St. Martin's Day
Encyclopedia
St. Martin's Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin, Martinstag or Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours or Martin le Miséricordieux, is a time for feasting celebrations. This is the time when autumn wheat seeding is completed. Historically, hiring fairs were held where farm laborers would seek new posts. The feast day is November 11, the feast day of St. Martin of Tours
, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus
was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."
" by the Church.
In Ireland, on the eve of St. Martin's Day, it is tradition to sacrifice a cockerel by bleeding it. When the blood was collected, it was sprinkled on four corners of the house. Also in Ireland, no wheel of any kind was to turn on St. Martin's Day because Martin was thrown into a mill stream and killed by the wheel and because of that, it was not right to turn any kind of wheel on that day.
In some parts of the Germany, Netherlands and Belgium, children make their own lantern and go door to door with the lantern, and sing St. Martin songs, in exchange for sweets.
Many churches in Europe are named after Saint Martinus. St. Martin is the patron saint of Szombathely
in Hungary, with a church dedicated to him, and also the patron saint of Quillota
in Chile and Buenos Aires
.
In Latin America, Martin has a strong popular following and is frequently referred to as San Martín Caballero, in reference to his common depiction on horseback.
Though no mention of Saint Martin's connection with viticulture
is made by Gregory of Tours
or other early hagiographers, he is nonetheless credited with a prominent role in spreading wine-making throughout the Touraine
region and facilitating the planting of many vines. The Greek myth that Aristaeus
first discovered the concept of pruning
the vines after watching a goat eat some of the foliage has been appropriated to Martin. Martin is also credited with introducing the Chenin Blanc
grape varietal, from which most of the white wine of western Touraine and Anjou is made.
Martin Luther
was named after Saint Martin, as he was baptized on November 11 (St. Martin's Day), 1483.
(celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November) -- a celebration of the earth's bounty. Because it also comes before the penitential season of Advent, it is seen as a mini "carnivale", with all the feasting and bonfires. As at Michaelmas
on 29 September, goose is eaten in most places (the goose is a symbol for St. Martin himself. It is said that as he was hiding from the people who wanted to make him Bishop, a honking goose gave away his hiding spot).
In many countries, including Germany, Martinmas celebrations begin at the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of this eleventh day of the eleventh month. Bonfires are built, and children carry lanterns in the streets after dark, singing songs for which they are rewarded with candy.
Originating in France, the tradition of celebrating Martinmas spread to Germany in the 16th century and later to Scandinavia
and the Baltics. In Estonia, Martinmas signifies the merging of Western European customs with the local Balto-Finnic pagan
traditions, it also contains elements of earlier worship of the dead as well as certain year-end celebration that predates Christianity.
Martinmas actually has two meanings: in the agricultural calendar it marks the beginning of the natural winter, but in the economic calendar it is seen as the end of autumn.
Among Estonians
, Martinmas also marks the end of the period of All Souls
, as well as the autumn period in the Estonian popular calendar when the souls of ancestors were worshiped, a period that lasted from November 1 to Martinmas (November 11).
Like Michaelmas
(St. Michael's Day), celebrated on September 29, Martinmas is also known as the celebration that marks the end of field work and the beginning of the harvest
ing period. Following these holidays, women traditionally moved their work indoors for the winter, while men would proceed to work in the forests.
s and candles, and sing songs about Saint Martin. Sometimes, a man dressed as Saint Martin rides on a horse in front of the procession.
Over time the lantern processions have become widespread even in Protestant areas of Germany (Martinisingen
on 10 November) and the Netherlands, despite the fact that most Protestant churches do not recognize saint
s.
Also, in the east part of the Belgian province of West Flanders, especially around Ypres
, children receive presents from either their friends or family as supposedly coming from Saint Martin on November 11. In other areas it is customary that children receive gifts later in the year from either their friends or family as supposedly coming from Saint Nicholas
on December 5 (called Sinterklaas
in the Netherlands) or Santa Claus
on December 25.
In some areas, there is a traditional goose meal, although in West Flanders there is no specific meal; it is more a day for children, with toys brought on the night of 10 to 11 November. According to legend, Martin was reluctant to become bishop, which is why he hid in a stable filled with geese. The noise made by the geese betrayed his location to the people who were looking for him.
