Saint Nicholas day in Dubrovnik
The patron saint of children, travelers, and seafarers
Saint Nicholas is one of the most popular saints on the Croatian coast. A saint popularly called St. Nicholas the Traveler, is the patron saint of travelers and seafarers.
That’s why he became so popular in places where, throughout history, men were seamen or merchants. In the past, trade meant months-long travels by ships, to foreign ports, and distant countries.
But did you know that St. Nicholas brings gifts to children, similar to Santa Clause? St. Nicholas was an early Christian bishop of the ancient Greek maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (modern-day Demre, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire, at the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th century. A legend says that a poor man lived nearby St. Nicholas. He had three daughters, who couldn’t marry, because they had no money for dowries. Three nights in a row, St. Nicholas secretly visited his home, every night leaving a sack of golden coins and a golden apple on the window of the girl’s bedroom. In that way, he provided a dowry for each of them.
Over time, he had started to visit all the children in his village, once a year, before Christmas time. He would leave some candies, fruit, and nuts for every child. That tradition is still alive. Nowadays, the night before saint’s day (December 6), children clean their boots and leave them by the window. Over the night, if they behaved well, the saint fills them with candies and sweets. If not, they’ll find a stick in the boots.
SAINT NICHOLAS DAY – THE DUBROVNIK DEFENDERS DAY
In Dubrovnik, we celebrate the Dubrovnik Defenders Day on Saint Nicholas day. On December 6, 1991, the Yugoslav Army started the offensive on the Fort Imperial, located on a hill above the city. The fortress was an important point for the defense of the besieged city.
A small group of defenders situated in the fort heroically resisted the attacks, and despite the casualties, defended the fort. In the end, more than 3000 shells fell over the city that day, killing 19 people, injuring 52, and most of the buildings in the Old City were damaged. In the memory of the defenders’ heroic resistance, this date became the defenders’ day.
To hear more about the wartime in Dubrovnik in 1991 and 1992, join me on the Dubrovnik war tour.
Saint Nicholas day in Dubrovnik
The patron saint of children, travelers, and seafarers
Saint Nicholas is one of the most popular saints on the Croatian coast. A saint popularly called St. Nicholas the Traveler, is the patron saint of travelers and seafarers.
That’s why he became so popular in places where, throughout history, men were seamen or merchants. In the past, trade meant months-long travels by ships, to foreign ports, and distant countries.
But did you know that St. Nicholas brings gifts to children, similar to Santa Clause? St. Nicholas was an early Christian bishop of the ancient Greek maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (modern-day Demre, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire, at the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th century. A legend says that a poor man lived nearby St. Nicholas. He had three daughters, who couldn’t marry, because they had no money for dowries. Three nights in a row, St. Nicholas secretly visited his home, every night leaving a sack of golden coins and a golden apple on the window of the girl’s bedroom. In that way, he provided a dowry for each of them.
Over time, he had started to visit all the children in his village, once a year, before Christmas time. He would leave some candies, fruit, and nuts for every child. That tradition is still alive. Nowadays, the night before saint’s day (December 6), children clean their boots and leave them by the window. Over the night, if they behaved well, the saint fills them with candies and sweets. If not, they’ll find a stick in the boots.
SAINT NICHOLAS DAY – THE DUBROVNIK DEFENDERS DAY
In Dubrovnik, we celebrate the Dubrovnik Defenders Day on Saint Nicholas day. On December 6, 1991, the Yugoslav Army started the offensive on the Fort Imperial, located on a hill above the city. The fortress was an important point for the defense of the besieged city.
A small group of defenders situated in the fort heroically resisted the attacks, and despite the casualties, defended the fort. In the end, more than 3000 shells fell over the city that day, killing 19 people, injuring 52, and most of the buildings in the Old City were damaged. In the memory of the defenders’ heroic resistance, this date became the defenders’ day.
To hear more about the wartime in Dubrovnik in 1991 and 1992, join me on the Dubrovnik war tour.
