The eleventh day of the eleventh month has, since the end of the First World War, been observed as Armistice or Remembrance Day. Before 1918 it was celebrated as the feast day of St Martin of Tours or Martinmas

St Martin was born sometime about 316 AD in Hungary of a military family. His father was an officer in the Roman army and young Martin followed his example.. From an early age he had been determined to embrace Christianity and his belief in Christ convinced him that serving in the Roman army was not compatible with his faith. He became, in fact, one of the earliest conscientious objectors and refused to fight. Imprisoned for his stance, he was later released and became a disciple of St Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers. He entered a monastery and followed this way of life faithfully even after he had been installed as a bishop. He was a pioneer in western monasticism and his monastery at Liguge was the first in Gaul. Here he remained until 372 when he became the bishop of Tours. One of his ambitions was to convert the rural areas and to this end he founded other monasteries. Until this time Christianity had been largely confined to urban centres of population (the word ‘pagani’ means primarily ‘countrymen’). St Martin, as other early bishops since, travelled his diocese on foot. For a quarter of a century his reputation as a healer and a miracle worker grew. The most famous example of his good works was his cutting of his cloak in half in order to clothe a nearly naked beggar at Amiens. He later dreamt that Christ had appeared to him in a dream wearing the cloak he had given away. He was not afraid of becoming involved in disputes concerning doctrine. On one occasion, in the teeth of strong opposition, he gave his support to one Priscillian who was accused of sorcery and heresy.

Martin had a presentiment of his approaching death. When begged by others not to leave them, he prayed, "Lord, if your people need me, I do not refuse the work: let your will be done". He died on 8th November 397 and was buried at Tours on 1lth November. His cult spread rapidly across Europe; indeed, he became one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages and many churches are dedicated to him. His tomb at Tours became a place of pilgrimage for the Franks. From earliest times he was revered in Britain - the churches at Canterbury and Whithorn being the earliest examples of the 173 churches which, by the beginning of the nineteenth century, bore his name. Adomnan, abbot of Iona, used a famous Life of St Martin by Sulpicius Severus as his model while writing his Life of Columba.

The day of the feast of St Martin or Martinmas became a Quarter Day, preferred in the north country to Michaelmas (the feast of St Michael the Archangel) which fell on 29th September. On Quarter Days, feudal taxes were collected and Martinmas was no exception. Until the 1920s, Martinmas was the high point of the farm labourer’s year in the north. Animals were slaughtered for salting as food for the winter. It was an old Celtic custom to spill some of the blood from the slaughter upon the ground. After the slaughter there was considerable feasting. In East Yorkshire, Martinmas Sunday came to have the nickname ‘Rive-kite’ (split stomach) ‘Sunday’! Hiring fairs were held at this time bringing chance of better employment to agricultural labourers and the chance of a holiday. As with other saints, the weather on or about the feast day was deemed to be prophetic. If there was a spell of good weather, it was called ‘St Martin’s Little Summer’. If not, it was believed that a cold snap would lead into a harsh winter.

"If Martlemas ice will bear a duck

then look for a winter of mire and muck"

Let us hope that the sun shines this year - come Martinmas.