The Real Face of St. Nicholas

Have you ever wondered what St. Nicholas really looked like?
If so, you aren't the only one!

How does this modern forensic reconstruction of Saint Nicholas' face compare with traditional images developed and handed down by iconographers through the centuries?

What do you think?

Top row: Russian icon, ca 1900; Forensic reconstruction/Anand Kapoor, 2004, used by permission; Russian icon, 2001
Bottom row: 19th century Russian icon; Russian painting, ca 1990; USA icon, 2000 (Jack Pachuta)
Icons from the St Nicholas Center Collection

Image: Image Foundry Studios / Anand Kapoor Used by permission
USE OF THIS IMAGE REQUIRES PERMISSION FROM IMAGE FOUNDRY STUDIOS
Modern forensic anthropology has developed tools to help discover what people looked like. These techniques are primarily used to assist in identifying unknown crime victims. However, they can be used also for historic personages when there is access to the right information. Normally, this would be skeletal remains, including the skull.

St. Nicholas' remains are buried in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy. These bones were temporarily removed when the crypt was repaired during the 1950s. At the Vatican's request, anatomy professor Luigi Martino from the University of Bari, took thousands of minutely-detailed measurements and x-ray photographs (roentgenography) of the skull and other bones.

The current professor of forensic pathology at the University of Bari, Francesco Introna, knew advancements in diagnostic technique could yield much more from the data gathered in the 1950s. So he engaged an expert facial anthropologist, Caroline Wilkinson, at the University of Manchester in England, to construct a model of the saint's head from the earlier measurements.

Using this data, the medical artist used state-of-the-art computer software to develop the model of St. Nicholas. The virtual clay was sculpted on screen using a special tool that allows one to "feel" the clay as it is molded. Dr. Wilkinson says, "In theory you could do the same thing with real clay, but it's much easier, far less time-consuming and more reliable to do it on a computer."

After inferring the size and shape of facial muscles?there are around twenty-six?from the skull data, the muscles are pinned onto the virtual skull, stretched into position, and covered with a layer of "skin." "The muscles connect in the same place on everyone, but because skulls vary in shape, a different face develops," Wilkinson comments. The tangents from different parts of the nasal cavity determine the length of a nose. This was difficult because St. Nicholas' nose had been badly broken. "It must have been a very hefty blow because it's the nasal bones between the eyes that are broken," she continued.

"We used clay on the screen that you can feel but not physically touch. It was very exciting. We did not have the physical skull, so we had to recreate it from two-dimensional data. We are bound to have lost some of the level of detail you would get by working from photographs, but we believe this is the closest we are ever going to get to him," Wilkinson concluded.

Next the three-dimensional image went to Image Foundry Studios where a digital artist added detail and color to the model. This gave it Greek Mediterranean olive-toned skin, brown eyes, and grey hair and beard, trimmed in 4th century fashion.

The result of the project is the image of a Greek man, living in Asia Minor (part of the Greek Byzantine Empire), about 60-years old, 5-feet 6-inches tall, who had a heavy jaw and a broken nose.

Press reaction to the facsimile tended to imply that good Saint Nicholas had had a brawling past, hence the broken nose. It is more likely, however, that his nose was broken when imprisoned and tortured during the persecution of Christians under Roman Emperor Diocletian.

The image and the process to create it were featured on a one-hour television documentary, The Real Face of Santa, produced by Atlantic Productions for BBC 2 and also shown on the Discovery Channel.

