The Enigma of Santa Claus's Final Resting Place in an Italian Town
Discover the fascinating tale of Father Christmas in the Italian town of Bari, where his bones rest beneath a historic church Unveil the local hero's connection with Coca-Cola, his role as a protector of women, and the unexpected blend of yoga, beer, and T-shirts that make this story truly exceptional
Will Santa be making his annual Christmas rounds, shimmying down chimneys, sipping whiskey, and delivering presents with his signature ho-ho-ho, or, as some say, will he actually be resting in peace beneath a church named after him in a port in southern Italy?
Bari, a town situated on the heel of Italy's boot, has embraced this alternative Santa story for almost a millennium, as it is believed that the remains of the bearded gift-giver were buried beneath a church named after him.
Here, Santa is Saint Nicholas, recognized worldwide as the figure who inspired the legend of Santa Claus. Nicholas, also known as Niklaus or Nicola, was a historical Christian saint born in Myra, located in present-day Turkey, rather than the icy north.
Saint Nick, believed to have been born around 270 C.E. and passing away 67 years later, was widely respected for his generous nature, particularly in Bari. In 1087, Baresi sailors took his remains and brought them to their town. Today, the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari is home to three-quarters of what is said to be Saint Nicholas' skeleton, drawing visitors from various Christian denominations worldwide.
Baris residents regularly celebrate their connection to Saint Nick, but are somewhat nonplussed about his role in the commercial extravaganza that is modern-day Christmas.
The basilica houses 75% of Saint Nicholas' bones.
Milan Surkala/Alamy Stock Photo
Local hero
According to Antonio Palumbo, a filmmaker from Bari who created a documentary about the connection between the city and Saint Nicholas, the locals take pride in the city's reputation for its delectable mussels, unspoiled beaches, and association with Saint Nicholas.
"The people of Bari do not believe that the saints cult is related to the city's Christmas traditions," Palumbo explains. He also notes that there is a reluctance to accept the Santa/Saint Nick origin story, especially due to the fact that the popular image of a white-bearded man in red was created by American soda advertisers.
"According to Palumbo, Father Christmas is often viewed as an outsider, a commercialized figure brought over from the United States. His cheerful red face and rotund belly were actually developed and utilized by Coca-Cola in the 1930s for advertising, in an effort to encourage families to purchase Coke because it was well-liked by children."
Scenic view of Lama Monachile Cala Porto beach in Polignano a Mare, Italy on October 1st, 2018. This stunning beach is located in the province of Bari, in the region of Puglia in Southern Italy. The image is credited to Michal Ludwiczak/iStockphoto/Getty Images.
The US couple decided to permanently move to Italy after selling their house.
Residents in Italy continue to carry good-luck images and statuettes of San Nicola in their wallets and cars, viewing him as a unique figure separate from Santa Claus.
"We revere our patron Saint Nicholas and seek his intercession in difficult times. He is the protector of children, young women, sailors, and traders," explains Maria Rita Mauro, director of the local tourist office. "He holds a special place in our hearts, and we honor him as San Nicola, not just as Santa."
Saint Nicholas Day festivities in Bari kick off on the evening of December 5th. The local community gathers for a Roman Catholic Mass at sunrise the following day before enjoying a delicious spread of hot chocolate, pancakes, and sgagliozze (fried polenta sticks). Street concerts accompany the procession of the San Nicola statue through the historic district to a grand Christmas tree. Additionally, bars and pastry shops remain open around the clock. As Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of unmarried women, young girls seeking a husband traditionally queue up in the basilica to pray for betrothal.
Bari is proud of its connection to Saint Nicholas.
Donato Fasano/Getty Images
Protector of women
The people of Bari may fiercely protect Saint Nicholas, but local church authorities recognize and endorse the association between him and Santa. Father Giovanni Distante, the prior of the San Nicola basilica, asserts that they are one and the same.
"Father Christmas is an evolved form of Saint Nicholas, a widely revered saint in Christianity, second only to the Virgin Mary," he explains to CNN Travel. Saint Nicholas has been popular among Christians worldwide and even has churches built in his honor in places like Japan, which could be a contributing factor to the widespread appeal of Santa Claus. His generous reputation may also play a role.
Father Gerardo Cioffari, archivist of the San Nicola basilicas research center, affirms that the depiction of Saint Nicholas as a giver of gifts is not just a legend, but a genuine historical event.
chapel room
Mattia Aquila/Courtesy Palazzo Vilon
Palazzo Vilòn: Historic mansion in Rome welcomes overnight guests
Legend has it that one night the owner threw three bags of gold coins through the window to three maidens, enabling them to have proper weddings.
