The 11th of November every year is not only the start of the carnival season, but it is also St. Martin’s day. Martin was the sun of an important Roman military officer in the 4th century. With 15 Martin was forced into the Roman military against his will to follow his father’s legacy. He was a riding soldier stationed in Amiens (in todays France) when on a snowy winter day at the city gates he saw a poor beggar at the side of the road, freezing in the cold weather.
He wanted to help the poor man and took his sword to cut his Mantel (cape). He gave the poor man one half and kept the other. (Many don’t know that he gave half because half belonged to him and half to the Roman Empire)In the following night Martin had a vision of Jesus, who was wearing the half of the Mantel. This reinforced Martin’s upcoming belief in religion and shortly afterwards he got baptized. He left the military which he was getting unhappy with and founded the Ligugé abbey around 360 AD, one of the first in West-Europe. When in 371 AD the citizens of Tours, a town in France, were searching for a new bishop, they got to know about Martin who was known for his compassion and religiousness and wanted him to become their new Bishop. But he didn’t want to be their new Bishop but continue his modest life and, so the story says, hid in a goose barn. But the goose were making loud noises so he was found. He was a great Bishop and after he died in Candes (in today’s France) in 397 AD, he was festively buried in Tours on the 11th of November. Since then his grave is became pilgrimage site and he was made a Saint of the Catholic Church.
Today many people, especially in catholic regions celebrate the St. Martin’s festival. Many elementary schools and kindergarten let their children make lanterns with which they, on an evening around the 11th, meet at the church and after a short service, march through the city, singing songs about St. Martin and the lanterns. Most of these parades march to a big fire, where the scene of Martin cutting the Mantel is replayed. The kids drink hot chocolate, get Martinsbrezeln, candy or Weckmänner. Weckmänner are small pastries, shaped like human figures, that often hold clay pipes and resemble saints. They are unique for St. Martin, sometimes Nikolaus too, and are often given to kids at the parade or the fire. The adults usually drink mulled wine and are happy when they get some part of the delicious Weckmänner. Some people even serve a Martinsgoose, which has been a tradition from the medieval age where the 11th of November marked the end of harvesting season, or some other local specialties.
On St. Martin, the focus is on Christian values like compassion, sharing and modesty, which Martin was popular for. The lanterns symbolize how he was a light in the darkness for poor people, how he brought them hope. But the celebrations have become way more than just a religious anniversary. They unite people from all religions in a nice, heartwarming event. Even people that don’t have anything to do anymore with a school or kindergarten sometimes still come to this event to see old friends, enjoy their mulled wine and to just be together. St. Martin is a tradition full of happiness and joy.
