Saint Martin de Tours

FRANÇAIS

Figure de Sainteté

Les Églises d’Orient l’appellent aussi « Saint Martin le Miséricordieux ». Il est né en Pannonie, l’actuelle Hongrie, sur les frontières de l’empire romain où son père était en garnison. A 15 ans, il est soldat car la loi romaine obligeait les fils de soldats à s’enrôler dans l’armée. Il est muté en Gaule et c’est là, qu’à Amiens, il rencontre le pauvre grelottant à qui il donne la moitié de son manteau et dont il apprend durant la nuit que c’est le Christ qui lui a fait cette demande. Il hésitait à devenir chrétien, il s’y décide enfin. Il quitte l’armée pour rejoindre Saint Hilaire à Poitiers. Avec lui, il fonde le premier monastère des Gaules, à Ligugé, en Poitou. C’est là qu’il sera enlevé par les habitants de Tours qui en font leur évêque. Mais l’ancien soldat devenu chrétien ne s’enfermera pas dans sa cité. Il évangélisera parcourant les campagnes jusqu’à sa mort, à Candes, sur les bords de Loire, disant: « Seigneur, s’il le faut, garde-moi en vie, car je ne refuse pas le labeur. »

Une Prière

Parole de Dieu

« Si quelqu’un possède les biens du monde, et que, voyant son frère dans le besoin, il lui ferme ses entrailles, comment l’amour de Dieu demeure-t-il en lui ? Petits enfants, n’aimons pas en paroles et avec la langue, mais en actions et avec vérité. »

Jean 3:17-18

Résolution

Je me rends attentif aux plus petits et je me mets à leurs dispositions par l’écoute, un sourire, un service rendu…

Intention

Seigneur, je te confie toutes mes pauvretés du cœur et de l’âme. Aide-moi à grandir en humilité et à me tourner vers tous mes frères et sœurs, particulièrement ceux qui sont dans la détresse.

ENGLISH

The Eastern Churches also call him ‘Saint Martin the Merciful’. He was born in Pannonia, in
present-day Hungary, on the borders of the Roman Empire where his father was stationed. At the
age of 15, he became a soldier because Roman law obliged the sons of soldiers to enrol in the army.
He was transferred to Gaul and it was there, in Amiens, that he met the shivering beggar to whom
he gave half of his coat and from whom he learned during the night that it was Christ who had made
this request to him. He hesitated to become a Christian, but finally decided to do so. He left the
army to join Saint Hilaire in Poitiers. With him, he founded the first monastery in Gaul, in Ligugé,
in Poitou. It was there that he was kidnapped by the inhabitants of Tours, who made him their
bishop. But the former soldier turned Christian did not shut himself away in his city. He
evangelised, travelling through the countryside until his death in Candes, on the banks of the Loire,
saying: ‘Lord, if you so will it, keep me alive, for I do not refuse the labour’.

Prayer to
Saint Martin,
You who travelled the roads of Europe,
You who followed Jesus as a true disciple,
You who shared your cloak with a poor man for the love of Christ,
You who help us to recognise his face in every person in order to serve and love,
You who fought against evil and who lived on earth doing good,
Intercede for us in these difficult times,
Protect us in these times of distress,
Help us to persevere and keep the peace in times of trial,
Be our protector and lead us on the path to eternal life.
Monsignor Vincent Jordy

Word of God John 3:17-18
‘If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the
love of God be in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.’ 
Resolution
I pay attention to the little ones and I make myself available to them by listening, smiling and
helping them in some way.
Intention
Lord, I entrust to you all my poverty of heart and soul. Help me to grow in humility and to turn to
all my brothers and sisters, especially those who are in distress.