Today is Remembrance Day/Veterans Day/Armistice Day, called varying things in different countries. In some places it is an official holiday. But 11th of November has an older meaning that pre-dates the end of the First World War.

The 11th of November is Martinmas, the Feast Day of St Martin of Tours.
I am informed that some of the Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate this feast day on the 12th rather than the 11th. But in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions he is celebrated on the 11th, as the anniversary of his burial in 397 AD
St Martin is close to my heart for a few reasons. Principal of which is that my church @smitf_london , where I am a member, employee (til 1 Jan), and council member for (post 1 Jan).
St Martin has no real connection to London, but many churches around the world have been named for him. Heck, our church isn't even the only St Martin in London.
St Martin is, variously, according to different "authorities" both strict and loose, a patron of many things: The struggle against poverty, soldiers, tailors, geese, a number of cities, the Swiss Guards. The latter once deported me from the Vatican. Long story, another time....
St Martin was born in what is now Hungary, but with all due respect to my Hungarian friends, he shouldn't be considered Hungarian in the modern sense as he was born in the early 300s. The Magyars, the modern Hungarians, had not migrated there yet.
There is some variance as to Martin's year of birth. As with many, indeed most of the early Saints of the church, there is some history, but a LOT of folklore of sometimes dubious provenance.
By legend, St Martin was a childhood convert to Christianity against the wishes of his parents. His father was a tribune, then next rank up from centurion, in the Roman army.
Coming from a military family, Martin ended up as a soldier himself. He served in the cavalry, allegedly in the Equites cataphractarii ambianenses, (pictured from Trajan's column), a fairly elite unit.

More from History

Rush Catalog
Emotion Detector (1985, Power Windows)
https://t.co/3U3Ol6tMHU
#RushFamily
@RushFamTourneys
What's your grade of this song?

https://t.co/3U3Ol6Lo6u

Lyrics:

When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion —
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention —
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool

If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel

Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts

It’s true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we’re too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool

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