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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; &#8220;I feel like a kid tonight,&#8221; Sister Elsa Moore said, smiling as she watched parishioners and friends of St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church add to a huge pile of toys in front of the altar Thursday evening.</p><p>&#8220;I would love that big black bear myself,&#8221; she teased, pointing to a large plush animal and proving that, after more than 50 years as a nun, she&#8217;s still young at heart.</p><p>&#8220;Some kid&#8217;s going to love that to pieces,&#8221; she added.</p><p>The toys, ranging from jigsaw puzzles to dolls to Star Wars action figures, are Christmas presents for the needy, and it&#8217;s a long-standing tradition for members of St. Nicholas Church to bring such gifts to a special Mass each year on Dec. 6.</p><p>That&#8217;s the feast day of their patron saint, a 4th-century bishop who was born in what is now Turkey and who became legendary for his generosity and compassion for the poor.</p><p>&#8220;He gave in secret, during the night. Doesn&#8217;t that sound like somebody else we know?&#8221; the Rev. Joseph Verespy said during his homily, referring to the way Santa Claus evolved from St. Nicholas.</p><p>People who carried presents to the altar Thursday ranged from great-grandparents to preschoolers, and some of the older folks said it was a good tradition for their children to begin.</p><p>&#8220;I want them to know St. Nicholas was a real person and he would give to the less fortunate,&#8221; said Mary Conti, of Wilkes-Barre, who brought her 5-year-old son, also named Nicholas, and 14-month-old daughter, Josephine, to the Mass. &#8220;I want them to follow in his footsteps.&#8221;</p><p>As the Mass drew to a close, a tall &#8220;St. Nicholas&#8221; suddenly arrived, sporting a curly white beard and a bishop&#8217;s hat and cloak. Accompanying him was his elf-like sidekick, &#8220;Ruprecht,&#8221; who in keeping with folklore had some less-than-ideal &#8220;presents&#8221; to give away.</p><p>To the delight of onlookers, Ruprecht, portrayed by 13-year-old Charlie Revitt, gave pieces of coal to Christopher Tigue, who is his principal at St. Nicholas-St. Mary School, and to several sisters, including Sister Elsa.</p><p>He also tossed coal to Deacon Michael Golubiewski and to the Rev. Fidel Ticona, who were standing just a few feet away from him. At the urging of several adults, he pitched a piece of it a considerably greater distance &#8212; up into the choir loft for director of music Edward Loch.</p><p>&#8220;That was a good throw,&#8221; Sister Elsa congratulated Revitt later.</p><p>After Ruprecht&#8217;s basket of coal was emptied, &#8220;St. Nicholas&#8221; gave peppermint candy canes to younger members of the congregation, and admitted his other identity is church volunteer Chris Kohl.</p><p>&#8220;I did this last year and I was told I was too young-looking, which anybody over 50 likes to hear,&#8221; Kohl said. &#8220;So this year I have spectacles and (bushy white) eyebrows.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Rev. Joseph Verespy, St. Nicholas Church pastor, thanks parishioners for the donations of toys during the Feast Day Mass for St. Nicholas on Thursday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Rev. Joseph Verespy, St. Nicholas Church pastor, thanks parishioners for the donations of toys during the Feast Day Mass for St. Nicholas on Thursday evening. </caption0><photoCredit0>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_st.nicholas.feast2_-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mary Conti, of Wilkes-Barre, and her son Nicholas, 5, bring toys to the altar at St. Nicholas Church in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Like many parents who brought their children to the annual Feast Day Mass, Conti said it was a good way to teach youngsters about generosity. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_st.nicholas.feast2_-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Mary Conti, of Wilkes-Barre, and her son Nicholas, 5, bring toys to the altar at St. Nicholas Church in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Like many parents who brought their children to the annual Feast Day Mass, Conti said it was a good way to teach youngsters about generosity. </caption1><photoCredit1>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sr. Ann Marie, left, and Sr. Josephine, back, of St. Nicholas convent, recite a prayer to St. Nicholas. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-3-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Sr. Ann Marie, left, and Sr. Josephine, back, of St. Nicholas convent, recite a prayer to St. Nicholas. </caption2><photoCredit2>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-5-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Brian Vinsko Jr., 4, was all smiles when he had a chance to sit on St. Nicholas&#8217; lap after Thursday&#8217;s Mass. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-5-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Brian Vinsko Jr., 4, was all smiles when he had a chance to sit on St. Nicholas&#8217; lap after Thursday&#8217;s Mass. </caption3><photoCredit3>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-4.cropped.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">St. Nicholas arrived at the end of Mass to pass out toys to the children. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_St.-Nicholas-Feast-4.cropped.jpg</photo4><caption4>St. Nicholas arrived at the end of Mass to pass out toys to the children. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</caption4><photoCredit4>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>WB church marks feast day with toy drive</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mary Therese Biebel</p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre church celebrates the spirit of St. Nicholas