New York University’s Deutsches Haus will host an afternoon of lantern making and a children’s parade as part of its St. Martin’s Day celebration on Sun., Nov. 9, 4-7 p.m. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with battery-operated lantern making and hot chocolate at Deutsches Haus (42 Washington Mews at University Pl., below 8th St.), followed by a reading of a St. Martin’s story at 5 p.m., and a parade of lantern-bearing children around Washington Square Park at 6:30 p.m.

St. Martin of Tours, a reluctant soldier but later became a monk and bishop. One of the few medieval-favored saints not martyred, benevolent St. Martin is remembered for rending his cloak and offering half to a naked beggar.
St. Martin of Tours, a reluctant soldier but later became a monk and bishop. One of the few medieval-favored saints not martyred, benevolent St. Martin is remembered for rending his cloak and offering half to a naked beggar.

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New York University’s Deutsches Haus will host an afternoon of lantern making and a children’s parade as part of its St. Martin’s Day celebration on Sun., Nov. 9, 4-7 p.m. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with battery-operated lantern making and hot chocolate at Deutsches Haus (42 Washington Mews at University Pl., below 8th St.), followed by a reading of a St. Martin’s story at 5 p.m., and a parade of lantern-bearing children around Washington Square Park at 6:30 p.m. The event is part of Deutsches Haus Kids’ program (http://www.dhkids.org/). The afternoon will include a visit from “St. Martin,” on horseback, who will participate in the parade.

The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to deutsches.haus@nyu.edu or by calling 212.998.8660. Subway: R, W (8th Street); 6 (Astor Place). Reporters interested in attending the event MUST RSVP to James Devitt, NYU’s Office of Public Affairs, at 212.998.6808 or james.devitt@nyu.edu.

St. Martin’s Day (or Martinstag) is Nov. 11, the feast day of Martin of Tours, who started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm. The day is celebrated in most areas of Germany and Austria as well as in parts of Flanders and the Netherlands. Children go to houses with paper lanterns and candles, and sing songs about St. Martin in return for treats. Often, a man dressed as St. Martin rides on a horse in front of the procession.

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