In some regions of Germany, the traditional sweet of Martinmas is "Martinshörnchen", a pastry shaped in the form of a croissant
, which recalls both the hooves of St. Martin's horse and, by being the half of a pretzel
, the parting of his mantle. In parts of western Germany these pastries are shaped like gingerbread men. Another widespread custom in Germany is bonfires
on St. Martin's eve, called "Martinsfeuer." In recent years, the processions that accompany those fires have been spread over almost a fortnight before Martinmas, but previously, the Rhine River valley, for example, would be literally lined with fires on the eve of Martinamas.
In Berlin
, on Martinmas, it is customary to cook and eat a "Martin Goose" or "Martinsgans", which is usually served in restaurants roasted along with red cabbage and dumplings.
and Croatia
, St. Martin's Day (Martinje) marks the day when the must
traditionally turns to wine
. The must is usually considered impure and sinful, until it is baptised and turned into wine. The baptism is performed by someone who dresses up as a bishop
and blesses the wine, this is usually done by the host. Another person is chosen as the godfather of the wine.
The foods traditionally eaten on the day are goose
and almost always home-made or store bought mlinci
.
, the Feast of St. Martin is like a "2nd Birthday" for those named after this saint. Small presents or money are common gifts for this special occasion. Tradition says that if it snows on the feast of St. Martin, November 11th, then St. Martin came on a white horse and there will be snow on Christmas
day. However, if it doesn't snow on this day, then St. Martin came on a dark horse and it will not snow on Christmas.
is the time when it often starts to snow. There used to be (and still is in some part of the country) a festival
(posvícení) with a roast goose
as a feast dish.
n folk calendar. It remains popular today, especially among young people and the rural population. Martinmas celebrates the end of the agrarian year and the beginning of the winter period.
On this day children disguise themselves as men and go from door to door, singing songs and telling jokes to receive sweets.
(Martin's) is traditionally celebrated by Latvians on November 10, marking the end of the preparations for winter, such as salting meat and fish, storing the harvest and making preserves. Mārtiņi also marked the beginning of masquerading and sledding, among other winter activities.
) is celebrated in Malta
on the Sunday nearest to November 11. Children are given a bag full of fruits and sweets associated with the feast, known by the Maltese
as Il-Borża ta' San Martin, "St Martin's bag". This bag would include walnuts, hazelnuts
, almonds
, chestnuts, dried or processed figs, seasonal fruit (like oranges
, tangerines
, apples
and pomegranates
) and "Saint Martin's bread roll" (Maltese: Ħobża ta' San Martin).
There is a traditional rhyme
associated with this custom:
A feast is celebrated in the village of Baħrija on the outskirts of Rabat
(Malta
), including a procession led by the statue of Saint Martin. There is also a fair, and a show for local animals. San Anton School
, a private school on the island, organises a walk to and from a cave especially associated with Martin in remembrance of the day.
A number of places in Malta are named after this saint, including San Martin
on the outskirts of St. Paul's Bay
, and Ġebel San Martin
outside of Żejtun
.
region of Poland, mainly in its capital city Poznań
. On this day, the people of Poznań buy and eat considerable amounts of "Rogale" ( pronounced Ro-galay) locally produced croissant
s, made specially for this occasion from half-French paste with white-poppy
seeds, crushed almonds or walnuts and dainties, so-called "Rogal świętomarciński" or Martin Croissants or St. Martin Croissants. In recent years, competition amongst local bakeries has become fierce for producing the best "Rogale", and very often bakeries proudly display a certificate of compliance with authentic, traditional recipes. Poznanians celebrate with a feast, specially organised by the city. There are different concerts, a St. Martin's parade
and a fireworks
show.
, eating the magusto, chestnuts roasted under the embers of the bonfire (sometimes dry figs
and walnuts), and drinking a local light alcoholic beverage called água-pé (literally "foot water", made by adding water to the pomace
left after the juice is pressed out of the grapes for wine - traditionally by stomping on them in vats with bare feet, and letting it ferment for several days), or the stronger jeropiga (a sweet liquor obtained in a very similar fashion, with aguardente added to the water). Água-pé, though no longer available for sale in supermarkets and similar outlets (it is officially banned for sale in Portugal), is still generally available in small local shops from domestic production.
