T-Shirt: Ho! Ho! Homoousios! (St. Nick)

The legendary dispute between Arius and St. Nicholas of Myra is based on the slightest difference in the spelling of the Greek words homoiousios, which means "similar substance," and homoousios, which means "same substance.” Arius argued that Christ was created by the Father, making Him subordinate and not coeternal with the Father.

At the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, church leaders solidified the biblical position that Christ is homoousios (same substance), and therefore coeternal with the Father. As the legend claims, it was at this very counsil that St. Nicholas lost his temper and slapped Arius across the face.

In conclusion, Arius was condemned as a heretic, and St. Nicholas was placed under church discipline.

(((John 1:1-3, John 8:58, Hebrews 13:8)))