Every year on November 11th, we celebrate St. Martin’s Day, a Czech tradition filled with roasted goose and young St. Martin’s wine.
But do you know the story of St. Martin, who is said to bring the first snow? He is the patron saint of soldiers, horses, riders, geese, and winemakers, often depicted on horseback with a torn cloak and a beggar.
Born in 316 in Hungary, St. Martin was an involuntary soldier turned officer due to his military excellence. In a famous act of generosity, he shared his cloak with a beggar, leading to a divine dream and his subsequent baptism. He later renounced his military career to become a hermit and eventually ascended to the position of the bishop of Tours. St. Martin passed away on November 8, 397, with his feast celebrated on November 11th.
St. Martin’s Feast
St. Martin’s Day marks the peak of celebrations and festivities as the agricultural year comes to a close and people prepare for the strict Advent fasting, which lasts for six weeks. The star of the St. Martin’s feast is traditionally goose meat, featuring delightful dishes from delicious goose soup to the renowned goose liver with almonds, not to mention golden-brown roasted goose. In addition to goose, St. Martin’s bread, such as rolls, horns, or horseshoes, is customary for this day. Young ladies would present their beloveds with St. Martin’s rolls. A large roll filled with poppy seeds was given as a farewell gift from departing servants or maids. In wine regions, people savor the year’s new wine. Our ancestors followed several other customs on November 11th, like the originally German tradition of crafting lanterns and paper lamps. These lantern processions sought to bring the message of goodness and light into the upcoming winter. Also, the famous Czech pranostiky (weather folklore) are often shared on St. Martin’s Day.
