Interesting Fact of the Day...

Here's your interesting fact of the day: Jolly old St. Nick.

Standing in front of a shrine to St. Nicholas with our historian in Istanbul. We're in what's considered the Vatican of the Orthodox Church - The "Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople".

St. Nicholas was from Turkey.

His wealthy parents died when he was young and he had to live in a monastery. He'd give his money to others in need, especially children, but in sneaky ways.

For example, there were three girls who couldn't get married because they had no dowries. St. Nicholas heard and, one night, tossed some money through an open window.

The eldest daughter was soon able to find a husband.

He did it again for the second daughter, by tossing a sock filled with money through the open window.

When it was time for the third daughter to find a husband, St. Nicholas tried to do the same thing, but the windows were all shut so he climbed to the roof and dropped the money down the chimney.

And that's how the legend began.