Saint Martin of Tours Year

Online:

• www.saintmartin-tours.fr  

Saint Martin de Tours

An avid traveller throughout his lifetime, this European before his time was born in 316 in Pannonia, present-day Hungary, to pagan parents. Raised in Pavia, Italy, where his father was a soldier, he was enlisted in the Roman army at the age of 15. In 337, stationed in Amiens, France, he cut his cloak in half to share it with a freezing-cold beggar. He had a revelation of faith at this time, and converted to Christianity. 

Appointed Bishop of Tours, he founded the monastery in Marmoutier, near Tours, as well as the first rural churches of Gaul, all the while travelling through part of Europe (Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Spain for example). Saint Martin died on 8 November 397 in Candes, and was buried on 11 November in Tours.