Real face of man who inspired Santa Claus revealed after 1,700 years

The true face of the man that inspired Santa Claus can be seen for the first time in almost 1,700 years, after scientists reconstructed his likeness from his skull

Adam Cailler Senior reporter and Reddit lead

12:20, 04 Dec 2024Updated 12:21, 04 Dec 2024

Cicero Moraes has revealed Santa's true face(Image: Credit: Cicero Moraes/Pen News)

The face of the man who inspired Santa Claus has been revealed for the first time in nearly 1,700 years. Thanks to scientists who reconstructed his likeness from his skull, Saint Nicholas of Myra, an early Christian saint known for his gift-giving, inspired the Dutch folk figure Sinterklaas which later evolved into Santa Claus in the US.

This mythical character then merged with England's Father Christmas, more associated with feasting and games than gifts, to create the beloved figure we know today. However, no depiction of the real man behind the myth exists from his lifetime, with most images of 'Old Saint Nick' dating back centuries after his death in 343 AD.

‌

Now, his 'living face' can be seen for the first time since the Late Roman Empire, as experts have forensically rebuilt his features using his skull. Mr Moraes, the lead author of the new study, described it as a "strong and gentleface".

‌

Click for more of the latest news from across the world from the Daily Star.

Hello there, Santa Claus(Image: Credit: Cicero Moraes/Pen News)

He also noted its "curious compatibility" with the "broad face" described in the 1823 poem, A Visit From St Nicholas, better 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' 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," he said.

‌

Co-author Jos Luis Lira, an expert on the subject, also contributed to the study. He stated: "He was a bishop who lived in the early centuries of Christianity and had the courage to defend and live the teachings of Jesus Christ, even at the risk of his life. He challenged the authorities, including the Roman Emperor, for this choice."

Not quite 'jolly' but very much Saint Nick(Image: Credit: Pen News)

He further added that Nicholas' frequent and effective help for those in need led people to seek a symbol of kindness for Christmas from him. "His memory is universal not only among Christians, but among all peoples," he said.

‌

Moraes also explained how the famous saint evolved into today's folk legend. He revealed: "The Protestant Reformation, led by Martin Luther, contributed to the disappearance of devotion to Saint Nicholas in many countries. However, in the Netherlands, the legend of Sinterklaas - a linguistic suppression of the saint's name - remained strong, influencing the nation's colonies."

The real face of Santa (not this) has been revealed(Image: Getty Images)

He pointed out that one such colony was New Amsterdam, now known as New York, where the legend was anglicised into Santa Claus. "He was described as an old man who punished misbehaving children andrewarded those who behaved well with gifts."

‌

Moraes continued: "The image of Santa Claus as we know it today is based on an illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly magazine in early 1863. This was inspired by the description in the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas attributed to Clement Clarke Moore."

The poem gave rise to many popular notions about the folk figure we have today, including his rosy cheeks, his reindeer, his sleigh, his sack of toys, and the "broad face" described earlier. Mr Moraes and his team used data collected in the 1950s by Luigi Martino, with permission from the Centro Studi Nicolaiani, to create the face.

He explained: "We initially reconstructed the skull in 3D using this data. We then traced the profile of the face using statistical projections."

‌

The real Santa's skull(Image: Credit: Cicero Moraes/Pen News)

The team also used the anatomical deformation technique, adjusting the tomography of a living person's head 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," he added.

The result is two sets of images: one objective in greyscale, and one more artistic - adding features like a beard and clothes, inspired by the iconography of Saint Nicholas. But the remains of the saint reveal more than just his face.

Article continues below

Mr Moraes revealed: "He apparently suffered from severe chronic arthritis in his spine and pelvis, and his skull showed bone thickening that could cause frequent headaches. According to this source, his diet would be mostly plant-based."

The study was published in the journal OrtogOnLineMag by Mr Moraes, Dr Lira and their co-author, Thiago Beaini.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.