St. Martin Brings Snow, Young Wine and a Baked Goose in the Czech Republic

November 11 is known as the Saint Martin’s Day. What customs are observed by Czech people and what can you hear about St. Martin?

There is a famous Czech proverb related to the Feast of St. Martin: Martin přijíždí na bílém koni. (English: Martin is coming on a white horse.) The reason is simple – first half of November is the time when the first snow comes to the Czech Republic. And, this year it became true. St. Martin brought the snow even one day earlier!

First snow in Brno this year
First snow in Brno

The typical celebration of St. Martin Day consists of drinking and eating, mainly. 🙂 One of the traditions is to take a taste of young wine from the recent harvest. It’s the Czech version of Beaujolais Nouveau, called Svatomartinské víno. The traditional St. Martin’s dish is a roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings.

This special menu is served in many restaurants across the country. The young wine you can get in wine shops, too, or just join some of the festivals which are taking place across the country.

The first pour of the St. Martin’s wine comes to Brno, you can start testing the samples of hundred Czech and Moravian wines on Saturday, November 11, 2017, 10 o’clock on náměstí Svobody. Facebook page of the event

Svatý Martin na bílém koni
A Czech proverb says that St. Martin comes on a white horse.

Who was St. Martin?

Supposedly, Saint Martin was a kind man with a quiet and simple life. The best-known legend about him says that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak. Martin heard Jesus saying to the angels, “Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptized; he has clothed me.” St. Martin is one of the major saints of the Catholic Church, known as a friend of children a the patron of the poor. Honoring him with a variety of festivals is common not only in many countries.

 

Lucie Patkova

Hello, our dear blog readers! Since I am passionate about sharing interesting and important information, it's my pleasure to keep you updated what's going on in the Czech Republic so you feel at home here ;-)

One thought on “St. Martin Brings Snow, Young Wine and a Baked Goose in the Czech Republic

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