| Saint Nicholas Feast | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location: | Viennese, France |
| Date: | 6 December 1558 |
| In Honour of: | Saint Nicholas |
| In Attendance: | Queen Mary Queen Catherine |
| Episode: | Acts of War |
| Description: | Celebrating Saint Nicholas |
| GALLERY | |
The Saint Nicholas Feast is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to his reputation as a bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of mass or worship services.
Event[]
The Feast of St. Nicolas is celebrated in early December. The French Royals use it as a time to give back to their people, and invite all the children of the surrounding areas to join them at the palace for a feast and gifts, in a large celebration.
This year, is was also used by Queen Mary to announce the engagement of the Catholic Princess Claude to the Protestant Prince of Condé - a showmanship of tolerance within the kingdom.
Historical Notes[]
- In France, the whole family gets ready for the saint's arrival on 6 December, with grandparents telling stories of the saint. The most popular one is;
Three children who wandered away and got lost. Cold and hungry, a wicked butcher lured them into his shop where he killed them and salted them away in a large tub. Through St. Nicolas' help the boys were revived and returned to their families, earning him a reputation as protector of children. The evil butcher followed St. Nicolas in penance ever since as Père Fouettard. - Bakeries and home kitchens are hives of activity as spiced gingerbread biscuits and mannala (shaped like the saint) are baked. In schools, children learn songs and poems and create arts and crafts about St. Nicolas, while in nursery schools, a man portraying St. Nicolas gives away chocolates and sometimes little presents. He is sometimes accompanied by an actor playing Père Fouettard, who like his German counterpart Krampus, carries switches to threaten the children who fear he will advise St. Nicolas to pass them by on his gift-giving rounds.
- Also known as St Nicholas Day.
- This event is not celebrated in Scotland, England, or Ireland.
Related Pages[]
