Although there is at least one St. Nicholas church in Naples (San Nicola alla Carità on via Toledo) the saint, himself, is not particularly associated with the city. Elsewhere in Italy-Bari, in particular, where he is the patron saint of the city-and in many other places throughout the Christian world, Nicholas of Myra (270 AD-347 AD) is venerated as the protector of sailors and children and, indeed, was the prototype for the gift-bearing "Father Christmas," "St. Nick" or "Santa Claus'; in those places, his name day, December 6, is the day of gifts for children.

I was, thus, surprised when I wandered into the church of Santa Maria la Nova in the old city. I had come to admire the spectacular ceiling once again, and I ran into a small celebration of the "The Arrival of Saint Nicholas" going on in the adjacent courtyard. It was the eleventh such edition of the celebration and the third time it has been held at Santa Maria la Nova. The saint came out and walked around the courtyard once, followed by children dressed as angels (two of whom were wearing the horns of Lucifer, the fallen angel-perhaps meaning that God's mercy extends to all); St. Nick then distribued small gifts to the children. A handful of parents were present and the hosts of the event, "Bohemia, the Czech-Italalian Cultural Association," handed out Bohemian pastries and hot wine, yea, even unto strangers like me. The entire festival lasts into early January and features a number of musical events on the premises of the church.