Nicholas of Myra: The Story of Saint Nicholas

In New York City, December 1822, Dr. Clement Moore - a professor of world literature - is inspired to pen a whimsical Christmas poem for his young children. Influenced by the lore of Old World culture, Moore crafts his poem into a magical tale about a kind and generous gift-bearer that secretly visits homes on Christmas Eve. It is while musing about this mythical character that Moore first learns of the ancient legend of a gift-giver from the Greco-Roman Era - one that he comes to believe may be the origin of all the similar myths throughout the world. What he finds is a story that ironically would one day be lost to the lore he was about to create. Moore soon discovers the surprising tale of Nicholas, a boy who was born to Greek parents in the city of Patara during the latter part of the Third Century A.D., on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Orphaned as a teenager, Nicholas inherits his father's vast and secret fortune, a catalyst to a journey of self-discovery that one day leads him to the city of Myra. There he comes to live a dual life, as a devout bishop by day and an anonymous gift-bearer by night. Few people know of the many legends that surround his namesake, even fewer know the epic story behind the heroic Saint. It is the story of Christmas origins, the story of selflessness and sacrifice, yet ultimately, it is about the power of storytelling and the hope it can bring. It is the now forgotten tale of a legendary saint named Nicholas - Nicholas of Myra.