The tradition started in 1891 when a young priest of the St. Martin’s church in Poznan, John Lewicki, was petitioning his congregation to look for a way to inspire locals to be charitable towards the poor in the cold winter months. After his sermon, a young confectioner at a nearby bakery watched a horse lose it’s shoe and, remembering the legend of St. Martin, was suddenly inspired to create a croissant in the shape and give it to the poor. He filled the pastry with an almond and poppyseed paste and began passing them out to beggars on the street.