Sacred Calendar
The Roman year ordered for memory, penance, feasts, saints, and the daily pilgrimage of the faithful.
Calendar standard
Pre-1955 Roman usage
The calendar follows the universal Roman year under the rubrics of Pope St. Pius X, with the Roman Martyrology preserved as a distinct daily witness.
The day is presented for prayer, recollection, study, and perseverance in the City.
Daily observance
Today in the City of God
The Church keeps this day in holy time. The Pilgrim's Companion gathers the feast, daily quote, Martyrology, meditation, prayer, and related chapters into one daily path through the City.
Choose a date
Daily observance
St. Martin, Bishop and Confessor
Thursday, November 11, 2027
Season: Time after Pentecost
The day is set within the Roman year so its feast, Martyrology, daily quote, prayer, and reading path may be received together without blurring their proper sources.
Today's pilgrimage
St. Martin, Bishop and Confessor
Rank: Semi-Double
Color: white
Commemoration: St. Mennas, Martyr.
Quote for the day
Thomas à Kempis
“My son, the more thou canst go out of thyself, so much the more wilt thou be able to enter into Me.”
Of the Imitation of Christ, Book III, chapter 56, §1, p. 214
The pilgrim's devotional rhythm
Keeping the month and the weekday in prayer
This chosen devotional rhythm does not change the feast, rank, or obligations shown above. It gives the passing days a steady intention, helping the pilgrim honor God, intercede for souls, and carry one Catholic practice into the day. It is a household aid to devotion, not another law of the Roman Calendar.
November intention
The Holy Souls in Purgatory
Christian charity crosses the boundary of death. Remember the faithful departed who can no longer merit for themselves, and let prayer for them keep judgment, mercy, and eternity before your own soul.
Intention
For the relief of the Holy Souls, especially the most forgotten, and for the grace of final perseverance for the living.
A faithful act
Offer a prayer, indulgenced work under the Church's conditions, or sacrifice for a forgotten soul in Purgatory.
Prayer
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Thursday remembrance
The Most Blessed Sacrament
Thursday recalls the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood at the Last Supper. Adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and pray for priests, through whose consecrated ministry the Holy Sacrifice is offered.
Intention
For holy priests, worthy Communions, vocations, and reparation for neglect and sacrilege toward the Blessed Sacrament.
A faithful act
Make a visit or spiritual Communion and pray especially for priests by name.
Prayer
Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, increase our faith, receive our reparation, and sanctify Thy priests.
Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology - November 11
At Tours, in France, the birthday of blessed Martin, bishop and confessor, whose life was so renowned for miracles that he received the power to raise three persons from the dead. — At Cotya3um, in Phrygia, during the persecution of Diocletian, the celebrated martyrdom of St. Mennas, Egyptian soldier, who cast off the military belt and obtained the grace of serving the King of heaven secretly in the desert. Afterwards coming out publicly, and freely declaring himself a Christian, he was first subjected to dire torments; and finally kneeling in prayer, and giving thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, he was struck with the sword. After his death, he was renowned for many miracles. — At Ravenna, the holy martyrs Valentine, Felician and Victorinus, who were crowned in the persecution of Diocletian. — In Mesopotamia, St. Athenodorus, martyr, who was subjected to fire and other torments under the same Diocletian and the governor Eleusius. He was at length sentenced to capital punishment, but the executioner having fallen down and no other person daring to strike him with the sword, he passed to his repose in the Lord whilst praying. — At Lyons, St. Veranus, bishop, whose life was illustrated by his faith and other virtues. — In the monastery of Crypta-Ferrata, near Frascati, the holy abbot, Bartholomew, companion of blessed Nilus, whose life he wrote. — In the province of Abruzzo, blessed Mennas, solitary, whose virtues and miracles are mentioned by pope St. Gregory.
Highlighted saint
St. Martin of Tours
Bishop and confessor renowned for miracles.
The Martyrology honors blessed Martin, bishop of Tours, whose life was so renowned for miracles that he received power to raise three persons from the dead.
His feast teaches that episcopal holiness is not ornament. The bishop is called to be father, intercessor, preacher, ascetic, and defender of souls.
The commemoration of St. Mennas, martyr, adds soldierly steadfastness to pastoral mercy. Charity becomes stronger when it is ready to stand before danger.
Virtue to practice
Merciful pastoral strength.
Error to resist
The sentimental charity that admires kindness while avoiding conversion, discipline, and truth.
For the pilgrim in exile
Let St. Martin make charity robust. Mercy is most Catholic when it comes from a soul disciplined by Christ and ready to serve.
Imitate today
- Practice mercy with firmness.
- Pray for bishops to become saints.
- Let charity be joined to ascetic discipline.
- Ask for mercy that does not fear sacrifice.
Sources
- St. Andrew Daily Missal, November 11.
- Roman Martyrology, 1916 Baltimore edition, November 11.
From Matins
The bishop who clothed Christ and refused to abandon the flock.
Matins - Second Nocturn - St. Martin, Bishop and Confessor
Roman Breviary, Proper lessons for St. Martin
“Lord, if I be still needful to Thy people, I refuse not to work.”
