St. Martin of Tours

Biography

St. Martin (c. 316–397) was born in Sabaria in Pannonia, present-day Szombathely, Hungary, the son of a Roman officer, and grew up in Pavia, Italy. Drawn to Christianity as a boy, he became a catechumen, but as an officer's son he was required to join the army. According to his biographer Sulpicius Severus, who knew him personally, one winter day at the gate of Amiens he cut his military cloak in half with his sword and gave part of it to a freezing beggar. That night he dreamed of Christ wearing the half-cloak. Soon afterward he was baptized, and he later obtained his release from the army, declaring himself a soldier of Christ. He became a disciple of St. Hilary of Poitiers and around 361 founded a community of monks at Ligugé, one of the first monasteries in Gaul. In 371 the people of Tours chose him as their bishop. He lived simply at the monastery he founded at Marmoutier, near the city, and traveled widely to preach in the countryside. He was known for his charity, his many reported miracles, and his pleas for mercy toward heretics. He died at Candes on November 8, 397, and was buried at Tours on November 11. He was one of the first saints honored who was not a martyr. His feast shares its date with Veterans Day in the United States.

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