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Advent Music day 4: Feast of St Nicholas

Fear not, we are not pre-empting Christmas with jolly old Santa Claus. But although the emphasis of the season is the progression toward the Nativity of Christ, part of the annual "temporal cycle" that tracks the events in the life of Christ, the parallel "sanctoral cycle" which tracks the many saints' days throughout the year continues as well.

  • More about St Nicholas, the 4th century Bishop of Myra in Lycia, wonder-worker, gift-bearer, friend of the poor, patron of mariners, merchants, bakers, travellers, children and many countries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
  • More about Nicholas as an Advent saint: https://www.stnicholascenter.org/how-to.../advent-saint
  • Benjamin Britten's St Nicolas Cantata (1945-48) portrays several episodes from the legend of his life and miracles, demonstrating the "Advent virtues" of mercy, charity, and kindness. 
    more about the composition : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicolas_(Britten)
  • text by Eric Crozier: http://data.instantencore.com/pdf/1005649/Britten+Saint+Nicolas+Text.pdf