St Martin's Summer

Bas-relief of St Martin, San Martino ai Monti

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November 11th is the Feast of St Martin, also known as Martinmas.

​​Most images of St Martin depict him on horseback sharing his cloak with a beggar. The story goes that, while serving as an officer in the Roman army, St Martin (c. 315-397) came across a poorly-clad beggar shivering in the winter cold. Cutting in half his paludamentum (military cloak), the saint shared it with him. That night St Martin had a dream in which Christ appeared wearing the part of the cloak that he had given away.

A variation on the tale has St Martin meeting a second beggar, to whom he gave the other half of his cloak. At that point the sky cleared, the sun came out and the weather became much milder. This is the origin of the phrase 'L'Estate di San Martino' (the Summer of St Martin), which refers to good weather in the period around the saint's feast day.  

In 370, St Martin became bishop of Tours in France. St Martin is, unsurprisingly, the patron saint of beggars.  

The ancient church of San Martino ai Monti is dedicated to St Martin. 

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