Père Noël Visits St. Martin's

December 6th, 2024

Students in Lower, Middle, and Upper School each received a visit from Père Noël, or St. Nicholas, in the Dan and Frances White Chapel. St. Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop from Myra, located in modern-day Turkey. During his visit, he gave students a bit of background about who this important historical figure was. St. Nicholas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him. This practice is often celebrated on his feast day, Dec. 6, and the gift-giving gave rise to the tradition of Santa Claus. Before entering the chapel, students removed one shoe. When they returned after the service, they found a small gift left in their shoes by Père Noël.

Some sharp-eyed guests may have noticed that the special chapel guest was none other than beloved former interim Head of School, Fr. Michael Kuhn, spreading the message of the true meaning of the Christmas season.