Doctrine taught
- The Breviary remembers St. Martin first as the catechumen who clothed a poor man for Christ's sake and then saw Christ clothed in that mercy.
- After baptism he left military life, followed St. Hilary, became Bishop of Tours, founded monastic life, and lived in holiness with his monks.
- At death he desired to depart to Christ, yet would not refuse labor if still needful to his people, showing pastoral charity purified of self-will.
For the pilgrim in exile
Let St. Martin teach readiness both to die and to serve. Catholic holiness does not seek escape from duty; it remains available to Christ and His flock.
Full Breviary lessons
Fourth Lesson - Christ Clothed by a Catechumen
Martin was born at Sabaria in Pannonia. When he was ten years old he went to the Church, in the spite of his heathen father and mother, and by his own will was numbered among the Catechumens. At fifteen years of age he joined the army, and served as a soldier first under Constantius and then under Julian. Once at the gate of Amiens a poor man asked him for an alms for Christ's name's sake, and since he had nothing to his hand but his arms and his clothes, he gave him half of his cloak. In the night following Christ appeared to him clad in the half of his cloak, and saying to the angels who bare Him company: "While Martin is yet a Catechumen, he hath clad Me in this garment."
Fifth Lesson - A Shepherd Ready to Remain
At eighteen years of age he was baptized. He gave up thereupon the life of a soldier, and betook himself to Hilary, Bishop of Poictiers, by whom he was placed in the order of Acolytes. Being afterwards made Bishop of Tours, he built a monastery wherein he lived in holiness for a while in company of four-score monks. At the last he fell sick of a grievous fever at Cande, a village in his diocese, and besought God in constant prayer to set him free from the prison of this dying body. His disciples heard him and said: "Father, why wilt thou go away from us? unto whom wilt thou bequeath us in our sorrow?" Their words moved Martin, and he said: "Lord, if I be still needful to Thy people, I refuse not to work."
Sixth Lesson - Looking Heavenward at Death
When his disciples saw him, in the height of the fever, lying upon his back and praying, they entreated him to turn over and take a little rest upon his side while the violence of his sickness would allow him. But Martin answered them: "Suffer me to look heavenward rather than earthward, that my spirit may see the way whereby it is so soon going to the Lord." At the moment of death he saw the enemy of mankind, and cried out: "What are you come here for, you bloody brute? You murderer, you'll find nothing in me." With these words on his lips, he gave up his soul to God, being aged eighty years. He was received by a company of Angels, who were heard praising God by many persons, especially by holy Severinus, Bishop of Cologne.
Sources
- The Roman Breviary, translated by John, Marquess of Bute, 1908, vol. IV, Autumn, Second Nocturn for St. Martin, lessons iv-vi, printed pp. 733-735.
- Bute 1908 is used here as an accessible pre-Pius X Breviary witness and is cited distinctly from the 1936-1937 Benziger / Burns Oates edition.
Breviary Witness
The bishop whose charity was strong.
Matins - St. Martin of Tours
Breviary witness
- The Martyrology remembers St. Martin of Tours as bishop and confessor renowned for miracles, even raising the dead.
- His witness teaches pastoral charity joined to ascetic strength, prayer, and fatherly care for souls.
For the pilgrim in exile
Seek charity with backbone. St. Martin teaches mercy formed by discipline and faith, not by softness.
Sources
- Roman Breviary, Matins lessons for November 11, St. Martin.
- Roman Martyrology, 1916 Baltimore edition, November 11.
Meditation
The Soldier Who Became a Shepherd
St. Martin divided his cloak with a poor man and later spent himself as bishop for Christ's flock. His mercy was not vague softness; it grew from seeing Christ in the needy and serving Him through disciplined pastoral duty. Give concretely, but also ask whether your charity leads souls toward God.
Related paths
Walk the day through the City.
Today's chapters
Read with the feast.
Prayer
The day should become prayer.
O Lord, through St. Martin, make my charity practical, humble, and ordered toward both bodily need and eternal salvation.
Thought for the pilgrim
Mercy serves Christ in the poor without forgetting the poor man's soul.
Practice
The day should become obedience.
Give food, clothing, money, or useful help to someone in need and accompany the gift with prayer.
Source notes
Universal Roman Calendar under the rubrics of Pope St. Pius X
Fasting and abstinence according to the laws observed in 1952
Daily quotations and pilgrimage excerpts ordinarily come from eligible Catholic sources issued no later than December 31, 1954: Scripture, Fathers, Doctors, saints, Roman Pontiffs, traditional catechisms, approved devotional works, and received liturgical texts. Legitimate additions promulgated under Pope Pius XII may be retained when identified precisely; this does not adopt the reformed Holy Week or later rubrical changes.
The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, published by John Murphy Company; the local 1916 text is displayed and traceable to its source lines.
- St. Andrew Daily Missal, Liturgical Calendar, pp. xvii–xxviii.
- St. Andrew Daily Missal, Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., 1953 edition; proper Mass or devotion named in this entry.
- 2 Machabees 12:43-46, Douay-Rheims.
- 1 Corinthians 11:23-29, Douay-Rheims.