The St. Martin Week
On his memorial day, 11 November, and during the period dedicated to his celebration, churches pay tribute to Martin’s activities, and folk traditions are revived.
The cult of St. Martin in Szombathely is ever stronger, and celebratory events include different programmes such as religious meetings, processions with lanterns, dance evenings, conterts, lectures and exhibitions.
All over Europe people light devotional candels in the workshops around the 11 November because of the early nightfall; this is where the idea of the lantern-lit procession originates from, a custom revived in Szombathely in 2000.
After a festive ceremony held in the Cathedral, the procession makes its way to St. Martin Church, traditionally led by soldiers of the Savaria Legion dressed in Roman military uniforms. Besides the wreathing of St. Martin’s statue and the holy mass, the town council confers its major honours on the selected ones at a ceremonial event on Martin’s day.