Feast of Saint Martin: Festival of light and song

November, when days grow shorter and winter draws near, is the time of the Feast of Saint Martin, or Martinmas. The feast day honoring the Catholic Saint Martin of Tours is accompanied by numerous traditions in several Central European countries. In Germany, young children make colorful lanterns to carry in street processions held on and around Saint Martin's Day, which is observed on November 11.

Traditionally, the procession of children and their parents is led by a person on horseback dressed as Saint Martin. The 4th century Catholic saint was the Bishop of Tours in France. He was born in what today is Hungary, then lived in northern Italy, where his father was from. At the age of 15, he was drafted into service as a soldier guarding Emperor Constantine II.

The later Bishop of Tours became known for an earlier act of mercy: dividing his cloak. On a cold winter's day while he was still a Roman soldier stationed in Gaul, Martin encountered a freezing beggar outside the city gates of Amiens. As Martin had nothing with him but his uniform and sword, he cut his cloak in half to share with the man.

In Germany, a famous folk song called "Sankt Martin" tells of the dividing of the cloak, and many children learn it by heart. The song has eight verses, but usually only the first four are sung. Another popular song German children sing on Saint Martin's Day has the fitting title "Ich geh' mit meiner Laterne" ("I walk with my lantern").

In some places, Saint Martin's Day processions culminate with a bonfire. The bright flames are meant to light up the coming dark days of winter and spread warmth, just as Saint Martin did in sharing his cloak with the beggar. Ahrweiler in the state of Rheinland-Palatinate is known for mounting the especially impressive spectacle of Saint Martin's Day bonfires lit among the town's vineyards.

Following the Saint Martin's procession, it's time to eat! In western Germany, a tradition that's especially popular with children is sweet leavened dough baked into the shape of a man holding a clay pipe meant to represent a bishop's staff. In southern Germany, the dough is shaped into small pretzels or geese.

While the children enjoy their sweet leavened bread, the grownups tuck into a traditional Martinmas feast of roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings. According to legend, Saint Martin tried to avoid being ordained Bishop of Tours by hiding in a goose pen. The humble man felt he was unworthy of such high office. But the honking geese gave him away, and he was ordained after all.

Some in Germany are calling for the Christian Feast of Saint Martin to be renamed "Festival of Light" or "Sun-Moon-Stars Festival." They want to make the Catholic celebration inclusive for the country's Muslim population. But many non-Christians in Germany already enjoy and take part in the tradition under its current name, so the debate usually quickly dies down again.