Old Saint Nick

Long before gift-giving and reindeer, there was St. Nicholas of Myra—the 4th-century bishop whose deep compassion made him one of Christianity’s most beloved saints. Patron of children, sailors, the wrongly accused, and countless others, the real St. Nicholas is celebrated throughout the world, East and West. From the medieval West, singing the remarkable isometric motet O Gemma lux by Guillaume Dufay, shown here. From the Byzantine tradition, an exquisite Kalophonic (“beautiful sounding”) chant for his feast day by Manuel Chrysaphes (15th c.). Finishing with Arvo Pärt’s “O Holy Saint Nicholas,” featured on Cappella Romana’s acclaimed recording Odes of Repentance, a contemporary meditation that bridges ancient tradition and modern spirituality.