Chapel Saint-Nicolas - Chaleux

This beautiful chapel is located at the entrance to the village of Chaleux and is dedicated to Saint Nicholas.

The floating pointed tower is striking. The interior is austere - the chairs and benches were probably removed.

Nicholas of Myra died on December 6 between 335 and 337.

The most famous story of Saint Nicholas comes from the vita of Michael the Archimandrite. It is about a poor man who had three daughters. In those days, the father was expected to offer the future husband something of value: a dowry. The higher the dowry, the greater the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry it was likely that the woman would never marry. Due to the man's poverty, his daughters were doomed to work in prostitution. However, on three separate occasions a bag of gold ducats fell into the house , a full dowry for each of the daughters. The poor man initially didn't know where the money came from, but he started investigating. After the money was thrown through his window for the third time, he went after the benefactor. Only then did he discover that it was Nicholas who threw the money through the window.

The tradition of scattering can be explained by the legend of the coins or the three gold nuggets that were said to have been thrown through the window. Sometimes the gold nuggets are depicted or interpreted as apples or tangerines . This story also explains the bedding and the placing of the shoe. Three bags of gold symbolize Saint Nicholas. The chocolate coins that are often part of the bedding also go back to this story.

Willem Vandenameele