Leite de Vasconcelos
regarded the magusto as the vestige of an ancient sacrifice to honor the dead and stated that it was tradition in Barqueiros
to prepare, at midnight, a table with chestnuts for the deceased family members go and eat. The people also mask their faces with the dark wood ashes from the bonfire.
A typical Portuguese saying related to Saint Martin's Day:
This period is also quite popular because of the usual good weather period that occurs in Portugal in this time of year, called Verão de São Martinho (St. Martin's Summer). It is frequently tied with the legend since Portuguese versions of St. Martin's legend usually replace snowstorm with rain (because snow is extremely rare in most parts of Portugal, while rain is common at that time of the year) and have Jesus bringing the end of it, thus making the "summer" a gift from God.
in the canton of Jura
. The traditional gargantuan feast, the Repas du Saint Martin, includes all the parts of freshly butchered pigs, accompanied by shots of Damassine
, and lasting for over 5 hours at the least.
.
Martlemass beef was beef from cattle slaughtered at Martinmas and salted or otherwise preserved for the winter. The now largely archaic term "Saint Martin's Summer" referred to the fact that in Britain people often believed there was a brief warm spell common around the time of St. Martin's Day, before the winter months began in earnest. The more common term in modern English is "Indian Summer
".
In Northern Ireland the village and surrounding parish of Desertmartin
owes its name to Saint Columba
(also referred to as Colmcille) who visited there in the sixth century. He erected a church there as a retreat and named it in honour of Saint Martin. Hence the name in Irish
Díseart Mhartain or 'Resting place of Martin'.
In the United Kingdom however, November 11 is now better known for being Remembrance Day
.
' (also known as 'Remembrance Day
' and 'Veterans Day
') is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice
signed between the Allies of World War I
and Germany
at Compiègne
, France
, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front
, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning — the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."
Customs
From the late 4th century to the late Middle Ages, much of Western Europe, including Great Britain, engaged in a period of fasting beginning on the day after St. Martin's Day, November 11. This fast period lasted 40 days, and was, therefore, called "Quadragesima Sancti Martini", which means in Latin "the forty days of St. Martin." At St. Martin's eve, people ate and drank very heartily for a last time before they started to fast. This period of fasting was later shortened and called "AdventAdvent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
" by the Church.
In Ireland, on the eve of St. Martin's Day, it is tradition to sacrifice a cockerel by bleeding it. When the blood was collected, it was sprinkled on four corners of the house. Also in Ireland, no wheel of any kind was to turn on St. Martin's Day because Martin was thrown into a mill stream and killed by the wheel and because of that, it was not right to turn any kind of wheel on that day.
In some parts of the Germany, Netherlands and Belgium, children make their own lantern and go door to door with the lantern, and sing St. Martin songs, in exchange for sweets.
Many churches in Europe are named after Saint Martinus. St. Martin is the patron saint of Szombathely
Szombathely
Szombathely is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas county in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria...
in Hungary, with a church dedicated to him, and also the patron saint of Quillota
Quillota
Quillota is a city and commune located in the Aconcagua River valley of central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is the capital and largest city of the Quillota Province where many inhabitants live in the surrounding farm areas of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay, and San Pedro...
in Chile and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
In Latin America, Martin has a strong popular following and is frequently referred to as San Martín Caballero, in reference to his common depiction on horseback.
Though no mention of Saint Martin's connection with viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
is made by Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
or other early hagiographers, he is nonetheless credited with a prominent role in spreading wine-making throughout the Touraine
Touraine
The Touraine is one of the traditional provinces of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, the Touraine was divided between the departments of Indre-et-Loire, :Loir-et-Cher and Indre.-Geography:...
region and facilitating the planting of many vines. The Greek myth that Aristaeus
Aristaeus
A minor god in Greek mythology, which we read largely through Athenian writers, Aristaeus or Aristaios , "ever close follower of the flocks", was the culture hero credited with the discovery of many useful arts, including bee-keeping; he was the son of Apollo and the huntress Cyrene...
first discovered the concept of pruning
Pruning
Pruning is a horticultural practice involving the selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping , improving or maintaining health, reducing risk from falling branches, preparing nursery specimens for...
the vines after watching a goat eat some of the foliage has been appropriated to Martin. Martin is also credited with introducing the Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc , is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigor is not controlled...
grape varietal, from which most of the white wine of western Touraine and Anjou is made.
Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
was named after Saint Martin, as he was baptized on November 11 (St. Martin's Day), 1483.
Historical meaning of Martinmas
The feast coincides not only with the end of the Octave of All Souls, but with harvest-time, the time when newly-produced wine is ready for drinking, and the end of winter preparations, including the butchering of animals. (An old English saying is "His Martinmas will come as it does to every hog," meaning "he will get his comeuppance" or "everyone must die".) Because of this, St. Martin's Feast is much like the American ThanksgivingThanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
(celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November) -- a celebration of the earth's bounty. Because it also comes before the penitential season of Advent, it is seen as a mini "carnivale", with all the feasting and bonfires. As at Michaelmas
Michaelmas
Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel is a day in the Western Christian calendar which occurs on 29 September...
on 29 September, goose is eaten in most places (the goose is a symbol for St. Martin himself. It is said that as he was hiding from the people who wanted to make him Bishop, a honking goose gave away his hiding spot).
In many countries, including Germany, Martinmas celebrations begin at the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of this eleventh day of the eleventh month. Bonfires are built, and children carry lanterns in the streets after dark, singing songs for which they are rewarded with candy.
Originating in France, the tradition of celebrating Martinmas spread to Germany in the 16th century and later to Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and the Baltics. In Estonia, Martinmas signifies the merging of Western European customs with the local Balto-Finnic pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
traditions, it also contains elements of earlier worship of the dead as well as certain year-end celebration that predates Christianity.
Martinmas actually has two meanings: in the agricultural calendar it marks the beginning of the natural winter, but in the economic calendar it is seen as the end of autumn.
Among Estonians
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Martinmas also marks the end of the period of All Souls
All Souls
All Souls may refer to:* All Souls' Day* All Souls College, Oxford* A church dedicated to All Souls, for example:** All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC** All Souls Church, Langham Place, London** Unitarian Church of All Souls, New York City...
, as well as the autumn period in the Estonian popular calendar when the souls of ancestors were worshiped, a period that lasted from November 1 to Martinmas (November 11).
Like Michaelmas
Michaelmas
Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel is a day in the Western Christian calendar which occurs on 29 September...
(St. Michael's Day), celebrated on September 29, Martinmas is also known as the celebration that marks the end of field work and the beginning of the harvest
Harvest
Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...
ing period. Following these holidays, women traditionally moved their work indoors for the winter, while men would proceed to work in the forests.
Austria, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands
The day is celebrated on the evening of November 11 in some parts of the Netherlands, in a small part of Belgium (mainly in the east of Flanders and around Ypres), and in most areas of Germany and Austria. Children go through the streets with paper lanternPaper lantern
Paper lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, as well as various methods of construction. In their simplest form, they are simply a paper bag with a candle placed inside, although more complicated lanterns consist of a collapsible bamboo or metal frame of hoops covered with tough paper.-In Asian...
s and candles, and sing songs about Saint Martin. Sometimes, a man dressed as Saint Martin rides on a horse in front of the procession.
Over time the lantern processions have become widespread even in Protestant areas of Germany (Martinisingen
Martinisingen
Martinisingen is an old Protestant custom which is found especially in East Friesland, but also on the Lüneburg Heath and in other parts of North and East Germany. It also goes under the names of Martini or Martinssingen and the Low German names of Sünnematten or Mattenherrn...
on 10 November) and the Netherlands, despite the fact that most Protestant churches do not recognize saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s.
Also, in the east part of the Belgian province of West Flanders, especially around Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
, children receive presents from either their friends or family as supposedly coming from Saint Martin on November 11. In other areas it is customary that children receive gifts later in the year from either their friends or family as supposedly coming from Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
on December 5 (called Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas is a traditional Winter holiday figure still celebrated today in the Low Countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as French Flanders and Artois...
in the Netherlands) or Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
on December 25.
