St. Martin’s Procession
St. Martin‘s Day is a religious holiday dedicated to the death of St. Martin. Saint Martin of Tours, who was a Roman soldier and later bishop, became popular for donating half of his cloak to a beggar during a snowstorm in order to save him from death. Today, this holiday is filled with traditions and is celebrated to honour this act of altruism and modesty. As for the St. Martin’s Procession, on the eve of said day, the 11th of November, children as well as adults walk in a procession, which usually starts at a church, carrying paper lanterns while singin Martin songs. They are often times accompanied by a man dressed up as St. Martin riding a horse. At the end of the procession a Martin bonfire is lit and baked goods are distributed. These pastries may vary in their shape depending on the region. For visualisation I included two pictures of popular pastries. Firstly, a so called "Stutenkerl“, a man carrying a pipe symbolizing a crozier. And secondly, a “Martinshörnchen“, shaped like a hoove its intention is to remind of St. Martin‘s horse or to symbolize the parting of St. Martin’s cloak.
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