Born in 316 AD in Pannonia, a region that belonged to Hungary, Martin wanted to live as a monk, but was made a Bishop. He was born just after the persecutions had ended in 313 AD, and so did not see much torture. However, it was not easy to live as a Christian. All we know about St Martin came to us through Sulpicius Severus, who once knocked on Martin’s door as a beggar. Martin welcomed him, washed his hands and his feet and treated him with kindness. Sulpicius became Martin's disciple, as well as his biographer. He served in the Roman cavalry in Gaul, but left military service at some point prior to 361, when he became a monk and a disciple of St Hilary of Poitiers. He was consecrated as Bishop of Tours in 371. He was kind to everyone and the famous story about him helping another beggar by giving him half of his cape is well documented. He died in 397 AD.
We remember also today all the victims of wars as Veterans Day is celebrated world-wide, known also as D-Day or Armistice Day, or even Remembrance Day to mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major US veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
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