martinmas

(the excerpt below is from festivals, family and food, by diana carey and judy large)

from france comes the festival of st. martin, who as a young man passed under an archway in the city of amiens and discovered a poor beggar huddled there. the man was nearly naked, shivering with cold, and had received no alms to assist him. on seeing him, young martin took his own cape from his shoulders, tore the garment in half and covered the poor man to warm him. the following night martin had a dream in which he saw christ wearing this same piece of his cape. the experience confirmed in him his devotion to all mankind regardless of their station in life, as expressed so beautifully in the gaelic rune of hospitality:

'i saw a stranger yesterday.

i put food in the eating place -

drink in the drinking place -

and in the blessed name of the triune,

he blessed myself and my house,

my cattle and my dear ones,

and the lark said in her song:

"often, often, often goes the christ in the stranger's guise.' '

martin went on to become patron saint of beggars, drunkards, and outcasts. he was known for his gentleness, his unassuming nature and his ability to bring warmth and light to those who were previously in darkness.

on the evening of martinmas he is remembered in many households with a festival of lanterns, carrying light throughout the darkened home, singing songs and sharing a simple cake, perhaps decorated with a symbol of the sun.

morgana reading to us about st. martin.

 our breakfast this morning: oatmeal and apples.

 morgana remembered to make a card for nana and nonno. she knows how they like to get mail.

 crayon leaf rubbings . . 

 chanda worked on her american history lesson book pages, and i worked on my buachaille knitting project from kate davies. (it's only taken me three tries to get properly started!!)

and we finally lit a tea light beneath last year's geometric lantern.

dinner by candlelight after which we also shared our lantern songs . . happy st. martinmas day.