In some areas, there is a traditional goose meal, although in West Flanders there is no specific meal; it is more a day for children, with toys brought on the night of 10 to 11 November. According to legend, Martin was reluctant to become bishop, which is why he hid in a stable filled with geese. The noise made by the geese betrayed his location to the people who were looking for him.
In some regions of Germany, the traditional sweet of Martinmas is "Martinshörnchen", a pastry shaped in the form of a croissant
Croissant
A croissant is a buttery flaky pastry named for its distinctive crescent shape. It is also sometimes called a crescent, from the French word for "crescent". Croissants are made of a leavened variant of puff pastry...
, which recalls both the hooves of St. Martin's horse and, by being the half of a pretzel
Pretzel
A pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe...
, the parting of his mantle. In parts of western Germany these pastries are shaped like gingerbread men. Another widespread custom in Germany is bonfires
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
on St. Martin's eve, called "Martinsfeuer." In recent years, the processions that accompany those fires have been spread over almost a fortnight before Martinmas, but previously, the Rhine River valley, for example, would be literally lined with fires on the eve of Martinamas.
In Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, on Martinmas, it is customary to cook and eat a "Martin Goose" or "Martinsgans", which is usually served in restaurants roasted along with red cabbage and dumplings.
Croatia, Slovenia
In SloveniaSlovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, St. Martin's Day (Martinje) marks the day when the must
Must
Must is freshly pressed fruit juice that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace; it typically makes up 7%–23% of the total weight of the must. Making must is the first step in winemaking...
traditionally turns to wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. The must is usually considered impure and sinful, until it is baptised and turned into wine. The baptism is performed by someone who dresses up as a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and blesses the wine, this is usually done by the host. Another person is chosen as the godfather of the wine.
The foods traditionally eaten on the day are goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
and almost always home-made or store bought mlinci
Mlinci
Mlinci is a dish in Croatian and Slovenian cuisine. It is a thin dried flatbread that is easy to prepare by simply pouring boiled salted water or soup over the mlinci....
.
Slovakia
In SlovakiaSlovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, the Feast of St. Martin is like a "2nd Birthday" for those named after this saint. Small presents or money are common gifts for this special occasion. Tradition says that if it snows on the feast of St. Martin, November 11th, then St. Martin came on a white horse and there will be snow on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
day. However, if it doesn't snow on this day, then St. Martin came on a dark horse and it will not snow on Christmas.
Czech Republic
A Czech proverb connected with the Feast of St. Martin - Martin přijíždí na bílém koni (trans. "Martin is riding in on a white horse") - signifies that the first half of November in the Czech RepublicCzech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
is the time when it often starts to snow. There used to be (and still is in some part of the country) a festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
(posvícení) with a roast goose
Roast goose
Roast goose is a dish found within Chinese and European cuisine.-Southern China:In southern China, roast goose is a variety of siu mei, or roasted meat dishes, within Cantonese cuisine. It is made by roasting geese with seasoning in a charcoal furnace at high temperature. Roasted geese of high...
as a feast dish.
Denmark
In Denmark, Mortensaften, meaning the night of St. Martin, is celebrated with traditional dinners, while the day itself is rarely recognized. (Morten is the Danish vernacular form of Martin). The background is the same legend as mentioned above, but nowadays the goose is most often replaced with a duck due to size, taste and/or cost.Estonia
For centuries Mardipäev (Martinmas) has been one of the most important and cherished days in the EstoniaEstonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n folk calendar. It remains popular today, especially among young people and the rural population. Martinmas celebrates the end of the agrarian year and the beginning of the winter period.
On this day children disguise themselves as men and go from door to door, singing songs and telling jokes to receive sweets.
Latvia
MārtiņiMartini
Martini may refer to:* Martini , a popular cocktail* Martini , a brand of vermouth* Martini , a Swiss automobile company* Martini , a French manufacturer of racing cars...
(Martin's) is traditionally celebrated by Latvians on November 10, marking the end of the preparations for winter, such as salting meat and fish, storing the harvest and making preserves. Mārtiņi also marked the beginning of masquerading and sledding, among other winter activities.
