A day of two Martins

Today is the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, which is appropriate since he–an ex-Roman soldier who became a heretic-fighting bishop– is the patron saint of soldiers and this is Veterans Day.  Nice how that worked out, since St. Martin’s day has been observed for centuries before Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I which officially concluded on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918; that is, on November 11.  That event, still celebrated as such in many countries, was broadened into the American Veterans Day.

Martin Luther’s birthday was yesterday, but today is his Baptism day.  A common practice back then was to name a child after the saint whose day it was when the baby was born or baptized.  So that’s why baby Luther was named Martin.

Today is a day to honor soldiers, including soldiers of the Cross.

HT:  Jackie