St Martin's Day celebrations across Europe

St Martin's Day, celebrated on 11 November, is one of Portugal's best-loved traditions, especially in rural areas.

The history and customs of this date are deeply bound up with Saint Martin of Tours, a fourth-century saint whose legend of generosity and solidarity became the symbol of the festival. The celebration blends spirituality and farming culture, and is marked by the magusto, a tradition of roast chestnuts and new wine shared among friends.

St Martin's Day is celebrated in a number of European countries, but the festivities are not the same everywhere. In this article we look at some of those traditions.

Who was Saint Martin of Tours?

Born in Hungary around the year 316, Saint Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier who, after being baptised and leaving military life behind, founded a monastery at Ligugé in France, where he devoted himself to monastic life. He was later ordained a priest and elected bishop of Tours. He died on 8 November 397.

According to legend, on a bitterly cold winter's day Saint Martin came across a beggar suffering from the cold. Moved by compassion, Martin cut his cloak in half to warm him. After this gesture, the clouded sky opened and the sun shone. This "miracle" repeats itself every year in Portugal, known as the "St Martin's summer".

The Magusto in Portugal

In Portugal, the celebration of this date blends spirituality and farming culture, and is marked by the Magusto, a tradition of getting together over roast chestnuts and wine. Historically, St Martin's Day also marks the first tasting of the new wine. In villages and small towns it was the custom to open the casks from the last harvest and share the wine among neighbours and friends, celebrating the work done in the vineyards and the preparations for winter. Besides the wine, the festival also draws on the traditions of água-pé and jeropiga.

Every region of Portugal celebrates São Martinho with an atmosphere of its own. In many rural areas, fairs and festivals are organised. In villages in the north, the Magusto is accompanied by traditional song and dance, creating an authentic experience while promoting local produce and encouraging rural tourism.

St Martin's Day in other countries

Spain

In Spain, St Martin's Day, known as San Martín, used to begin with the traditional pig slaughter, a custom that gave rise to the saying "a cada cerdo le llega su San Martín" (every pig gets its St Martin's Day). The saying refers to the idea that everyone will eventually pay for the mistakes they have made. The festival is not confined to 11 November, running on for two months until 17 January, the feast of San Antón. Regions such as Asturias, Navarre, Salamanca and Extremadura are particularly known for this custom, where households would raise pigs to guarantee food through the winter. Home slaughter, however, has become increasingly regulated and in some places banned, on animal welfare and public health grounds. The tradition has therefore adapted, and many now have the animal slaughtered at licensed abattoirs, as a safer and better regulated arrangement.

Belgium

In Belgium, the festival is celebrated only in parts of eastern Flanders. The tradition involves children heavily: they go out into the streets with lanterns and candles, singing songs about Saint Martin. The typical dish of the day is goose. One of the most curious aspects of the Belgian celebration is that, much like Father Christmas at Christmas, it is Saint Martin himself who leaves presents for the children on the night of 10 to 11 November.

Great Britain

In Great Britain the day is called Saint Martin's Day and marks the start of a 40-day fasting period known as "Quadragesima Sancti Martin" (the Forty Days of Saint Martin). During this time, people were in the habit of holding great banquets and celebrations on the eve of St Martin's Day and on the day itself, before beginning the fast. Although the fasting tradition is no longer widely observed, the festivities remain an important part of the celebration.

Germany

In Germany, one of the traditions was to build a bonfire, the "Martinsfeuer", symbolising the light Saint Martin brought to the poor through his good works. Although the bonfires are no longer lit today, the tradition lives on in the lantern processions known as "Martins-Züge". These processions, aimed above all at children, include singing and the figure of a man in a red cloak riding a horse to represent Saint Martin. The children are given sweets, while the adults enjoy the traditional mulled wine, "Glühwein". Food is a very strong component of this tradition, with goose and pork taking pride of place.

Italy

In Italy, St Martin's Day carries great significance. As well as remembering the saint's story, it is also the moment to taste the "vino novello", the newly fermented young wine. As in the Portuguese traditions, it is celebrated across the country in various ways, with the emphasis on good company, wine tasting and, this being a tradition closely tied to the rural world, on eating what the land provides. Besides chestnuts, Italians make "zeppole" or "frittelle di San Martino" at this time of year, sweet pastries similar to doughnuts or pancakes. In some regions children follow a Venetian tradition, going around the town with pots and pans asking for sweets or money while reciting poems.

Hungary

Born in Hungary's oldest city, Szombathely, formerly known as Savaria, Martin was the son of a military tribune who moved with his family to Italy. His native country also celebrates in his honour. As elsewhere in Europe, the dish of choice is goose, a tradition deeply rooted since the Middle Ages. Hungary even has a well-known saying that "whoever does not eat goose on St Martin's Day will go hungry all year". Hungarians do not break the rule and gather the family together to eat goose on the day.

Croatia and Slovenia

In Croatia and Slovenia, St Martin's Day is celebrated as the moment when fermented grapes turn into wine. The ritual involves the "baptism" of the grapes, a ceremony performed by the head of the household dressed as a bishop. The must is generally considered impure and sinful until it is baptised and turned into wine. The traditional dish at this time of year is goose, served with "Mlinci", a kind of bread dish typical of the region.

Slovakia

Unlike our "St Martin's summer", the Slovak tradition holds that if it snows on the feast of Saint Martin it means the saint has come on a white horse and there will therefore be snow at Christmas. If it does not snow on the day, there will be no snow at Christmas. Slovaks take the occasion to give each other small presents or even small sums of money.

Malta

On the island of Malta, children are given a bag full of fruit and sweets associated with the festival, known traditionally by the Maltese as "Il-Borża ta" San Martin" (Saint Martin's bag). The bag is filled with nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, along with chestnuts, dried or processed figs and seasonal fruit such as oranges, tangerines, apples and pomegranates. Saint Martin's bread, served at this time of year, also deserves a mention.

Across Europe, 11 November, St Martin's Day, is an occasion for celebration, marked by traditions that vary from country to country but always have something in common: the idea of good company, sharing and celebrating this saint's good works.

Sources: https://ionline.sapo.pt/2021/11/11/sao-martinho-uma-tradicao-celebrada-um-pouco-por-toda-a-europa/ https://observador.pt/2014/11/11/historia-sao-martinho/