Religious history: Saint Martin of tours
Date of issue: 11 November 2011
Many hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of places and churches
around the world bear his name. His legend has inspired a multitude of
artworks and the events of his life are captured by folk traditions.
Besides religious deference, many folk traditions enliven his feast day,
11 November, and the surrounding period. Saint Martin’s day is the
start of winter, when it is the custom to taste the new wine and to eat
goose. The bird’s wishbone is then used to forecast the weather.
Saint Martin (316/317 – 397) grew up in a well-off, pagan
family. His father, who was an army officer, was given an estate in
Italy as a reward for military service, so Martin was raised in
present-day Pavia. At the age of 12 he decided to become a Christian.
When he was 15, he joined the army at his father’s behest and at the age
of 19 became a real soldier. Records mention his helpfulness and
benevolence. He was baptised when he was 22. In 341 barbarians attacked
Gaul but Martin did not wish to fight and set off for war unarmed. In
the end this conflict was averted because the Frankish ruler sued for
peace. This greatly surprised the people, who thought it was a miracle.
Martin then left the army and went to Poitiers. In 355 he accompanied
the Roman emperor Julian to Gaul and then returned to Pannonia, where he
began converting people. In the 4th century the heretical teaching of
Arianism was gaining popularity. Martin was expelled from Savaria. In
360 the danger passed and he returned to Gaul and began evangelis-ing in
the villages there. In 361 he founded Europe’s first monastery in
Ligugé. He was appointed bishop of Tours in 371. His evangelisation was
of great importance, and miracles and healings accompanied his life. He
was buried in Tours and a chapel was erected over his grave. After his
death, veneration of him spread quickly although many legends about his
goodness had already circulated while he was still alive. In 461 the
Synod of Tours announced a feast in honour of Martin. (Source:
hu.wikipedia.org * agorasavaria.hu)
The main motif of the stamp shows Saint Martin as a bishop in
the centre of the design. Other parts of the composition depict events
from the life of Saint Martin. In date order these are baptising his
mother in the top left corner; the drawing at the bottom right
illustrates the legend of how he gave half of his cloak to a shivering
beggar in Gaul; and at the bottom left another turning point in his life
is symbolised by a goose – the noisily gaggling bird betrayed where
Martin, the Roman soldier turned monk, was hiding because he was
reluctant to become a bishop. Next to the goose is a book symbolising
erudition and wisdom as well as the Bible. The first day cover for the
stamp features the Saint Martin presbytery in Szombathely and a version
of the statue of the baptism shown on the stamp. The special
cancellation employs motifs associated with Saint Martin, a goose, and a
bishop’s mitre and crosier.
SO
Order code: 2011210010011 (stamp) 2011210060012 (FDC)
Date of issue: 11 November 2011
Face value: HUF 160
Number of copies issued: 300,000 with 50 stamps per sheet
Perforated size of the stamp: 35 x 45 mm
Printing method: offset
Printed by Pénzjegynyomda
Photo by József Hajdú
Designed by Eszter Domé
