Celebrating a Humble Bishop with Fanfare

The feast day of St. Martin of Tours on November 11th is known as Martinmas (or Martlemas) in many countries with gatherings of family and friends for processions, food, drink and celebrations. It is an extraordinary contradiction for a man whose life was lived in humility, charity and mercy…yet appropriate for such an influential 4th century bishop after whom many churches are named – read about one of them here https://churchwonders.com/st-martins-church-deweese-ne/ 

St. Martin (ca. 316-397) was born in present day Hungary into a military family with a father who was a high-ranking Roman officer compelling Martin to join the Roman army at age 15, in spite of his desire to become a Christian for years earlier. Martin’s humility and patience in military service earned him the love and esteem of his companions. A most important event occurred during his service at the gate of the city of Amiens which is commemorated in sacred art in the centuries since. As Martin rode a white horse, he observed a beggar shivering in the cold. Martin drew his sword, cut the cloak in half giving one-half to the beggar and wrapping himself in the other. The story continues saying that Jesus appeared to Martin that night clothed in the half-cloak which inspired Martin to be baptized a short time after. Martin dutifully continued his military service but expressed his desire to leave as soon as possible. He was finally relieved after offering to be placed in the front of a battle without arms saying, “In the name of the Lord Jesus, and protected not by a helmet, but by the sign of the cross.” The night prior to the battle, a truce was secured with the enemy and Martin obtained release from the service resulting from the providential sign.

After the military, Martin pursued his desire to fight only for Christ; and spent time with St. Hilary in Poitiers as an exorcist and defender against the Arian heresy. Upon the exile of St. Hilary, Martin retreated to solitude as a hermit for ten years; and returned to found the first monastery in Gaul when St. Hilary was reinstated. His holiness attracted many followers and Martin is reported to be responsible for two miracles during that time of returning the dead to life. The holy man was chosen by the people to be the Bishop of Tours, but the humble servant, who shunned the limelight, had to be tricked into attending the ordination ceremony after being revealed in his hiding place by a flock of cackling geese which resulted in St. Martin being frequently depicted in sacred art with a goose! As Bishop of Tours, Martin lived in a small cell in the abbey of Marmoutier, maybe the oldest monastery in France. He worked tirelessly and established many churches until his death on November 8, 397.

St. Martin’s Day on November 11th marks the end of autumn and the harvest and the beginning of winter. Martinmas is celebrated especially in Europe with each culture adding their own flavor to the celebration of friends and family. A relatively common custom in the Germanic countries is for children to process through the towns with lanterns and singing St. Martin songs. One constant in the feast across the European continent is the serving of roast goose, accompanied by wine made from the new harvest of grapes (like the Beaujolais nouveau in France.) St. Martin’s Day coincides with Armistice Day (end of World War I on the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month) and in the Czech Republic, the celebratory wine is poured at 11:11 a.m.

St. Martin of Tours is the patron of France, soldiers and innkeepers.