SAINT: St Martin of Tours – 11 November
By Heather Excell
On a winter’s day, outside the gates of Amiens, France, Martin, a young Roman soldier, encountered a beggar shivering in the cold.
Martin had little to give. Born to pagan parents in 316 AD, Martin was the son of a veteran and had been forced to join the Roman army at the age of 15. His possessions largely belonged to the army, but taking his sword, he cut his military cloak in two and gave half to the beggar.
That night, Martin dreamed of Christ wearing the piece of cloak he had given away.
The encounter stayed with him. Not yet a Christian, Martin resolved to learn more about the Christian faith and was eventually baptised.
His growing faith soon came into conflict with his military service. When ordered to fight, Martin told the emperor that he could no longer serve as a soldier because he was now a soldier of Christ.
“Give me leave to stand unarmed before the enemy,” he said. “If they spare me, it will be attributed to Christ; if they kill me, I shall be called a martyr.”
Accused of cowardice, Martin was imprisoned and eventually released from military service. With his life now turned towards Christ, he became a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers and went on to establish a monastery at Ligugé, one of the earliest monastic sites in Western Europe. There he devoted himself to a quiet life of prayer and holiness.
His reputation for sanctity soon spread beyond the walls of the monastery as others were drawn to his example and sought him out for spiritual guidance.
In 371, the people of Tours sought Martin as their bishop. Martin was reluctant to accept the office and according to tradition, hid from those who had come looking for him.
Martin eventually allowed himself to be consecrated bishop, but the office did not change the simplicity that had marked his life. He continued to live as a monk, travelling through the countryside, preaching the Gospel, and establishing churches and monasteries. He became known for his care of the poor, and for confronting pagan practices to bring the faith to communities beyond the city.
He died on 8 November 397, after a life spent gradually giving himself more completely to Christ. His legacy remains most powerfully in the story of the young soldier standing outside the gates of Amiens, cutting his cloak in two.
Throughout his life, Martin had come to discover that following Christ would mean continually giving himself away. He reminds us that holiness does not necessarily begin with having much to give, but sometimes it simply begins with being willing to give what we have.