Anatomical Examination of the Bari Relics Bones when tomb opened Photo: Bollettino di San Nicola Used by permission In the 1950s the crypt containing Saint Nicholas tomb in the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Italy, needed extensive work on the floors and walls. This necessitated taking the heavy cover off the tomb and removing Saint Nicholas' bones for the first and only time since they were interred by Pope Urban II in 1089 (when the tomb was completed). A special Pontifical Commission, led by Monsignor Enrico Nicodemo, Archbishop of Bari, arranged for the examination of the relics to be carried out in the commission's presence. Luigi Martino, professor of human anatomy at the University of Bari, was engaged to perform the examination. He was assisted by his colleague Dr. Alfredo Ruggieri. Opening the tomb The bones had lain undisturbed, neither touched nor seen, for 866 years, until the night of May 5th, 1953. The bones were found scattered in no particular order within the tomb. The skull had been carefully placed at one end (see photo). The bones were removed, to be identified and inventoried. Besides the skull, there were long bones, short bones, and many tiny bone fragments. Among the bones there were also small stones and gravel, presumed to have been gathered hastily along with the bones by the Bari sailors in 1087. The tomb had about ¾ of an inch of clear liquid in the bottom and the bones were wet, with marrow spaces filled with water. After the bones and the liquid were removed the grave was dried. A thorough examination in strong light found no cracks in its very thick, solid, compact and hard stone walls. Condition of the bones The bones themselves were very fragile and fragmented. The skull was in the best condition, showing that it was probably handled with the most care when the bones were brought to Bari. The skull is complete, missing only the back half of one jaw. It contained many teeth, with some still in their sockets. Most of the other bones were broken, some extensively, and many chipped. After the initial examination and inventory the bones were placed in a glass urn, visible for veneration by the faithful during the four years of renovation works in the crypt. It is reported that the bones continued to yield manna during that time. The second examination When the crypt repairs were complete, the bones were examined a second time to preserve their images and characteristics. Both anatomical and anthropological examinations were performed on the night of May 7th, 1957. Luigi Martino, assisted by colleagues Alfredo Ruggieri and Luigi Venezia, carried out the examinations. Professor Luigi Martino examining skull Photo: Venezia Pravoslavie This time thousands of minutely-detailed measurements and x-ray photographs (roentgenography) were taken, along with careful anatomical measurements. When the examination was complete, the bones were carefully reinterred. Smaller bones sorted and cagtalogued Photo: Bollettino di San Nicola Used by permission Relics reinterred Photo: Bollettino di San Nicola Used by permission These measurements allowed the reconstruction of an articulated skeleton, revealing the proportions of the individual. The anthropometric information established that the skeleton belonged to an old person because the bones were extremely fragile and thinning. Because so many bones were broken, they woiuld have already been brittle and easily broken in 1087. The presence of stones and gravel indicate that thy were already fragmented and it had been difficult to separate bone fragments from gravel in the Myra tomb. As the bones were already 737 years old in 1087, it is not surprising that they were fragile and easily broken, especially when hastily gathered by sailors not used to handling such delicate objects. As they were probably not cushioned adequately to protect them from jarring by the motion of the sea, they no doubt were broken further during the voyage. One vertebra shows a thin slice of bone had been removed with a cut from a sharp knive, such as would be made to remove a relic. Conclusions and personal characteristics These two examinations showed the bones to be part of one skeleton of a man over seventy years of age (historical accounts report St. Nicholas' death at around age 75, reports range from 72 to 80 years of age). The man was of average height and slender-to-average build. He was 5 feet 5¾ inches tall (1.67 meters). Shoulders would have been 15¾ inches wide (40 cm), girth, 33.86 inches (86 cm) or slightly more, hands 7½ inches long (19 cm), and feet 10¼ long (26 cm) by 4 inches wide (10 cm). Circumference of the head would have been 16.69 inches (52.4 cm). The head had a normal shape, slightly elongated. The face was mostly short and wide, with the chin pushed forward more than usual. The forehead was broad, eye sockets quite large and the nose medium-sized. The hollowed cheekbones protrude slightly. Strong teeth showed recent decay and also indicated that his diet was primarily vegetarian. Photos: Bollettino di San Nicola Used by permission   The skeleton showed evidence of suffering such as would have been endured during confinement in damp and unhealthy prisons (thought to have been for several years at the age of 51). He suffered from severe chronic arthritis of the spine and pelvis and the skull showed bone thickening that would have caused chronic head pain. Luigi Martino used the numerous photographs of the skull from various angles—front, side and oblique—to discover what the face may have looked like. So, projecting the soft tissues, he drew eyebrows, eyes and eyelids, nose, lips, chin, cheeks, and beard, corresponding to the skeletal bone. The result was a rather ascetic, thin face with large eyes and forehead. He believed it corresponded to various representations of the saint, the closest being a mosaic of Saint Nicholas with the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist in the St. Isidore Chapel in the Basilica of Saint Mark in Venice.

How Saint Nicholas May Have Looked What did Saint Nicholas really look like? That is a question a few people have tried to answer. The anatomy professor from the University of Bari, Luigi Martino, who catalogued, measured, and photographed the saint's bony relics in 1957, tried his hand at sketching what Nicholas would look like if soft tissues were present on the skull. He also drew a figure showing how the skeleton with flesh and with bishop's vestments. The 2004 Deisis project in Russia created digital images developed from thousands of digital pictures taken from traditional iconographic representations of religious figures. Portraits were created by computer programs synthesizing characteristics from the all the included icons. The exhibit opened in the State Tretyakov Gallery and M'Ars Centre of Contemporary Art on April 14, 2004. Nicholas was one of twenty-three portraits in the installation. Also in 2004, forensic pathologist Francesco Introna, University of Bari, engaged facial anthropologist Caroline Wilkinson of the University of Manchester, to create a reconstruction applying the latest computer diagnostic techniques to the data gathered in 1957. Digital artist Anand Kapoor completed the project. It is shown with five icon images. The results show what Saint Nicholas may have looked like: Sketches: Luigi Martino, Bari, Italy, 1957 Bollettino di San Nicola Used by permission Digital reconstruction Deisis Project, Russia, 2004 Permission pending Top row: Russian icon, ca 1900; Forensic reconstruction/Anand Kapoor, 2004, used by permission; Russian icon, 2001 Bottom row: 19th century Russian icon; Russian painting, ca 1990; USA icon, 2000 (Jack Pachuta) Icons from the St Nicholas Center Collection Sketches: Luigi Martino, Bari, Italy, 1957

Is St. Nicholas in Venice, too?

