www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Saint Nicholas of Myra/aka:Santa Claus

here is what the real Santa Claus look like and other historical facts about him [politicsdaily.com]

Pointe-à-Callière, a magnificent Montrèal museum, once put on an absolutely brilliant multi-week-long animation on the real St Nicholas - portrayed in full Byzantine costume and everything. I think it became an annual thing, but regardless, such portrayals are an excellent reminder as to the historicity of the faith as well as the more 'legendary' aspects of it.

Too bad the article doesn't explain that as good as the facial reconstruction is, it produces a kind of blank expression that makes the face look somewhat weird.

Aside from that, it's a fairly good article.

I believe it was this time last year. I saw, on one of the cable channels (History-International?) a documentary on St. Nicholas from which this facial reconstruction was taken. It was very interesting.

I guess forensic reconstruction can only go so far. It would probably take someone with computer animation to take it to another level. As far as an ID tool, however, this science has done wonders in identifying people who have disappeared and whose only remains would otherwise have remained a mystery.

BOB

I like the busted nose. I wonder if Arius punched back? Maybe those Church councils were more interesting than the textbooks let on.

Remember that the last major persecution was under Diocletian who preceded Constantine as Emperor. Perhaps his nose was busted during the persecution.

If so, he would have been about 12-15 years old at the time.