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The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, states that Saint Nicholas is "a man of good deeds done discreetly", but especially "a friend of children," according to AGERPRES.
"Saint Nicholas is the helper of orphans, of the sick, of people in hardship, but especially he is a friend of children. (...) In fact, Saint Nicholas shows the kindness of God the Father, the merciful love of God, who sends His only Son in the world to bring salvation and this merciful kindness of God the Father is personified by Santa Claus. In other words, Saint Nick is a sort of ancestor of Santa Claus and he is perceived by children as a merciful god, giving, a discreet friend. He is a man of good deeds done discreetly," said His Beatitude Daniel, according to the Basilica Agency of the Romanian Patriarchy.
According to the Patriarch, Saint Nicholas has become in history "the symbol of generosity," of a civilization that places emphasis first on "the kindness of the soul."
"He was not a great theologian, but his theology is a theology of merciful love shown by immediate, concrete good deeds," the Patriarch emphasized, who rendered his service on Saint Nicholas' feast day in the chapel of the Patriarchal Residence.
The Patriarch also showed that the saint feasted on December 6 became popular both in the east, as well as the west.
"In 1087, in order to avoid their capture and profanation by Muslims, his holy relics were moved from Myra to Bari, in Italy, where they are today in the church of Saint Nicholas," said His Beatitude.
The Patriarch also recalled that the Church of Saint George - New in Bucharest houses a fragment from the hand of Saint Nicholas, the most popular saint in Bucharest, that is there through the generosity of ruler Michael the Brave.
"In Bucharest there are nearly 30 churches that are dedicated to Saint Paraskeva of the Balkans, a very merciful saint herself, but the number of churches dedicated to Saint Nicholas or under his protection, as the first, second or third dedication, is larger. Only in Bucharest, without the surrounding areas, there are 44 churches under the protection of Saint Nicholas. This can be explained that Bucharesters have understood that the essence of Christian life is the kindness of the heart, the humble and merciful love or the generous love. The City of Joy, as was called in past centuries, in Greek, the city of Bucharest, is a city of joy in the measure in which it remains a city of mercy, of charity, of merciful love," the Patriarch emphasized.
The Orthodox hierarch urged for "prayer to Saint Nicholas to help us be merciful as well," and congratulated the over 800,000 Romanians that celebrate their name day on Saint Nicholas' feast day.
"We wish them many happy returns, much help from God and much joy, in order to complete good acts and achieve salvation," Patriarch Daniel also said.
Saint Nicholas of Myra, the Wonderworker, is feasted by the Romanian Orthodox Church on December 6.
