Today is Saint Martin's Day in Germany; what does Saint Martin's day means or who is Saint Martin? Saint Martin was a Roman soldier, who later was baptized as an adult and became a monk, and he became the bishop of tours respectively. Who later became a legend, and the feast of Saint Martin is often celebrated on 11 of November every year. This holiday is said to have been originated in France, then spread to England, Germany, and the Eastern part of Europe. It was an important medieval autumn feast, and the custom of eating goose rapidly spread to Sweden from France and other part of the world.
Saint Martin of tours, was a kind man, who lived a quite and simple lifestyle. He love helping the poor, he live for the poor people. He was a man full of compassion for the less privileged. Once upon a time, Martin was traveling on a cold, winter night on his horse when he saw a freezing beggar on his way. Martin immediately had compassion for the beggar, and cut his coat (cloak) in half and shared with the poor beggar, in order to save the poor beggar from dying from the snow cold.
Saint Martin claimed that he dreamed that same night, that Jesus was wearing the half coat he gave to the beggar. Martin said that he heard Jesus saying to the Angels, "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he clothed me". Wonderful insight, this reminds me of what the scripture says in Matthew 25:43-
However, St Martin was known as friend of the children and patron of the poor. No wonder the children often celebrate the night of November 11, in Germany for example with singing, and lantern parades to mark the St. Martin's Day in Germany; as they walk, they sing: "I am walking with my lantern and my lantern is walking with me", the children sing.
St. Martin's Day or Martinstag has become a tradition in some part of Germany, as the people enjoy the traditional Martin's goose dinner. (The goose is stuffed and served with red cabbage and dumplings). And children like baked Martin's geese made out of cookie or yeast dough..., or the traditional salty Martin pretzel. Most of this children, are kindergarten and elementary school children who have also craft their lanterns and rehearse songs for St. Martin parades.
Although, St. Martin's day is said to be christian holiday,but most Africans countries do not know about this holiday and do not observe it as well. I did not know about the the holiday myself, I get to know more of it from my dear Gert-Uwe Schneider who ultimately narrated the story to me, and Gert said to me, I thought you are a christian? And you should know all the Christian's holidays. But the truth is that the only Christian's holidays that are popular in African or Nigeria is the Christmas's and Easter's holidays. I'm inspired by the legend of Saint Martin!
However, Africans mighty not be celebrating or observing most Christian's holidays but Christianity is experiencing more rapid growth in Africa than anywhere else in the world, although Europe still has the largest Christian population, but Africa might takeover. For example, in Nigeria on every streets you see more than 5-10 different churches. And I want to believe this is so in most Africans countries, as African believe or claimed to have seen lives
and miracle happening from just attending church services. On the other hand, practice among Germans is falling year by year, just few older people regularly attend church services, unlike in Nigeria where millions of people attend a single Sunday church service.
I think Christianity should not be about only going go to church every Sunday or observing all the Christian feast. A good and real Christian should behave like the Saint Martin who lived a simple life and care for the the poor; and became the patron of charity for his good deeds this is what Christianity is all about. Even Jesus was a good example, the scripture says that Jesus was always move with compassion.
