Martinje is celebrated throughout Croatia, especially in the north of the country. Feast of St. Martin, the patron saint of winemakers and vineyards, is a time when, with food, drink and joy, the must turns into young wine. After the "baptism" ceremony, it is wine ready for tasting and consumption. Martinje is celebrated on November 11, the day when St. Martin was buried in 397.
Saint Martin and legends
Saint Martin was the son of a Roman tribune in Hungary and he is the first saint who was not a martyr. While he was a soldier, legend has it that he shared his military cloak with a beggar, after which he converted to Christianity. After a military career he was an exorcist, a fighter for Christianity, a monk in a convent and eventually bishop of the French city of Tours.
In addition to the baptism of wine, Martinje is also associated with the inevitable goose with grinders. Namely, the legend says again that St. Martin did not want to become a bishop on the day of the proclamation he hid among the geese. Still, the geese made it their own by croaking discovered, so in memory of this legend, roast goose is eaten all over Europe for St. Martin's Day.
A winegrower and a great lover of wine
A great humanitarian, St. Martin was a winegrower and a great lover of wine. It is he who, according to legend, first introduced the wine baptism ceremony. This is one of the reasons for celebrating the feast of St. Martin. The holiday also marks end of field work, that is, the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. In addition to winemakers and vineyards, St. Martin is the patron saint of France, soldiers, horsemen, cured alcoholics, horse and goose breeders, the Swiss Papal Guard, many places in Europe and Croatia.
Saint Martin of Tours, European, symbol of sharing, common value
Due to folk customs related to the feast of St. Martin, Martinje is registered in the Register of Protected Cultural Intangible Heritage. The fact that in 2005 it was rated as a Great Cultural Itinerary by the Council of Europe shows how much St. Martin is recognized throughout Europe. To date, cultural centers of Saint Martin have been established in several European countries, and in Croatia, more than 20 places have joined the great road "Via Sancti Martini". The first was Dugo Selo in 2007 - the city of Martin's heritage.
Wine tours for Martinje
The feast of St. Martin is celebrated throughout Croatia. On that date, but also a few days before and after it, revived wine roads and tours, numerous winemakers present their wines to visitors. That's how Martinje became tourist attraction, especially in the north of Croatia, where wine is tasted along with a rich gastronomic offer.
Source of cover photo: TZG Crikvenica
