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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261122
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DESCRIPTION:Life \nMartin was born in Pannonia\, in what is now Hungary 
 in 316 C.E. His father was a high-ranking Roman officer and his family liv
 ed wherever his father was posted\, so he grew up in Ticinum in Northern
  Italy. Christianity had been legalised in the Roman Empire before Martin 
 was born\, and although his parents were pagans\, he became a Christian at
  the age of ten. At fifteen he was required to follow his father into m
 ilitary service.\nAs a young soldier in Amiens where it was very cold\, he
  met a beggar clothed only in rags\, took off his cloak and cut it in two
  with his sword\, giving half to the beggar and keeping half for himself. 
 That night he had a vision of Christ saying\, “Martin\, a mere catechume
 n has clothed me”.\nHe then became the first recognised conscientious ob
 jector in recorded history\, refusing to fight at a battle near Worms in 
 Germany. He was accused of cowardice\, but agreed to go into the battle un
 armed. The opposing army declared a truce and no battle occurred. Martin 
 was released from military service and dedicated himself to the service of
  Jesus Christ\, studying with Hilary of Poitiers\, and later travellin
 g to Italy\, along the way leading several people to Christ. \nOn a visit
  to Lombardy to see his parents\, Martin was robbed in the mountains 
 – but managed to convert one of the thieves. He was able to convert
  his mother - but not his father. He was also involved in countering the 
 Arian heresy which denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. He was forced to f
 lee and lived as a hermit on an island in the Adriatic temporarily\, event
 ually returning to Tours to study again with Hilary. Hilary gave Martin so
 me land at Ligugé in 361 and Martin became a hermit for ten years.\n
 Other monks heard of his holiness and followed him\, and a Benedictine mon
 astery was established. (Ligugé Abbey was destroyed during the French Rev
 olution\, but was rebuilt in 1853.) In 371 Martin reluctantly became Bisho
 p of Tours after declining\, but being tricked into accepting the position
 . During his time in the role\, he established a system of parishes\, dest
 royed pagan temples\, and won many to the Christian faith.\nMartin missed 
 the monastic life and lived in a hermit’s cell near Tours. As other monk
 s joined him\, this became the monastery at Marmoutier. He opposed the vio
 lent persecution of the Priscillianist sect of ascetics\, although he did 
 not agree with their views\, and petitioned the emperor on their behalf\, 
 and also petitioned against civil interference in ecclesiastical matters. 
 Martin died in Gaul in 397 C.E.  \nSt Martin is attributed with many mir
 acles\, casting out of demons and convincing many pagans to renounce their
  beliefs and follow Jesus Christ. He often received visions\, and on occas
 ion even the Roman Emperor received visions regarding Martin!\nSt Martin i
 s the patron saint of the poor\, of soldiers\, conscientious objectors\, t
 ailors and winemakers. His feast day is November 11.\nHis life story is kn
 own as it was written by one of his contemporaries\, Sulpicius Severus\, w
 ho knew him personally.   \nWords of St Martin\n“Lord\, if your peopl
 e need me\, I will not refuse the work. Your will be done.”  \nRefusin
 g to go into armed battle “I am the soldier of Christ: it is not lawful 
 for me to fight… I will take my stand unarmed before the line of battle 
 tomorrow\, and in the name of the Lord Jesus\, protected by the sign of th
 e cross\, and not by shield or helmet\, I will safely penetrate the ranks 
 of the enemy.”  \nBefore his death "Allow me\, brothers\, to look towa
 rd heaven rather than at the earth\, so that my spirit may set on the righ
 t course when the time comes for me to go on my journey to the Lord."\nMor
 e info\nYou can read up on St Martin on Wikipedia.\nHere's a great article
  in the anglican focus on his life and influence in chaplaincy.\nHere is 
 a video which is a short summary of his life.\nhttps://www.catholic.org/sa
 ints/saint.php?saint_id=81 \nhttps://catholicsaints.info/saint-martin-of-
 tours/ \nhttps://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-martin-of-tours-50 
 \nhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Martin-of-Tours \nhttps://ca
 tholicsaints.info/life-of-saint-martin-by-sulpitius-severus/ 
LAST-MODIFIED:20251114T115754
LOCATION:Remember
SUMMARY:Holy Hermit St Martin of Tours
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