Where’s the reindeer landing strip?
This image, taken by the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 spacecraft, shows a couple small, unassuming towns along the southern coastline of Turkey. Demre, formerly known as Kale, has a population of about 25,000 and is something of a tourist destination due to its Mediterranean climate. However, today it is being featured for a different reason: this small community was the original home of Saint Nicholas. In the 3rd/4th century, this area was known as Myre; Demre today sits on the same site, where the Demre River meets the Mediterranean. Although it’s difficult to find exact details of the lives of people 1700 years ago, the man eventually known as Saint Nicholas served as the bishop in this community and developed a reputation for gift-giving.
The Catholic Church celebrated his reputation and sainthood with a feast in early December, along with churches and buildings in his name across Europe. The tales of his generosity evolved into traditions of gift-giving in parts of Europe, one eventually popularized in the United States under the name Santa Claus (aka Sint Klaes, aka Saint Nicholas).
-JBB
Image credit: NASA/USGS http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=82652