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Entry 1 nonpareil Nicholas is the patron fear of just about everything. He is the national saint of Russia and Greece and churches named after him number in the thousands - more than 400 in dandy Britain alone. He is the patron saint of judges, murderers, pawnbrokers, thieves, merchants, paupers, scholars, sailors, bakers, travelers, maidens and poor children. Saint Nicholas was born in the Middle East about 350 miles northwest of Bethlehem in the fourth century. possibly the most famous story of all tells how he helped three fateful young sisters who all had suitors but had no dowries because their father, a poor noble reality, could not raise the money. So they could not marry. Now the bishop Nicholas was a shy man and did not like to give money directly, so he archetype of a way to give it anonymously. When the first little girl was ready to marry, the grievous bishop tossed a bag of gold into the house at night. Later, when the second daughter and third daughter prepared t o marry he did the same thing. except when the third daughter prepared to marry, the poor nobleman was determined to set about out who had been so generous. So he kept watch and saw the bishop drop another bag of gold into the house. It has been said that Saint Nicholas climbed on the roof and dropped the third bag of gold down the chimney where it set down in a stocking hung to dry, giving us a reason to shine up Christmas stockings today. Nicholas begged him to keep the secret, but, of course, the news got out. From then on, whenever anyone received an unexpected gift, they thanked Nicholas. sixer hundred years later, the Russian Emperor Vladimir visited Constantinople and heard all the terrific stories about Bishop Nicholas and decided to make him the patron saint of Russia. The stories even overspread to the Laplands - to the people of the reindeer sleds. Statutes and pictures had shown him holding the three bags and when taken as the patron saint of the merchants, the b ags became gold balls, representing moneylenders and today, pawnbrokers in Italy. The anniversary of Nicholas death, December 6th, every 345 A.D. or 352 A.D., is so close to Christmas that, in many countries, the two merged.I think Saint Nicholas is the helper of all that lives from criminals to babies. Anyone who needed help he would help.