Saint Martin of Tours

Bishop and Confessor
(c. 316–397)

Saint Martin of Tours is the most beloved saint of the early medieval West, the patron of France, of soldiers, of the poor, and of a vast number of churches, towns, and cities throughout Europe. He was born around 316 at Sabaria in Pannonia, now Hungary, the son of a Roman military officer, and was himself inducted into the Roman army at the age of fifteen. Though not yet baptised, he was already attracted to Christianity and was living as a catechumen, drawn by the Gospel but not yet committed by baptism.

The decisive moment of his life occurred at the gates of Amiens in winter, when Martin encountered a shivering beggar with no protection against the cold. Having nothing else to give, Martin drew his sword, cut his military cloak in two, and gave half to the beggar. That night he dreamed of Christ clothed in the half-cloak he had given away, and heard Christ say to the angels surrounding Him, Martin, still a catechumen, has clothed me with this garment. He was baptised immediately and, when his term of service was completed, left the army with the memorable declaration that he was a soldier of Christ and it was not lawful for him to fight.

He placed himself under the direction of Saint Hilary of Poitiers and eventually established a community of monks at Ligugé near Poitiers, the first monastic community in Gaul, and later the celebrated monastery of Marmoutier near Tours. In 371 he was chosen by popular acclamation as Bishop of Tours, an office he accepted with great reluctance and continued to exercise in the spirit of a monk, living outside the city in a cell and governing his vast diocese with pastoral zeal.

He died at Candes on November 8, 397, and was buried at Tours, whose basilica over his tomb became one of the great pilgrimage centres of medieval Christendom. He was the first non-martyr to be publicly venerated as a saint. His feast is celebrated on November 11th.