Nicholas of Myra, a bishop who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries, is considered to be the historical character on which the legendary figure of Santa Claus is based. His bones, brought to Bari, in the Italian region Apulia, in 1087, are known in the Christian world for a particular trait: that they exude a substance, considered miraculous by some, called manna. This paper aims to reconstruct the philosophical-natural debate on the origins and nature of this liquid in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Science of Santa Claus: Discussions on the Manna of Saint Nicholas of Myra in the modern age

DE CEGLIA, Francesco Paolo
2012-01-01

Abstract

Nicholas of Myra, a bishop who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries, is considered to be the historical character on which the legendary figure of Santa Claus is based. His bones, brought to Bari, in the Italian region Apulia, in 1087, are known in the Christian world for a particular trait: that they exude a substance, considered miraculous by some, called manna. This paper aims to reconstruct the philosophical-natural debate on the origins and nature of this liquid in the 17th and 18th centuries.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11586/31453
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