St. Martin's day (11 November) / Martinovanje
In Slovenia, Martinovanje is still a very important holiday, but
it is becoming more and more commercial, with dinner gatherings and concerts,
especially in Maribor.
St. Martin's Day is another in a series of pagan festivals that were later dressed up in Christian clothing. Martin was born in what is now Hungary and was ordained a bishop in Tours, France. He was known for his modesty, hence the legend that once, as a soldier, he met a beggar who was too cold to walk, and having nothing else to give him, he cut his coat in half and gave one half to the beggar so that he would not freeze to death.
Because of his modesty, he also refused the bishop's post and hid among the geese before the announcement. They betrayed him with their cackling. He was buried on 11 November 397 and his mantle was kept as a relic of national importance in Saint Chapelle in Paris, so that the name of the chapel is also derived from the mantle.
But the celebration of St Martin's Day is of much older date, as it is considered to be the autumn carnival that in some countries began the forty-day fast. It was the end of the shepherding season and the beginning of the coldest time of the year. Also, on St. Martin's Day, the grape juice is ripened for consumption by a blessing.
Source: ptuj.info
St Martin's Day, like all holidays, has some special dietary features. It is characterized by poultry, with a particular emphasis on geese and ducks, precisely because of the legend of St. Martin hiding among the geese.
Roasted goose or duck stuffed with chestnuts or apples, with a side dish of miller and red cabbage is a most characteristic combination for this time of the year in Slovenia.
Source: okusno.je recipes webpage, Slovenia
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How and where will you spend your »martinovanje« in Slovenia during your mobility? Comment with a reply.
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Alenka, OLS Community Manager – Slovene