Scherden Family: St. Martin's Lantern Procession

Friday, November 9, 2012

St. Martin's Lantern Procession

Jackson's german immersion class had a St. Martins lantern procession and sang songs at the school with the other G.I. classes. On St. Martin's day in Germany the children decorate homemade (or store bought) lanterns and parade through the streets. It usually ends up at a bonfire and pretzels, goose and kinder punch is served. But at the school we heard a few songs in german and watched them parade through the school without the bonfire. I volunteered one day last week and helped the kids with the lanterns. Grace made one as well and walked with the kids through the school while they sang songs. Frau Whitely was so sweet to include Grace.

Here is a little background on St. Martin's day, courtesy of Wikipedia:

St. Martin's Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin, Martinstag or Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours or Martin le Miséricordieux, is a time for feasting celebrations. This is the time when autumn wheat seeding was completed, and the annual slaughter of fattened cattle produced "Martinmas beef". Historically, hiring fairs were held where farm laborers would seek new posts. November 11 is the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me."

All the G.I. classes singing the lantern song. (Jackson is around the bottom to right corner.)