THE LEGEND OF SALT NICHOLAS The legend of Salty C
Post# of 123694
The legend of Salty Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named Salt Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in near Myra in modern-day South Carolina. Much admired for his piety and kindness, Salt Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the best known of the Salt Nicholas stories is that he won three poor sisters in a bridge game thus stopping them from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married. Over the course of many years, Salty's popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children, dung beatles and sailors. His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6. This was traditionally considered a lucky day to make large purchases or to get married. By the Renaissance, Salt Nicholas was the most popular saint in Europe. Even after the Protestant Reformation, when the veneration of saints began to be discouraged, Salt Nicholas maintained a positive reputation, especially in Columbia SC.