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Scientists have finally revealed the face of the man who inspired this legendary figure for the first time in almost 1,700 years.
Researchers were able to forensically recreate the face. (Photo Credit: Instagram)
December has finally arrived and with it, the magic of Christmas is in the air. As one of the most eagerly awaited celebrations worldwide, Christmas has many beloved traditions, but one iconic figure stands out – the jolly and gift-giving Santa Claus.
And now, for the first time in almost 1,700 years, scientists have finally revealed the face of the man who inspired this legendary figure. Using data from his skull, researchers managed to “forensically recreate” the face of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the real-life bishop.
Saint Nicholas was a Christian saint known for bringing gifts and inspiring the Dutch folk figure of Sinterklaas. Over time, the character merged with English Father Christmas to become the Santa Claus we know and love today. There is no proper description of Saint Nicholas until now, despite his immense popularity. But now, people can see his living face or at least something closest to it.
While talking to the Mirror, the lead author of the study, Cicero Moraes, described the saint’s face as “strong and gentle”, adding it was “curiously compatible” with the face described in the 1823 poem “A Visit From St Nicholas,” also known as “Twas The Night Before Christmas.”
“The skull has a very robust appearance, generating a strong face, as its dimensions on the horizontal axis are larger than average. This resulted in a ‘broad face’ curiously compatible with the 1823 poem. This characteristic, combined with a thick beard, is very reminiscent of the figure we have in mind when we think of Santa Claus,” Cicero added.
The outlet further reported the team used the data collected by Luigi Martino in 1950. “We initially reconstructed the skull in 3D using this data,” he said. “We then traced the profile of the face using statistical projections. We supplemented this with the anatomical deformation technique, in which the topography of a living person’s head is adjusted so that the virtual donor’s skull matches that of the saint. The final face is an interpolation of all this information, seeking anatomical and statistical coherence,” Moraes added.
Moraes shared a series of photos, writing, “The forensic facial approximation of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the Santa Claus. Details on the article in the stories.”
Talking about the significance of the real-life saint, Jos Luis Lira, the study’s co-author and an expert on the lives of saints, said that he was a bishop who lived in the early centuries of Christianity, adding, “He had the courage to defend and live the teachings of Jesus Christ, even at the risk of his life.”
“He helped those in need so frequently and effectively that when people sought a symbol of kindness for Christmas, the inspiration came from him. His memory is universal not only among Christians but among all peoples,” Lira added.