Chiesa di San Nicoló, the Lido of Venice Photo: Wikipedia

Ss. Theodore, Nicholas of Myra, Nicholas, the uncle Photo: Venezia Pravoslavie

High altar, reliquary for Ss. Theodore, Nicholas of Myra, Nicholas uncle Photo: Venezia Pravoslavie

After Myra fell to the Seljuk Turks in 1071, Adriatic rivals Bari and Venice were in competition to bring the relics of Saint Nicholas to their cities. The Bari expedition, with three ships, sixty-two sailors and two priests, beat out the Venetians and the relics arrived in Bari on May 9, 1087.

Venetians also find bones in Myra

However, that is not the end of the story. Ventians left by sea for the First Crusade in 1099. On their way, the ship called in at Myra. At that time the Church of Saint Nicholas was nearly deserted, as the priests and local faithful, afraid of the Turks, celebrated Divine Liturgy just once a month. When the Venetians arrived at the church, they, like the Barians, tried flattery and then threats. They then found three well-protected boxes, containing the remains of two bishops, Ss. Theodore and Nicholas, the uncle of Nicholas of Myra. These were taken to the ship. Several sailors returned to the church. Following a sweet scent, they broke through the floor, and several more layers, until they came to a copper urn engraved "Here lies the Great Bishop Nicholas, Glorious on Land and Sea."

The sailors quickly took their treasure to the ship. A large box of relics and money were given to the Archbishop to cover the cost of repairing the church. The fleet of two hundred ships continued on its way to Palestine.

At the end of the First Crusade in 1101, the ships returned to Venice. Just as it had been in Bari, there was disagreement about where the relics were to be kept. Some put forward the Basilica di San Marco until a new church could be built, named for the saint. In the end the abbot of the San Nicoló del Lido monastery prevailed as there was already a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas on the Lido.

The bones were secured in the center of the choir in a strong fortified tower while a new worthy church was built. Upon completion of the church, the relics were placed beneath the high altar.

Where are the Real Relics? Bari? or Venice?

Thus began centuries of challenge and dispute between Bari and Venice—who really had the relics of Saint Nicholas? Bari had always refused to open the tomb. The Venetians had only seen their bones, but never had them examined. Both cities laid claim to the true relics.

Solving the riddle

Luigi Martino, anatomy professor at the University of Bari, had carried out thorough anatomical examination of the bones in Bari in 1953 and 1957. They had been removed during repairs to the crypt and he took careful measurements and thousands of photographs and x-rays. In 1992 he was asked to examine the relics held at the Lido.

Condition of the bones

The Ventian bones were broken in many small pieces and fragments, perhaps as many as 500. They were a whitish gray color, probably because they had been stored in an open dry container, maybe even in the sun. This would also make the bones brittle and vulnerable to breakage. One source asserts that they had been stored in lime for 230 years. If so, that would also explain the color and condition, which is the same for the Bari bones.

Bones from the Lido of Venice Photo: Venezia Pravoslavie

Stone engraved in Greek, "Humble Nicholas myrrh-streaming relics" Photo: Nikola.ru

In addition to the bone fragments, a jar of manna and a black stone inscribed with the saint's name help confirm identity. The top of the left long arm bone had a sharp cut such as would be made to remove a relic piece, indicating the bone belonged to a person who was the object of veneration.

Conclusions

The black bones are in Bari The white bones (crushed) are in the Lido of Venice  Diagram: Bollettino di San Nicola Used by permission

Lido bone fragments Photo: Centro Studi Nicolaiani, Bari Italy Used by permission

The many small pieces found in Venice are consistent with accounts of the Bari sailors, in great haste, gathering up nearly all of the larger pieces, thus leaving the smaller ones, before hurrying back to their ships.

The accounts tell how the tomb was opened, the cover pulverized, so many small bits of marble would have fallen onto the skeleton. Then impetuous sailor Matteo stepped down into the coffin, still wearing shoes. So, it should be no surprise that the femers were broken off, described as "with an ax." The heads of both femers and most of the ribs are among the bones in Venice, areas easily crushed by two feet.

Professor Martino concluded that the humble remains in Venice are not, and should not be considered, less important than those in Bari.

After 891 years the mystery and dispute between Bari and Venice had ended—both are home to Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, Saint in Bari and the Lido of Venice.