Malta
St. Martin's Day (Jum San Martin in MalteseMaltese language
Maltese is the national language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English,while also serving as an official language of the European Union, the only Semitic language so distinguished. Maltese is descended from Siculo-Arabic...
) is celebrated in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
on the Sunday nearest to November 11. Children are given a bag full of fruits and sweets associated with the feast, known by the Maltese
Maltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
as Il-Borża ta' San Martin, "St Martin's bag". This bag would include walnuts, hazelnuts
Hazelnut
A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species. A cob is roughly spherical to oval, about 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm in diameter, with an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. A filbert is more elongated, being about twice...
, almonds
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
, chestnuts, dried or processed figs, seasonal fruit (like oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, tangerines
Tangerine
__notoc__The tangerine is an orange-colored citrus fruit which is closely related to the Mandarin orange . Taxonomically, it should probably be formally named as a subspecies or variety of Citrus reticulata; further work seems to be required to ascertain its correct scientific name...
, apples
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
and pomegranates
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
) and "Saint Martin's bread roll" (Maltese: Ħobża ta' San Martin).
There is a traditional rhyme
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
associated with this custom:
A feast is celebrated in the village of Baħrija on the outskirts of Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
(Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
), including a procession led by the statue of Saint Martin. There is also a fair, and a show for local animals. San Anton School
San Anton School
San Anton School is a private co-educational school located near Mġarr, Malta.The school was originally founded in 1988 in the village of Attard, just a few metres away from the President's San Anton Palace - hence it was named "San Anton" School....
, a private school on the island, organises a walk to and from a cave especially associated with Martin in remembrance of the day.
A number of places in Malta are named after this saint, including San Martin
San Martín
-People:*José de San Martín, national hero of Argentina, an 18th-century general and the main leader of the southern part of South America's struggle for independence from Spain...
on the outskirts of St. Paul's Bay
St. Paul's Bay
Saint Paul's Bay is a town in Malta, situated in the north east of the island of Malta, sixteen kilometres from the capital city Valletta.Its name refers to the shipwreck of Saint Paul, as documented in the Acts of the Apostles, due to the tradition that Saint Paul was shipwrecked on the isles,...
, and Ġebel San Martin
Gebel San Martin
Ġebel San Martin is a housing estate at Żejtun. The word "ġebel" in Maltese means a hill or stones. The name of this estate may originate from the stones that were found there....
outside of Żejtun
Zejtun
Żejtun is a medium sized town in the south of Malta. Żejtun holds the title of Città Beland, which was bestowed by Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim, Grandmaster of Knights of Malta in 1797, Beland being his mother's surname....
.
Poland
St. Martin's Day is celebrated in the Greater PolandGreater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
region of Poland, mainly in its capital city Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. On this day, the people of Poznań buy and eat considerable amounts of "Rogale" ( pronounced Ro-galay) locally produced croissant
Croissant
A croissant is a buttery flaky pastry named for its distinctive crescent shape. It is also sometimes called a crescent, from the French word for "crescent". Croissants are made of a leavened variant of puff pastry...
s, made specially for this occasion from half-French paste with white-poppy
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
seeds, crushed almonds or walnuts and dainties, so-called "Rogal świętomarciński" or Martin Croissants or St. Martin Croissants. In recent years, competition amongst local bakeries has become fierce for producing the best "Rogale", and very often bakeries proudly display a certificate of compliance with authentic, traditional recipes. Poznanians celebrate with a feast, specially organised by the city. There are different concerts, a St. Martin's parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
and a fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
show.
