The Orthodox Christians following the Julian calendar observe the feast of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker on December 19. Archpriest Petru Storoja, bishop of Saint Hierarch Nicholas Church, has told Info-Prim Neo that this feast is very important because Saint Nicholas is a symbol of kindheartedness, generosity and good deeds. Saint Nicholas was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting candies and gifts in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus. The archpriest said that Saint Nicholas became known for his faith and kindness. His mother and father cultivated in him love for the people and after their death he gave the large property he inherited to the poor. “Saint Nicolas is the symbol of generosity. He donated everything he had to poor people. He is also the symbol of good deeds,” said Petru Storoja. He also said that many people celebrate the house day on Saint Nicholas, which is marked twice: on May 22 and on December 19. In the morning, the faithful go to the church to attend the service. They pray and give alms.