On 11 November, children across Groningen, Drenthe and Friesland will be going door to door, lanterns aloft and adorably singing barely comprehensible songs in exchange for candy. It’s time for Saint Martin, the second best-known saint in the Netherlands.
UPDATE: This story now has a list of when each town or neighbourhood is celebrating Sint Maarten, so be sure to check what is happening where you live.
Who is St. Martin?
Saint Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier who grew up in a military family just after the legalisation of Christianity in the empire. When he was still a young soldier, legend has it that Martin shared half of his cloak with a shivering beggar and then had a dream that the beggar was actually Jesus. His vision led him to lay down his sword and shield so that he could dedicate himself to serving the lord. He eventually established a monastery and became a bishop, even though he did not want that particular job. Saint Martin died on 11 November, 397. Saint Martin is considered a patron saint for the poor and is associated with wine-making.
What is St. Martin?
It is a Catholic feast day for St. Martin, and the fact that it is celebrated in the north is actually kind of counterintuitive: nowadays, Catholicism is less common in the largely Protestant provinces of Groningen, Drenthe and Friesland than Dutch provinces further to the south. Groningen and Leeuwarden have a diocese, but only 5.9 percent of the local population is registered as Catholic and fewer than one percent regularly attend church.
Where is St. Martin celebrated?
Groningen celebrates across the province, but it is more limited in Friesland and Drenthe. The holiday is also very popular in Utrecht. Versions of the Feast of Saint Martin are held around the world, mostly in Europe and among German-descended Americans. In some areas of Belgium, either Saint Martin or Saint Nicholas is celebrated, but not both.
How is St. Martin celebrated?
Historically, the feast of Saint Martin was marked by a meal of roast goose which was shared with the homeless. The modern celebration is for children to go door to door – especially to homes with a front light on or some sort of light decorations – with lanterns, typically made from paper or large, hollowed-out beets and sing Sint Maarten songs in exchange for candy. It is similar to trick or treating, minus the costumes. This year, the city of Groningen is planning to make the event more elaborate than usual: a children’s parade will be held between the Nieuwe Kerk and the Martinikerk, and on the 10th of November, the Martinikerk will host services focused on the themes of generosity and giving.
When is St. Martin celebrated?
It depends. This year, the holiday will be celebrated on Monday, the 12th of November in the city centre of Groningen, but that is not necessarily the case across the rest of the city. The holiday is the 11th of November and coincides with celebrations of the end of the harvest season, but it depends on which day of the week it falls on. Schools, retail organisations and town councils often decide which day works best, but there are no strict rules. Some areas celebrate it on the 11th no matter what day it is, some celebrate it a day before or day after if it falls on a Sunday. The date of the actual festivities this year have been up for debate again this year, so be sure to ask your neighbours to make sure that you have time to buy candy or, alternatively, to turn out the lights and pretend you aren’t home to avoid any confusion.
Sint Maarten 2018 is will be celebrated in the following places on the following dates (compiled by RTV Noord):
Adorp: 10 November
Aduard: 10 November
Alteveer: 10 November
Appingedam: 12 November
Baamsum: 10 November
Bad Nieuweschans: 12 November
Baflo: 10 November
Beerta: 10 November
Bedum: 10 November
Bellingwolde: 10 November
Bierum: 10 November
Blijham: 12 November
Boerakker: 12 November
Borgsweer: 10 November
Broek: 11 November
Delfzijl: 12 November
Den Andel: 11 November
Doezum: 12 November
Drieborg: 10 November
Eenrum: 10 November
Engelbert: 12 November
Enumatil: 12 November
Ezinge: 12 November
Farmsum: 12 November
Feerwerd: 10 November
Finsterwolde: 10 November
Foxhol: 12 November
Froombosch: 11 November
Garmerwolde: 10 November
Garrelsweer: 12 November
Godlinze: 10 November
Grijpskerk: 10 November
Groningen (city centre): 12 November
Groningen (Beijum shopping centre): 12 November
Groningen (Buitenhof): 11 November
Groningen (Gravenburg/De Held): 11 November
Groningen (De Hoogte): 11 November
Groningen (De Wijert): 12 November
Groningen (Helpermaar): 10 November
Groningen (Helpman): 10 November
Groningen (Hortusbuurt and Ebbingekwartier): 10 november
Groningen (De Hunze/Van Starkenborgh): 12 November
Groningen (Lewenborg): 12 november
Groningen (Kostverloren/Schildersbuurt): 11 November
Groningen (Meerstad): 12 November
Groningen (Oosterparkwijk): 12 November
Groningen (Oranjebuurt): 11 November
Groningen (Paddepoel and Selwerd): 10 November
Groningen (Piccardthof): 11 November
Groningen (Reitdiepwijk): 11 November
Groningen (Ruischerbrug): 11 November
Groningen (Vinkhuizen): 10 November
Grootegast: 12 november
Haren: 10 November
Harkstede: 12 November
Heiligerlee: 10 November
Holwierde: 10 November
Hoogezand: 12 November
Hoogkerk: 10 November
Houwerzijl: 11 November
Jonkersvaart: 12 November
Kantens: 12 November
Kiel-Windeweer: 10 November
Kloosterburen: 10 November
Kolham: 11 November
Kornhorn: 12 November
Lauwerzijl: 10 November
Leek: 12 November
Leens: 12 November
Loppersum: 12 November
Lucaswolde: 12 November
Lutjegast: 10 November
Marum: 12 November
Meeden: 12 November
Meedhuizen: 10 November
Mensingeweer: 10 november
Middelstum: 12 November
Midwolda: 10 November
Muntendam: 12 November
Mussel: 10 November
Musselkanaal: 10 November
Niebert: 12 November
Niekerk: 12 November
Nieuwe Pekela: 10 November
Nieuwolda: 10 November
Niezijl: 10 November
Nuis: 12 November
Noordbroek: 10 November
Noordhorn: 12 November
Noordlaren: 10 November
Oldehove: 12 November
Oldekerk: 12 November
Ommelanderwijk: 11 November
Onstwedde: 10 November
Oosternieland: 10 November
Oosterwijtwerd: 10 November
Oostwold (Oldambt): 10 November
Oude Pekela: 10 November
Pieterzijl: 10 November
Roden: 12 November
Roodeschool: 10 November
Sappemeer: 12 November
Sauwerd: 10 November
Scharmer: 12 November
Scheemda: 10 November
Schildwolde: 10 November
Sellingen: 10 November
Siddeburen: 10 November
Slochteren: 10 November
Spijk: 10 November
Stadskanaal: 12 November
Stedum: 12 November
Ten Boer: 10 November
Ter Apel: 10 November
‘T Zand: 12 November
Termunten: 10 November
Termunterzijl: 10 November
Thesinge: 10 November
Tjuchem: 10 November
Tolbert: 12 November
Uithuizen: 10 November
Uithuizermeeden: 10 November
Usquert: 10 November
Veendam: 12 November
Vlagtwedde: 10 November
Visvliet: 10 November
Wagenborgen: 10 November
Warffum: 10 November
Wedde: 10 November
Wehe-Den Hoorn: 10 November
Westeremden: 10 November
Westerlee: 10 November
Westernieland: 10 November
Winschoten: 10 November
Winsum: 12 November
Wirdum: 10 November
Woldendorp: 10 November
Woltersum: 11 November
Zandeweer: 10 November
Zevenhuizen: 12 November
Zoutkamp: 10 November
Zuidbroek: 10 November
Zuidhorn: 12 November
Zuidwolde: 10 November
Zuurdijk: 11 November
Photo source: Reinier Sierag/Flickr
