Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Salt of the Earth

 Jesus in Matthew 5 said, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."  I was thinking of that passage yesterday, when visiting a salt museum underground.  Actually, the museum is a popular salt mine in an area not far from Suceava where we are staying.  

The word for salt in Romanian is sare.  Couldn't find a connection between this word and the name on the salt mine we visited called Salina Cacica (sah-chee-kah).  The reason this caught my eye is that I spend part of my childhood growing up in a town called Salina in Kansas.  Salina is also the county seat of Saline County.  Saline is the name of the river that runs through this county which is known for its saltiness.  This salty river is actually connected to the salt marshes located around Hutchinson, Kansas.  Saline solution used to clean PICC lines used on patients in the hospital is basically a salt/sodium water solution.

Anyway, that was probably a whole lot more information than you wanted to know.  The Cacica salt mine is one of the largest salt mines in the country of Romania.  Salt extraction officially began back in 1791.  The opening of the mine created hundreds of jobs.  Most of the workers were Catholic Poles looking for work. 

The mine has undergone numerous changes throughout the years.  In current day Romania however, salt is no longer extracted directly from the mine.  This mine has turned into a tourist site.  Salt extraction does continue to take place in nearby mines in massive quantities.  Visitors come from throughout different parts of Romania to fill up bottles, jugs and even massive barrels with free salt brine that comes through a hose from a pump located in front of the mine.  The brine is primarily used for the centuries-old Romanian tradition of pickling vegetables.  

Another reason the Cacica Salt Mine is a popular place to collect the salt brine is because of its healing properties.  Believe it or not the salt water helps those who asthma and other respiratory problems.  There was actually a public swimming pool filled with the salt water from the mine for visitors to soak in for healing skin conditions and easing arthetic pain.  

The mine also hosts a yearly festival. Every December 4th priests from the three church denominations in the area, Romanian Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic, gather at the altar of the Chapel of St. Varvara inside the mine to celebrate the divine liturgy. During the celebration, local kids, dressed in traditional folk clothing, put on festivities and provide entertainment for the attendees.

You can see in the photos below one of two church chancels inside the mine.  There is also a ballroom and a soccer court that are available for groups to use as well.  Enjoy the pics.






"Where's Pastor?!"



Luther Quote of the Day

"Be careful not to measure your holiness by other people's sin."


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