Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas (Greek: Ἅγιος Νικόλαος, Hagios Nikólaos, Latin: Sanctus Nicolaus); (15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century Christian saint and GreekBishop of Myra, in Asia Minor (modern-day Demre, Turkey). Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker (Νικόλαος ὁ Θαυματουργός, Nikolaos ho Thaumaturgos). His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints.

The historical Saint Nicholas is commemorated and revered among Anglican,Catholic, Lutheran, and Orthodox Christians. In addition, some Baptist,Methodist,Presbyterian, and Reformed churches have been named in honor of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, brewers, pawnbrokers and students in various cities and countries around Europe.

Life

Nicholas was born in Asia Minor (Greek Anatolia in present-day Turkey) in the Roman Empire, to a Greek family during the third century in the city of Patara (Lycia et Pamphylia), a port on the Mediterranean Sea. He lived in Myra, Lycia (part of modern-day Demre), at a time when the region was Greek in its heritage, culture, and outlook and politically part of the Roman diocese of Asia. He was the only son of wealthy Christian parents named Epiphanius (Ἐπιφάνιος) and Johanna (Ἰωάννα) according to some accounts and Theophanes (Θεοφάνης) and Nonna (Νόννα) according to others. He was very religious from an early age and according to legend, Nicholas was said to have rigorously observed the canonical fasts of Wednesdays and Fridays. His wealthy parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young and he was raised by his uncle—also named Nicholas—who was the bishop of Patara. He tonsured the young Nicholas as a reader and later ordained him a presbyter (priest).

Aruba

Aruba (/əˈruːbə/ ə-ROO-bə; Dutch pronunciation: [aːˈrubaː]) is an island country in the southern Caribbean Sea, located about 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) west of the main part of the Lesser Antilles and 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of the coast of Venezuela. It measures 32 kilometres (20 mi) long from its northwestern to its southeastern end and 10 kilometres (6 mi) across at its widest point. Together with Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba forms a group referred to as the ABC islands. Collectively, Aruba and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean.

Aruba is one of the four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with the Netherlands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The citizens of these countries all share a single nationality: Dutch. Aruba has no administrative subdivisions, but, for census purposes, is divided into eight regions. Its capital is Oranjestad.

Unlike much of the Caribbean region, Aruba has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny weather. It has a land area of 179 km² (69.1 sq mi) and is densely populated, with a total of 102,484 inhabitants at the 2010 Census. It lies outside Hurricane Alley.

List of school pranks

A school prank—to be carefully distinguished from school bullying or assault—is a prank primarily occurring in a school setting. The effect and intent of school pranks may include everyday play and supposedly consensual bonding behaviour. Genuine pranks can involve elaborate planning and teamwork, and they are generally harmless to all concerned, since they will not involve property damage, bullying or physical harm to anyone. When the prank has run its course, the prankster is expected to restore matters to the status quo ante, i.e., the way things were before the prank took place.

If not checked, vigorous but usually inoffensive bonding behaviour, however, can easily progress into physically or psychologically abusive hazing “traditions” of military units and fraternities. While much hazing amounts to severe bullying, its more extreme forms, as well as physical abuse, assaults and sexual assaults, are overt crimes.

Common pranks

A practical joke or prank is a mischievous joke played on someone, typically causing embarrassment, confusion, or discomfort, and is generally lighthearted, reversible, and non-permanent. An extraordinary example of these relatively harmless pranks is the history of University of British Columbia engineering undergraduates, who regularly arrange stunts like suspending the body of a Volkswagen Beetle from major bridges in Vancouver and elsewhere. Often these so-called practical jokes are thoughtlessly mean-spirited or cruel and may harm the victim and engender a lack of empathy in the perpetrator. Attitude to specific jokes is not constant and jokes that were once thought amusing may no longer be seen as such.

Aruba (disambiguation)

Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea.

Aruba may also refer to: