We turned him into a soft, jolly old elf. A mascot for consumerism. A fairy tale for kids.
But the real St. Nicholas? He was charitable... and dangerous.
At the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, a priest named Arius stood up and denied the full divinity of Christ. This wasn't some polite theological disagreement. Nicholas believed it threatened the very foundation of the faith.
So he walked up and struck Arius in the face.
Right there. In front of everyone.
Was it the "right" move? That's not the point. The point is he believed in something so deeply that he was willing to risk everything to defend it. His reputation. His standing. His safety.
Conviction without action is just an opinion.
Few men today will tell you if they disagree. They nod along. Stay quiet. Keep the peace at all costs.
St. Nicholas didn't keep the peace. He kept the faith.
Did it happen exactly this way? Historians argue about it, but the legend survives because it carries truth. Every man needs a hill he'll die on. And everyone around him should know which one it is.
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