St. Martin of Tours
On Nov. 11, the church celebrates the feast of St. Martin of Tours, known as Martinmas. It appropriately falls just before the start of Advent, as the feast is a sort of precursor to that “preparing the way of the Lord.”
A SOLDIER AND A SERVANT
St. Martin of Tours was born in the 300s. Though he was born into a pagan family, he followed in his father’s footsteps, and enlisted in the Roman army under the Emperor Julian.
One evening, while walking the streets, Martin’s heart was moved when he saw a beggar out in a snowstorm. Martin used his military sword to cut his own cloak in half, giving half to the beggar. That night Martin had a dream in which he saw Jesus on the street wrapped in the half of the cloak that Martin gave to the beggar earlier in the night. In the dream.
When Martin awoke, he was convinced he wanted to be baptized. He decided to leave the army, no longer believing he could wage war and violence on another human.Martin went on to become a Benedictine monk and bishop. He is most known for his generosity, all starting with the beggar he encountered on the street before becoming Catholic.
Traditionally in Europe, the church celebrated St. Martin’s feast as one of the last harvest festivals before winter. Villages would gather the last of the crops and usher autumn out by eating, drinking, and making merry, followed by the main festivity of a lantern walk. Children would make paper lanterns and walk through the streets holding their lanterns for light, symbolizing carrying the light of Christ into the long, dark days and nights of winter.