Editing Martin of Tours (section)

===European folk traditions===
{{Main article|St. Martin's Day}}
[[Image:Martini Toren.JPG|thumb|''[[Martinitoren]]'', the {{convert|97|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} Martini Tower in Groningen, The Netherlands]]
From the late 4th century to the late [[Middle Ages]], much of [[Western Europe]], including [[Great Britain]], engaged in a period of [[fasting]] beginning on the day after [[St. Martin's Day]], November 11. This fast period lasted 40 days (not including Saturdays and Sundays), and was, therefore, called ''Quadragesima Sancti Martini'', which means in [[Latin]] "the forty days of St. Martin". At St. Martin's eve and on the feast day, people ate and drank very heartily for a last time before they started to fast. This fasting time was later called "[[Advent]]" by the [[Roman Catholic Church|Church]] and was considered a time for spiritual preparation for Christmas.

On St. Martin's Day, children in [[Flanders]], the southern and northern parts of the [[Netherlands]], and the Catholic areas of [[Germany]] and [[Austria]] participate in [[paper lantern]] processions. Often, a man dressed as St. Martin rides on a horse in front of the procession. The children sing songs about St. Martin and about their lanterns. The food traditionally eaten on the day is [[goose]], a rich bird. According to legend, Martin was reluctant to become bishop, which is why he hid in a stable filled with geese. The noise made by the geese betrayed his location to the people who were looking for him.

In the eastern part of the [[Belgium|Belgian]] province of [[East Flanders]] (Aalst) and the western part of [[West Flanders]] ([[Ypres]]), traditionally children receive presents from St. Martin on November 11, instead of from [[Saint Nicholas]] on December 6 or [[Santa Claus]] on December 25. They also have lantern processions, for which children make lanterns out of [[Mangelwurzel|beets]]. In recent years, the lantern processions have become widespread as a popular ritual, even in [[Protestant]] areas of Germany and the Netherlands, although most Protestant churches no longer officially recognize [[Saints]].

In [[Portugal]], where the saint's day is celebrated across the country, it is common for families and friends to gather around the fire in reunions called ''[[castañada|magustos]]'', where they typically eat roasted [[chestnuts]] and drink [[wine]], ''[[jeropiga]]'' (a drink made of [[grape must]] and [[aguardente]]) and ''aguapé'' (a sort of weak and watered-down wine). According to the most widespread variation of the cloak story, Saint Martin cut off half of his cloak in order to offer it to a [[beggar]] and along the way, he gave the remaining part to a second beggar. As he faced a long ride in a freezing weather, the dark clouds cleared away and the sun shone so intensely that the frost melted away. Such weather was rare for early November, so was credited to God's intervention. The phenomenon of a sunny break to the chilly weather on Saint Martin's Day (11 November) is called ''Verão de São Martinho'' (Saint Martin's Summer, ''veranillo de san Martín'' in Spanish) in honor of the cloak legend.

[[File:Polish_St._Martin's_croissant_(Rogal_świętomarciński),_halved.jpg|thumb|''Rogal świętomarciński'', baked for St. Martin's Day in [[Poznań]]]]
In [[Malta]] on the night of the eve of Saint Martin's day children leave an empty bag next to the bed. This bag is found full of fruit on the next day.

Many churches are named after Saint Martin of Tours. [[St Martin-in-the-Fields]], at [[Trafalgar Square]] in the centre of London, has a history appropriately associated with Martin's renunciation of war; [[Dick Sheppard (priest)|Dick Sheppard]], founder of the [[Peace Pledge Union]], was Vicar 1914–26, and there is a memorial chapel for him, with a plaque for [[Vera Brittain]], also a noted [[Anglican]] [[pacifist]]; the steps of the church are often used for peace vigils. [[Saint Martin's Cathedral]], in [[Ypres]], [[Belgium]], is dedicated to him. St. Martin is the patron saint of [[Szombathely]], Hungary, with a church dedicated to him, and also the patron saint of [[Buenos Aires]]. In the [[Netherlands]], he is the patron of the cathedral and city of [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]]. He is the patron of the city of [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]]; its [[Martini tower]] and [[Martinikerk (Groningen)]] (Martin's Church) were named for him.

