Martin of Tours

by CCW | 11 November 2026 01:00

The collect for today, the Feast of Saint Martin (c. 316-397), Monk, Bishop of Tours (source[1]):

Lord God of hosts, who didst clothe thy servant Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice, and didst set him as a bishop in thy Church to be a defender of the catholic faith: Give us grace to follow in his holy steps, that at the last we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

The Lesson: Isaiah 58:6-12[2]
The Gospel: St. Matthew 25:34-40[3]

[4]One of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages, Martin was born to pagan parents and, although intending to become a Christian, followed his father into the Roman army. About three years later, in Amiens, France, came the famous incident portrayed in the artwork seen here.

On a cold winter day, he met a beggar at the city gates. Drawing his sword, he cut his military cloak in two and gave half to the man. In a dream that night, he saw Christ wearing the half-cloak he had given away and saying, “Martin, yet a catechumen, has covered me with his garment”. Martin was baptised shortly thereafter.

After being discharged from the army, he met St. Hilary[5] at Poitiers upon the latter’s return from exile in 360. Hilary provided a piece of land where Martin founded the first monastic community in Gaul. He lived there for ten years until 371, when he reluctantly accepted a call from the people of Tours to become their bishop.

During his episcopate, Martin gained a reputation as a healer and an apologist against a Gnostic sect known as the Priscillianists. In 386, Priscillian was accused of sorcery, a capital offence, at the emperor’s court. Martin protested the death sentence, arguing that religious differences should not be punished by the emperor but left to the church to deal with. His stand was very unpopular and failed to prevent the execution of Priscillian, the first execution for heresy.

He died on 8 November 397 and was buried three days later at Tours. A great basilica built later at the site was destroyed during the French Revolution. His relics now rest in a replacement church. Thousands of churches in France, England, and elsewhere in Europe are dedicated to him.

Artwork: Jan Boeckhorst, Saint Martin Dividing His Cloak, c. 1640-45. Oil on panel, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Source URL: https://christchurchwindsor.ca/2026/11/11/martin-of-tours-14/

---