STORIES OF

SAINT NICHOLAS
Saint Nicholas (15th March 270 - 6th December 343) was a historic 4th-century Christian saint.
Because of the many miracles attributed to him, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonder worker. His
reputation quickly evolved,as was common for early Christian Saints, and his legendary habit of secret
gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus.

The Legend of Saint Nicholas

The Legend said that 3 sisters, daughters of a
poor noble, couldn't marry because of the precarious
financial situation. It is said that when the eldest
daughter came at the time of getting married,Nicholas
(already a bishop), left the night at the door of the
house a bag of gold.
The story was repeated exactly and when it came
time getting married for the second girl. When time
came for the third girl, the noble stood
guard to find out who was the man that made his girls
this good. That night he saw the bishop leaving the bag
of gold. It is said that Saint Nicholas was on the roof
and dropped the bag through the chimney in a sock made
dry,which is the reason for habit of hanging socks by
the fireplace.
After the father saw him,Nicholas asked to keep the
secret,but he was not resisted the temptation to tell
on. Since then, anyone receiving an unexpected gift
she thanked Nicholas for it. The 3 bags of gold made
gift for girls became the symbol of the saint,appearing
in icons.

One tells how during a terrible famine,

According to another story, during a great
a malicious butcher lured three little
famine that Myra experienced in 311–312,
children into his house, where he killed a ship was in the port at anchor,
them, placing their remains in a barrel
loaded with wheat for the Emperor in
to cure, planning to sell them off as Constantinople.
ham. Nicholas, visiting the region to
Nicholas invited the sailors to unload a part
care for the hungry, not only saw of the wheat to help in the time of need.
through the butcher's horrific crime but
The sailors at first disliked the request,
also resurrected the three boys from because the wheat had to be weighed
the barrel by his prayers. Another accurately and delivered to the Emperor.
version of this story, possibly formed Only when Nicholas promised them that
around the 11th century, claims that they would not suffer any loss for their
the butcher's victims were instead three consideration, the sailors agreed.
clerks who wished to stay the night. When they arrived later in the capital, they
The man murdered them, and was made a surprising find: the weight of the
advised by his wife to dispose of them load had not changed,

by turning them into meat pies. The although the wheat removed in Myra was
saint saw through this and brought the enough for two full years and could even
be used for sowing.
men back to life.

In the night from 5 to 6 December, the children use to leave their boots in front of the door hoping
that they will receive gifts from Saint Nicholas that are usually candies. In some zones, the children
leave carrots for his donkey. In many regions of Romania, the naughty kids receive a stick.

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