Bari: Where St. Nick Sleeps

Until I read this article, I did not know that St. Nicholas was buried in Bari, in a crypt that is now enclosed in The Basilica of St Nicholas. Nor did I know that this was not his only burial location. As the story goes, after St. Nick died in 345 AD, he was interred in Myra, Turkey until sailors from Bari stole his remains and brought them to Italy in 1087. This southern coastal town along the Adriatic has since served as the final resting place for the saint associated with dear ole Santa Claus. If you want to learn more about St. Nicholas and his connections to Santa Claus (and vice versa), take a look at The St. Nicholas Center website. Based in Michigan (huh?), they've got loads of info surrounding the tradition of St. Nick.  Or you could read up on the saint at Catholic Online. St. Nick's feast day is December 6. Check out St. Nicholas celebrations around the world too, and impress all your relatives with your global St. Nick knowledge over a cup of eggnog this weekend.

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