a ST. MARTIN PARISH article

Cultures of Acadiana
a look at the French, Cajun, Creole, and Native American cultures of south Louisiana
(a project of Carencro High School (721 West Butcher Switch Road, Lafayette, LA  70507)

Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser, July 29, 1997

Parish named for St. Martin of Tours

by Jim Bradshaw

St. Martin of Tours, for whom St. Martin Parish is named, was born about the year 316 of pagan parents in Sabaria, Upper Pannonia. The province today would include parts of Slovakia and Hungary. Martin's father was an officer in the Roman army and was stationed there.

While Martin was a child, his father was transferred to a new station in Pavia, north Italy. Here the boy learned of Christianity, and became a catechumen (a person taking instruction to join the faith).

Because he was the son of a veteran, he was required to go into the army at the age of 15, but it is said that he lived more like a monk than a soldier.

The story is told that one cold winter day when young Martin was stationed at Amiens, in Gaul, he noticed a beggar shivering near the gates of the town. Martin cut his woolen cloak into two, gave half to the beggar, and rode on.

The following night, the story continues, Jesus Christ, surrounded by angels, appeared to Martin in a dream. He was dressed in the half of the cloak Martin had given away. Sulpicius Severus, the saint's friend and biographer, says Martin "flew to be baptized" after the dream.

(The building where St. Martin's cloak was preserved as a precious relic came to be known as the Capella, from the Latin word for cloak, cappa. It is from capella that we get the English word "chapel".)

When Martin was about 20, he came under the influence of St. Hilary, bishop of Potiers, who instructed him and ordained him a deacon. Hilary gave Martin a piece of land in central France where Martin founded a monastery and where he stayed about ten years.

About the year 371, Lidorius, bishop of Tours, died, and Martin was named to replace him. Miracles were attributed to him as he preached and ministered in the region. He died on November 8 in the year 400. His feast day is celebrated on November 11.

This article is copyrighted © by the Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser and is used with permission.  This web site was originated through a grant awarded to Carencro High School (Joel Hilbun/Bobbi Marino, Grant Administrators) by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from the Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund - 8(g).