Saint Nicholas visiting the house of a poor nobleman, father of three daughters

The scene depicted shows Saint Nicolas, Bishop of Myra, throwing a moneybag through the window of the house of a poor man and his daughters. Because the head of the family was not able to raise enough funds for the dowry of his daughters, they were forced to become prostitutes. Due to the intervention of Saint Nicolas, they were able to find suitable husbands and prostitution was avoided (see W. Mezger, Sankt Nikolaus.Zwischen Kult und Klamauk.Zur Entstehung, Entwicklung und Vernderung der Brauchformen um einen populren Heiligen, 1993, pp.62 ff).

See colour illustration