Saint Martin of Tours (316-397) Feast Day 11th or 12th November

Saint Martin was born in Hungary to heathen parents. He became a Christian catechumen - person ready for baptism - when he was 10.

Aged 15 he joined the Roman army and was stationed at Amiens in Gaul (France)
According to his biographer -Sulpicius Severeus he petitioned the emperor, Julian the Apostate, to be released form the army.’ I am Christ’s soldier: I am not allowed to fight.’ Charged with cowardic he offered to stand in front of the battle line only with the sign of the cross. He was imprisoned but was soon discharged.

Legend has it that on a freezing night he cut his cloak in half to share it with a beggar. He dreamt that Jesus wore the other half. When he woke up his cloak was restored. Following the vision and apparent miracle he finished his religious studies and was baptised aged 18. ( After he died his cloak was carried into battle and Mass said in the tent where it was placed. Later replaced by a ‘forked’ blue banner)

Aged 20 Saint Martin left the army and joined Saint Hilary of Poitiers, together they founded the first monastery in France. He became a missionary in the provinces of Pannonia and Illyricum -now Balkan Peninsula. He went to Italy and to the island of Gallinaria. In 360 he returned to Poitiers. He then founded a community of hermits at Liguge - the monastery in Gaul.

Saint Martin became bishop of Tours in 371. He founded the Marmoutier monastery from which apostles spread Christianity throughout Gaul. He was an active missionary in Touraine and the country districts.

Saint Martin in 384/5 became involved in a conflict at the imperial court in Trier, France. It resulted eventually in bishop Priscillian of Spain being executed by the Roman authorities… His involvement caused him to fall into disfavour with Spanish bishops.

He died in 397 at Candes.

During his lifetime Saint Martin gained a reputation as a miracle worker and became one of the first non-martyrs to be publicly venerated as a saint. He was the patron saint of France, father of monasticism in Gaul and the first great leader of Western monasticism.

In England there are over 150 churches dedicated to him.

Sources used Britannica Online Encyclopedia
* The Church’s Year* by Charles Alexander