When Santa Claus Assaulted a Heretic (Saint Nicholas & Arius)
While his origins are thought to be either the north pole, the imaginations of children
or the cultural myths of their parents, Santa Claus is always depicted as the image of all
things jolly and good about Christmas time.
The bearded man in the red suit isn’t a real person, but much of his character is
based upon a man known as Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was born around the end of the 3rd
century – probably 270-280AD. Born under the persecution of the Roman Emperor Diocletian,
he is widely remembered for his numerous acts of charity towards those in need – especially
children.
Nicholas became the bishop of his home city of Myra in modern Turkey at a young age, where
he developed a reputation for both his piety and his doctrine. Historical sources of Nicholas’
life have fallen victim to the ravages of time. Nonetheless, one of the more popular
tales concerning him has survived through the present day.
This story goes that, as a bishop, Nicholas attended the ecumenical council at the city
of Nicaea in 325AD. This council was convened under the new Roman Emperor Constantine, the
first emperor to make a profession of Christian faith. Christians as a whole were now presented
with a Roman Empire that was no longer hostile to what they believed. However, at this time,
controversy over the deity of Christ had been spreading across the faith community. This
controversy stemmed from the teachings of Arius; by now, an elderly man who formerly
operated in the bishopric of Alexandria in Egypt. Arius taught that only the Father was
truly divine. Jesus (aka the Son, the Word) was a created being who’s essence was not
equal to the Father. Arius’ doctrine stemmed from his belief that affirming Christ as truly
God was to reject monotheism.
Arius’ doctrine found its primary opponent in Arius’ own bishop, conveniently named
Alexander (of Alexandria). Alexander defended the view that is now confessed as orthodoxy
among Christian believers – that the Son is truly divine with the Father. Alexander
moved to depose Arius for heresy, but Arius rallied support around the eastern Mediterranean
in his defense.
Whatever the actual state of his belief aside, Constantine recognized that the Christian
community to whom he now made public allegiance needed to be united in their belief for the
stability of the empire during his reign. He therefore summoned bishops from all over
imperial territory to settle the dispute. Saint Nicholas is said by some to be one of
those bishops in attendance.
The apocryphal story that has survived is that during the proceedings of the council,
while a proponent of Arian theology was presenting his case, that Nicholas was so overcome with
zeal that he actually struck the person in the face (either by a slap or a punch). Some
sources record the victim as being Arius himself, while others just one of his followers who
is otherwise unnamed. This has been the genesis for a host of memes that make their rounds
on social media around Christmas time. Nonetheless, it’s said that Nicholas was reprimanded
and very nearly lost his diocese as a result. In the wake of the Arian controversy though,
this tale has positioned St. Nick as one of the great defenders of Trinitarian orthodoxy
– that the one true God is manifest in three co-equal Divine persons: the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
I don’t recommend that you spend your Christmas assaulting heretics in the name of doctrinal
purity. But I do hope that you would remember that Christmas is about celebrating the true
gift of God to mankind in the form Jesus, who took on flesh so that those who follow
Him would be saved from their sin. If Santa Claus is a part of your family Christmas tradition,
remember that this character’s roots lie not in a magical sleigh or milk & cookies,
but it ultimately goes back to a man who’s faith was so firm that he not only sought
to defend its doctrines, but also lived out the love to others that Christ had shown to
him.
For more information on this topic and other areas of Church history, I recommend, “2000
Years of Christ’s Power,” by Nick Needham. You will find links to each volume in the
description.