He is also the patron of the church and town of [[Bocaue, Bulacan|Bocaue]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bulacan.gov.ph/tourism/touristspotphotos.php?junid=413&id=76 |title=Bulacan, Philippines: Tourism: Feast of the Holy Cross of Wawa, Bocaue, Bulacan: Photo Gallery: pagoda01.jpg |access-date=2009-07-08 |archive-date=2011-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611044056/http://www.bulacan.gov.ph/tourism/touristspotphotos.php?junid=413&id=76 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

St. Martin's Church in [[Kaiserslautern, Germany]] is a major city landmark. It is located in the heart of the city's downtown in St. Martin's Square, and is surrounded by a number of restaurants and shops. The church was originally built as a [[Franciscan]] monastery in the 14th century and has a number of unique architectural features.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kaiserslautern.de/tourismus/sehenswertes/sehenswuerdigkeiten/00996/index.html?lang=en |title=Stadtverwaltung Kaiserslautern}}</ref>

St. Martin is the patron saint of the [[Poland|Polish]] towns of [[Bydgoszcz]] and [[Opatów]]. His day is celebrated with a procession and festivities in the city of [[Poznań]], where the  main street (''[[Święty Marcin]]'') is named for him, after a 13th-century church in his honor. A special type of crescent cake (''rogal świętomarciński'') is baked for the occasion. As November 11 is also [[Polish Independence Day]], it is a public holiday.

The Monastery of Saint Martin of Castañeda has been a national historic monument since 1931. It is located in Galende, Sanabria, province of Zamora, Spain. It now functions as an interpretation center.<ref>{{cite web |title=Monasterio de San Martín de Castañeda |url=https://www.turismocastillayleon.com/es/arte-cultura-patrimonio/monasterios/monasterio-san-martin-castaneda |publisher=Junta de Castilla y León - Consejería de Cultura y Turismo |access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref>

In [[Latin America]], St. Martin has a strong popular following and is frequently referred to as '''''San Martín Caballero''''', in reference to his common depiction on horseback. Mexican folklore believes him to be a particularly helpful saint toward business owners.

The largest Anglican church in North America is St Martin's Episcopal in Houston, Texas. It was the home church for many years of President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush and still is for former Secretary of State and Treasury James Baker and his wife Susan.

[[San Martín de Loba]] is the name of a municipality in the [[Bolívar Department]] of [[Colombia]]. Saint Martin, as San Martín de Loba, is the patron saint of Vasquez, a small village in Colombia.

{{Multiple images|total_width=280
|image1=Marttila.vaakuna.svg|caption1=Martin of Tours in the coat of arms of [[Marttila]], Finland
|image2=Raisio.vaakuna.svg|caption2=Martin of Tours in the coat of arms of [[Raisio]], Finland
}}

In [[Finland]], the town and municipality [[Marttila]] (''S:t Mårtens'' in Swedish) is named after St. Martin and depicts him on its coat of arms.

Though no mention of St. Martin's connection with [[viticulture]] is made by [[Gregory of Tours]] or other early hagiographers, he is now credited with a prominent role in spreading wine-making throughout the [[Touraine]] region and the planting of many vines. The Greek myth that [[Aristaeus]] first discovered the concept of [[pruning]] the vines, after watching a goat eat some of the foliage, has been adopted for Martin.<ref>For instance in Hugh Johnson, ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' 1989, p. 97.</ref> He is also credited with introducing the [[Chenin blanc]] grape varietal, from which most of the white wine of western Touraine and [[Anjou (wine)|Anjou]] is made.

[[Martin Luther]] was named after St. Martin, as he was baptised on 11 November 1483 (St. Martin's Day), and many older [[Lutheran]] congregations are named after St. Martin.

Martin of Tours is the [[patron saint]] of the [[United States Army Quartermaster Corps|U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps]], which has a [[military decoration|medal]] in his name.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.qmfound.com/martin.htm |title=Quartermaster Corps - The Order of Saint Martin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006064415/http://www.qmfound.com/martin.htm |archive-date=6 October 2007}}</ref> 

The Anglican ''[[Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade]]'', a 5-7 age group, was renamed "Martins" in his honour in 1998.

Many schools have St Martin as their Patron, one being [[St. Martin's School (Rosettenville)]] in [[Johannesburg]].