The true appearance of Saint Nicholas: how scientists envision Santa Claus.

Some Ukrainians are preparing to find sweets under their pillows on December 6th. On this day, some Orthodox Christians celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. Meanwhile, scientists have reconstructed the true face of the man who inspired Santa Claus.

He lived 1,700 years ago during the Late Roman Empire. The saint's face was reconstructed from his skull, as reported by the "Daily Mail". Saint Nicholas of Myra was an early Christian saint. He was so well remembered for his good deeds that he became the inspiration for the main symbol of Christmas, Santa Claus, merging with the legend of the New Year spirit in many countries.

To create the face, scientists used data collected in the 1950s with permission from Centro Studi Nicolaiani. They first reconstructed the skull in 3D, then traced the facial profile using statistical projections. The result includes two sets of images. The grayscale version represents the actual likeness of the person based on the skull, while the colored version is more artistic, incorporating elements like a beard and clothing inspired by icons of Saint Nicholas.

Previously, "Telegraph" reported on a discovered bust of Cleopatra. It is believed to be the closest match to the original in history.