christianity and attend his Eucharistia or service. Three young girls, Melitta, Korinna and Cassia are his most avid converts. Nikolaos serves as their sprititual father since their mother Aemelia, a faithful member of the congregation, died. Their father Dositheos is not Christian but does not forbid them to attend Eucharistia. He is a merchant who has become despondent since his wife passed away and takes out his grief on his daughters. The girls bear their father’s drunkenness and fits of rage by pleading with him but staying away from home when he is at his worst. Their father’s business suffers due to neglect and bad decisions he makes during his mourning period. He is unable to pay taxes to the Roman government so they will soon take his house away. He loses his will to take care of his daughters and despairs of poverty and homelessness for them. He becomes possessed by an evil entity who instills in him a terrible plot. Dositheos listens to the demon’s message. Selling his daughters into slavery would provide Dositheos enough money to pay his bills and taxes, and to live the comfortable life he had before. When Melitta learns what her father is planning, she asks for help from Nikolaos. He counsels her and tells her not to lose hope and faith in God. Nikolaos deliberates about ways to help the family and prays for them that their father will regain his physical and spiritual health.

I liked the way the author described the three daughters and how they desperately pray and hope for their father. Taylor uses vivid imagery and dialogue to describe their actions and feelings. Melitta, the eldest daughter, is especially well-written. He uses Melitta’s interior dialogue and her actions to paint a wonderful character. Dositheos, the girls’ father, is accurately portrayed as a grief-struck husband, failed businessman, and helpless father to his young daughters. Taylor paints Nikolaos as a sympathetic spiritual leader and patron of the poor townspeople.

Details of the daily life of Myra citizens give the novel a realistic background so the reader can visualize the story. Historical references to Emperor Diocletian and his Roman soldiers, who control the town and terrorize the citizens, place the story within the third century so that readers will know that Nikolaos was a real person.

This book will fascinate readers of Christian fantasy, historical fiction and those interested in learning about saints’ lives. The book is aimed at ages 8-12, but adults will find it fascinating also. I thought it was a great read and highly recommend it. I am glad I read this book because I learned about the historical and religious significance of Saint Nicholas.

Taylor Marshall is the author of eleven books, including five #1 Best-Selling books in fiction (Sword and Serpent) and non-fiction (Infiltration). Infiltration once reached #7 on “all books sold” on Amazon.com. His books have been translated into Spanish, German, Polish, Portuguese, and Croatian. He also has a weekly podcast on YouTube.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.

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