St Martin Day in Szombathely –Hungary..... and in Poland

Presentation of history, traditions and celebrations

St Martin – the patron St. Martin is the patron saint of Szombathely, Hungary with a church dedicated to him, and also

as a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name there is a lot of legendary material and he has

become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints. He is considered a spiritual bridge across Europe, given his association with both France and Hungary.

St Martin`s travels in EuropeSt Martin`s Church in Szombathely- his birthplace

The story of St. Martin

According to legend Martin was the son of a Roman tribune and was born in the city of Savaria ( Szombathely, Hungary) in the Roman province of Pannonia around 316-

317. On a cold night serving as a soldier for the Roman emperor, Martin saw a poorly dressed beggar and offered up half of his warm cloak so that he wouldn't

freeze to death. That night Jesus appeared in his dreams as the beggar dressed in his cloak. The dream confirmed Martin’s faith and he left the army to serve God. His good deeds and his compassion for the poor became legendary and he was

appointed to be the bishop of Tours. Martin was so humble that he hid in a stable full of geese to avoid choosing him as a bishop. The geese with their loud honking

made so much noise that he was soon uncovered and Martin was ordained as Bishop of Tours, France in 371. He dedicated the rest of his life to help the needy.

St Martin`s celebrations

November 11th is St. Martin’s Day in Hungary (Márton nap), a traditional feast day celebrated by tasting the new wine and eating geese. This day falls in the time

when the geese born in the spring and early summer have necessary weight and are ready to be used for meat. It is also the time when the first new wines are

opened after the season's grape harvest.

St Martin`s Visitors Centre in Szombately

St Marin`s journey starts in the church and Visitors Centre. In the church you can see beautiful pictures, altars, sculptures, ancient marbles and even St Martin`s

footprint!

In Visitors Centre you can see many souvenirs, pictures, wallcharts, puzzles and games connected with St Martin

St Martin Visitors Centre in Vamocsalad

The second St Martin`s Visiting Centre you can see in the village of Vamocsalad. There are also beautiful souvenirs, exhibits, activities and games for children. A lot of

history for adults. A lot of information for everybody!

St Martin symbols

St Martin`s symbols are geese and croissants- you can see them everywhere: in pictures, paintings, books, games and puzzles. You can eat goose meat and broth,

you eat double croissant sharing with the other person to commemorate the deed of St when he gave a part of his clothes to the beggar….Students at schools make puppets of goose, drawing and pictures…Tradition of the old times survived and it

is still alive….

St Martin`s Day in Poland

November 11th is Independence Day in Poland, but it is also St. Martin's Day and in Poznan, Poland, the Roman Catholic saint's name day seems to take precedence.

Every year on Nov. 11, thousands of Poznan residents attend a high Mass in St. Martin's Church followed by a parade through St. Martin Street led by "St. Martin"

sitting astride a white horse. St. Martin rides up to the square in front of castle Cultural Centre and is handed the keys to the city by the mayor. Then the

celebration begins in earnest.

Inside castle, there are exhibitions, concerts and performances, while outside, there’s a street market with knights reenacting medieval jousting tournaments. A splendid

fireworks display ends the day.

St. Martin's Croissants

Poznanians treat themselves to St. Martin's Croissants - rogale swietomarcinskie also known simply as marcinskie. These crescent-shaped pastries filled with poppyseed

and almond paste are consumed by the hundreds of thousands.

Legend has it this centuries-old tradition commemorates a Poznan baker's dream. He saw St. Martin entering the city on a white horse that lost its golden horseshoe.

The very next morning, the baker whipped up horseshoe-shaped croissants filled with almonds, white poppy seed and nuts, and gave them to the poor.

St Martin`s presence

In Poland St. Martin was one of the most popular saints. There were built in his honor about 196 churches, and since the Middle Ages there were 220. There have also been preserved to this day the remains of once beautiful folk customs on the occasion of St. Martin. His feast was in

force in Poland for several centuries. It is cited 44 folk proverbs associated with his name. Here are some of them: "What`s Martin`s Day, the same winter is" ,"If Martin's dry, Christmas is with a slob" ," St. Martin rides on a white horse ". The Polish name is Martin fiction also has

its place in the topography of the Polish (77 town borrowed its name from the name St. Martin). In many areas, Poles retained the 40-day fast before the advent as the equivalent of

Lent before Easter, beeginning after St. Martin, 12 November. Hence the proverb: "When Marcinowa goose on the water . Christmas is on ice "(in fact you ate meat -the St. Martin's Goose- last time). And there were other, similar proverb:" The Marriage of Martin, a goose and a jug of wine. " - On that date the villagers were giving their masters the tribute. The

figure of Saint Martin can be seen also in the coats of some Polish towns.

Students of Szkola Podstawowa nr 2 in Mszana Dolna, Poland

Presentation prepared during Hungarian Days

THE END