In the tradition of the Serbian people, there are about 80 feasts, more precisely baptismal names, which are celebrated as baptismal feasts. Almost half of the Orthodox Serbs celebrate Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker - St. Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas, a miracle worker, protector of the poor and sailors, children and students, is one of the most beloved Christian saints, and not only among Orthodox peoples. The Catholics celebrate this saint on December 6 (Nikolo), and the Orthodox celebrate it on December 19, which is celebrated by a large number of families every year, and which is the greatest celebration in the Serbian people.
Saint Nicholas is a universal saint, which means that he is equally respected by the western and eastern worlds. Numerous temples in Greece, Bulgaria and Russia are dedicated to him, and great attention is paid to him in Britain, Italy, Germany, Spain and other countries. Born in the Asia Minor city of Patara, a port on the Mediterranean coast of today's Turkey, Saint Nicholas lived in the 4th century, long before the division of the Church into Orthodox and Catholic, in 1054.
The rich Greeks, Theophanes and Nona had a son, Nicholas, during the reign of the Roman emperor Valerian (253-260), in a very unstable environment. After his parents died in a great epidemic, Nikola distributed the inherited wealth to the poor. Wanting to remain anonymous, he did not give money to people, but put it in their pockets, so that they would be surprised when they found it. Based on his numerous benefactions, the legend of Santa Claus, that is, Santa Claus, who leaves presents in children's socks on the eve of Christmas, was probably created. Today's Santa Claus, as an alleged copy of Saint Nicholas, has nothing to do with that saint, but his children are still happy (and even more so with sweets in socks).
Saint Nicholas falls during the great Christmas fast, so the believers prepare exclusively fish and other fasting food. The reason for so much "popularity" of Saint Nicholas among Serbs can be much more down-to-earth and "earthly".
Old Serbia was a country of peasants in which the largest part of the population worked in the fields throughout the year. Winter was the only period when there was time for a break, so Saint Nicholas, which is celebrated on December 6 according to the old calendar, or December 19 according to the new calendar, was ideal.
Apart from this, some ethnologists point out that the proverbial poverty of our people is also responsible for the spread of the cult of Saint Nicholas among Serbs. As Saint Nicholas falls during Christmas fasting, it is always possible to prepare such a feast - you only need a little bread, potatoes and brandy, so that guests can be entertained and the saint is "respected", if a little fish is found… then it is a real feast,
Serbian, baptismal feast, a family holiday dedicated to the saint, which originated in the Middle Ages, was officially introduced in 2014 in the representative list of intangible cultural heritage of mankind by UNESCO, which was the first appearance of Serbia on this list.
It is probable that each of these reasons contributed to a certain extent to the current popularity of Saint Nicholas among Serbs. In any case, to all who celebrate, as well as to those who go to glory, we want to spend this day in peace and harmony.
P.S
Saint Nicholas is my family baptismal feast.
We celebrate it too.