Saint Martin of Tours
It seems fitting that Veterans’ Day – Armistice Day – is celebrated on November 11, for this is the memorial of the soldier-saint, Martin of Tours. He was a soldier turned monk turned reluctant bishop, and he was one of the first saints to be venerated who wasn’t a martyr1.
Saint Martin of Tours was born in A.D. 336 in Pannonia, a Roman region containing modern Hungary, Croatia, and Austria. He is celebrated for his humility and compassion. Raised in a pagan family, Martin was drawn to Christianity from a young age, becoming a catechumen by age 10, despite the objection of his parents.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Martin joined the Roman army at age 15 and served as an officer in Gaul (modern France). During this time, he famously cut his military cloak in half to share with a beggar suffering in the cold. That night, he dreamt of Christ wearing the half-cloak and proclaiming, “Martin, still a catechumen, has clothed me.” Inspired, Martin was baptized at 18 and soon left military life, resolving never again to kill.
Martin became a disciple of Saint Hilary of Poitiers, a renowned theologian, and founded a monastic community near Poitiers. His humility and devotion attracted others, and the monastery thrived and became the first major center of monastic life in Roman Gaul.
In 371, despite his reluctance, Martin was chosen as Bishop of Tours. As bishop, Martin continued to live simply, preaching and helping the poor, while actively opposing paganism in his region. He became known for his humility, charity, and miraculous healings. He sought mercy for prisoners throughout Gaul and defended heretics against execution.
Saint Martin died in 397 and remains one of the most beloved saints in Western Christianity. Thousands of churches bear his name, and he is the patron saint of France, remembered for his compassion, mercy, and dedication to peace. He has appeared as an apparition to several saints throughout the ages, including Saint Odo of Cluny and Saint Joan of Arc.
Over the course of my pilgrimages in Spain and France, I passed many, many churches dedicated to this saint. This is one of my favourites:
