St. Martin of Tours

St. Martin of Tours was born circa 316 in present-day Hungary. He became a Christian when he was a teenager and served in the Roman army. In France, he gave his officer’s cloak to a beggar. He then had a vision that Christ was wearing his cloak. Later on, he spent 10 years living as a hermit; during this time, he attracted other monks and formed a Benedictine abbey. Martin became bishop of Tours in 372. He died Nov. 8, 397, in France. He was the first non-martyr to get the cultus of a saint. St. Martin of Tours is patron saint of soldiers and beggars.