-
-
- See : Rogal świętomarciński
-
Portugal
In Portugal, St. Martin's Day is commonly associated with the celebration of the maturation of the year's wine, being traditionally the first day when the new wine can be tasted. It is celebrated, traditionally around a bonfireBonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
, eating the magusto, chestnuts roasted under the embers of the bonfire (sometimes dry figs
FIGS
FIGS is an acronym for French, Italian, German, Spanish. These are usually the first four languages chosen to localize products into when a company enters the European market....
and walnuts), and drinking a local light alcoholic beverage called água-pé (literally "foot water", made by adding water to the pomace
Pomace
Pomace , or marc , is the solid remains of grapes, olives, or other fruit after pressing for juice or oil. It contains the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems of the fruit....
left after the juice is pressed out of the grapes for wine - traditionally by stomping on them in vats with bare feet, and letting it ferment for several days), or the stronger jeropiga (a sweet liquor obtained in a very similar fashion, with aguardente added to the water). Água-pé, though no longer available for sale in supermarkets and similar outlets (it is officially banned for sale in Portugal), is still generally available in small local shops from domestic production.
Leite de Vasconcelos
José Leite de Vasconcelos
José Leite de Vasconcelos Cardoso Pereira de Melo was a Portuguese ethnographer and prolific author who wrote extensively on Portuguese philology and prehistory...
regarded the magusto as the vestige of an ancient sacrifice to honor the dead and stated that it was tradition in Barqueiros
Barqueiros
Barqueiros is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Barcelos. It has a population of 2,033 inhabitants and a total area of 8.54 km²....
to prepare, at midnight, a table with chestnuts for the deceased family members go and eat. The people also mask their faces with the dark wood ashes from the bonfire.
A typical Portuguese saying related to Saint Martin's Day:
This period is also quite popular because of the usual good weather period that occurs in Portugal in this time of year, called Verão de São Martinho (St. Martin's Summer). It is frequently tied with the legend since Portuguese versions of St. Martin's legend usually replace snowstorm with rain (because snow is extremely rare in most parts of Portugal, while rain is common at that time of the year) and have Jesus bringing the end of it, thus making the "summer" a gift from God.
Spain
In Spain, St. Martin's Day is the traditional day for slaughtering fattened pigs for the winter. This tradition has given way to the popular saying "A cada cerdo le llega su San Martín", which translates as "Every pig has its St. Martin's day" in English. The phrase is used to indicate that wrongdoers eventually get their comeuppance.Switzerland
Its celebration has mainly remained a tradition in the Swiss Catholic region of the AjoieAjoie
L’Ajoie is an area located in the Northwest part of Switzerland, in the canton of Jura, .It is a part of the Jura plain, composed of six geographic areas:...
in the canton of Jura
Canton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...
. The traditional gargantuan feast, the Repas du Saint Martin, includes all the parts of freshly butchered pigs, accompanied by shots of Damassine
Damassine
Damassine is a liqueur produced by distillation of the Damassine prune from the Damassinier tree..According to local tradition, the Crusaders or Bernard de Clairvaux brought seeds for the Damassinier plant back from the Orient . The Romans might have already known the fruit, cited in the Duhamel...
, and lasting for over 5 hours at the least.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, St Martin's Day is known as Martinmas (or sometimes Martlemass). It is one of the term days in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Martlemass beef was beef from cattle slaughtered at Martinmas and salted or otherwise preserved for the winter. The now largely archaic term "Saint Martin's Summer" referred to the fact that in Britain people often believed there was a brief warm spell common around the time of St. Martin's Day, before the winter months began in earnest. The more common term in modern English is "Indian Summer
Indian summer
An Indian summer is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs in the autumn. It refers to a period of considerably above normal temperatures, accompanied by dry and hazy conditions, usually after there has been a killing frost...
".
In Northern Ireland the village and surrounding parish of Desertmartin
Desertmartin
Desertmartin is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is four miles from Magherafelt, at the foot of Slieve Gallion. In the 2001 Census Desertmartin greater area had a population of 1,276. It had a population of 2257 in 1837 and 3101 in 1910. It lies within Desertmartin...
owes its name to Saint Columba
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
(also referred to as Colmcille) who visited there in the sixth century. He erected a church there as a retreat and named it in honour of Saint Martin. Hence the name in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Díseart Mhartain or 'Resting place of Martin'.
In the United Kingdom however, November 11 is now better known for being Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
.
Armistice Day
'Armistice DayArmistice Day
Armistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...
' (also known as 'Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
' and 'Veterans Day
Veterans Day
Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark...
') is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
signed between the Allies of World War I
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at Compiègne
Compiègne
Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning — the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.