West Bank villagers celebrate St. Nicholas as protector, miracle man

Published: 2007-12-19

BEIT JALLA, West Bank (CNS) -- Once there was a poor man with three daughters. When the daughters came of age to be married, the man did not have enough money for their dowries. But, miraculously, someone threw three bags of gold into their home on three consecutive nights, enabling the girls to be wed. Ask any Beit Jalla Christian, and he or she will point out the poor man's house -- and the windows through which the bags were thrown -- located right next to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in the center of the village. The building is slated to be made into a library. The story about the three daughters, attributed to St. Nicholas in varying versions in numerous European countries, is one of the legends regarded to be historical in its essence. St. Nicholas came on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and, according to Beit Jalla legend, he lived for four years in a tiny cave above which St. Nicholas Church now stands. To this day, Christians say, he continues to perform other miracles in this largely Christian town near Bethlehem.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .