This lovely picture is of St Nicholas (whose Feast Day it is on the 6th December) and is in 12th century glass in York Minster. Nicholas or Nikolaos of Myra (in modern day Turkey) is credited with whole thing of giving gifts at Christmastime because of his reputation of gift giving: we are told he would put coins in the shoes of those children who put them out for him and thus became the model of Santa Claus (Sinterklass). What would he think of these days when he had to provide Xbox - laptops - mobiles for the local children?
I like to think he would be up for it.
This is soooo beautiful! Lucky you, living in a country where there are so many old things. That's what I miss most about Australia.
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