One of the unexpected blessings of teaching at a classical Catholic academy is discovering pieces of Catholic history that I somehow missed despite being a cradle Catholic. Sometimes these discoveries come through studying the lives of the saints, while other times they appear in the pages of a historical novel.

Last year, while reading Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray Vining with my students, I noticed several references to a celebration called Martinmas. I was familiar with Saint Martin of Tours, particularly the story of his famous cloak, but I knew considerably less about the traditions surrounding his November 11th feast day.

It turns out that Martinmas was once a significant celebration in medieval Christian life, marking both the conclusion of the autumn harvest and the approach of the penitential preparations for Christmas.

The more I learned about this feast, the more I appreciated its place in the calendar. After all, autumn has always struck me as a season of transitions, both in the natural world and in the spiritual life.

From Autumn’s Harvest to November’s Darkness

A few years ago, I wrote about the autumn harvest and its connection to the Parable of the Talents. Just as farmers gather the fruits of their labor, we are called to recognize the gifts God has entrusted to us and put them to good use.

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