The girls apparently had no dowry, and their father had been pushing them to prostitute themselves.
Hence he became seen as a protector of women.
In the 1500s, Saint Nicholas transformed into Father Christmas in Italy, delivering gifts to children and sliding down chimneys, according to Cioffari. Despite the discontent of Bari locals with its consumerism associations, he continues to endorse the connection. "I support the link because, through Santa Claus, I encounter people of all races who come to Bari to explore the origins of Santa Claus," he explains. "Visitors from the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany, all fans of Santa Claus, come to Bari, although it is a tradition that does not fully integrate into the city."
The remains of Saint Nicholas were moved to Bari around 1,000 years ago.
Pavel Dudek/Alamy Stock Photo
The Coke connection
Cioffari's research reveals that the transformation of Saint Nick into Santa Claus began in the 1600s when Dutch settlers brought the saint to the New World, known as New Amsterdam, now Manhattan. In the 1800s, American poems and books, including those by Washington Irving, depicted Saint Nicholas entering homes and delivering gifts to children on Christmas Eve, flying away on a sled pulled by reindeer.
In these books, he is still referred to as Saint Nicholas, but the color of his robe constantly changes.
According to Cioffari, the success of Coca-Cola's introduction of the red uniform in a 1930s campaign solidified Santa's image as we recognize it today, possibly due to its resemblance to the red of the drink label.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Sabine Lubenow/imageBROKER/Shutterstock (4873939a)View from Campanile on Torcello Island, Lagoon, Venice, Italy, EuropeVARIOUS
Sabine Lubenow/imageBROKER/Shutterstock
The island where Venice began
Things are beginning to change in Bari as a new sense of awareness is starting to spread among the locals. There is a growing eagerness to capitalize on the connection between Nicholas and Santa to make Bari's Christmas ties a major tourist attraction. Rossella Mauro, a former teacher and author of several books on Santa, mentioned that young women still visit the basilica on December 5th to pray for a husband.
"I am proud that our patron saint, who inspired Santa, has his relics in Bari. It's amazing to have Father Christmas's skeleton in our own backyard," she enthuses.
Mauro has observed that Saint Nicholas has been depicted with more Santa-like physical features in recent paintings, tourist statuettes, and amulets.
Mauro explains that he is now often portrayed with a large belly and rosy cheeks, and there are even small chocolates shaped like Santa that are more popular in town than those shaped like San Nicola. Some locals go as far as to promote their homes as "Santa's real house."
Visitors can now take Saint Nicholas-themed tour of Bari.
Paco Ricchiuti
Yoga, beer and T-shirts
Numerous establishments in Bari bear the name of the saint. There's a San Nicola bakery, a stadium, a bar, a hotel, and an orecchietteria (a shop where traditional handmade ear-shaped orecchiette pasta is sold).
During December, actors roam the town dressed as either Santa or San Nicola. Paco Ricchiuti, the head of Velo Service, a local tour company, has begun to take advantage of Bari's Christmas spirit by offering guided tours to the basilica and the local museum where artifacts of Saint Nicholas are displayed.
Additional tour destinations include the San Nicola stadium, a research center honoring the saint, and wall paintings throughout the town that depict Saint Nick as a pop-art icon. In the historic Bari Vecchia district, visitors can find numerous murals of the local hero, including one where he is depicted practicing yoga.
Ricchiuti expressed his desire to transform Bari's association with Christmas into a recognizable brand.
'Ostie piene' or 'filled hosts' are sweet treats made with unconsecrated communion wafers.
Angelo Totaro
Italys pious village with a profane secret
"We offer guided walking, bike, and rickshaw tours and have recently painted images of San Nicola and Father Christmas on our vehicles. To enhance the experience, we also bring along actors dressed as both characters," he explains.
In addition to the tours, visitors can enjoy the locally made San Nicola beer, which is crafted using local ingredients. The popular beer is available in a smaller bottle, "Nicolino," featuring an image of the saint on its label.
Brewer Paola Sorrentino explains that she developed the beer as a tribute to the saint, who is also revered as the protector of beer makers and strangers.
"As a Neapolitan, I have been embraced by this city just like its patron saint. Being a brewer, I couldn't think of a better way to honor and express my gratitude to San Nicola," she remarks.
You can also purchase souvenir T-shirts featuring the image of San Nicola in Bari. However, Ricchiuti believes that the town should take further steps to promote the Christmas connection on a global scale.
"I am pleased that the true Santa Claus is laid to rest in my hometown, which is the birthplace of the Santa Claus legend," he explains. "People worldwide admire this, and we often fail to recognize how fortunate we are."
