Herman and Margaret, the parents of Saint NIcholas, were citizens of Skeningen in Sweden, and held a distinguished rank in the country.

His parents imbued in him from the cradle with the perfect spirit of Christian piety, and taught to dread nothing so much as whatever could tarnish the robe of innocence and grace with which he had been clothed in the sacred laver of baptism.

He studied at home the first elements of grammar, and was sent to Paris at a very young age, in order to accomplish himself in the sciences.

He then moved to Orleans, where he both completed his theological course, and took his degrees in civil and canon law. Qualified by learning and virtue for the service of the church he returned home, and was soon appointed the archdeacon of Lincopen.

His whole life was a perfect sacrifice of penance and devotion. On Fridays he took no other nourishment than bread with a little salt and water. At time he stayed the whole day from Thursday evening till Saturday noon without food.

In the discharge of his office he suffered, with unshaken constancy and patience, many grievous persecutions from the tyranny of great men and incorrigible sinners. He worked towards reforming the manners of a savage and ignorant people, and established the rules of virtue and ecclesiastical discipline.

Herbert, the first bishop of Lincopen, place him about the year 1000, something younger than St. Sigfrid.

The history of the bishops of Lincopen, in Swedish verse, 1 informs us, that when Gotzcalc, the sixteenth bishop of Lincopen was in his death bed, St. Nicholas was advanced to that see.

This dignity grew a fresh spur to his zeal in promoting the divine honour, and to his fervour in every religious exercise. Raised above all views to his own private interest, in every thing he laid himself out for the service of God and his neighbour.

His meekness and patience were proof to all trials: and prayer and heavenly meditation were to him a source of spiritual light, comfort, and strength. The study of the holy scriptures was principally his private entertainment. He compiled a book, quoting the canon law and fathers , which he called Huitebook.

He wrote comments on the Morals of St. Gregory, certain works of St. Anselm, and the writings of St. Bridget, whose canonization he warmly promoted. He passed away died within a year in which that affair was finished.

He wrote on the lives of St. Bridget, St. Anscarius, and other holy servants of God. He also compiled a book of flowers out of the psalms.

Pope Urban VI. honoured his sanctity, as is evident from a letter written by that pope in 1381, quoted by Benzelius. His successor, bishop Canut, speaks of his sanctity with great veneration.

St. Nicholas died in our Lord, in 1391, and was honoured in Sweden among the titular saints of the kingdom, with St. Sigfrid, St. Brinolph, St. Birget, St. Helen of Scoduc, St. Catharine, and St. Ingridie of Scheningen, who died in 1282, who are invoked together in the prayer of the mass for the feast of St. Nicholas, in the old Swedish Missal quoted by Benzelius. 

-Rev. Alban Butler

Other Saints of the Day
• Saint Pachomius of Tabenna
• Saint Beatus of Lungern
• Saint Gregory of Ostia
• Saint Giuse Hiên
• Saint Banban the Wise