Saint Martin of Tours - Patron of Soldiers

Martin of Tours (316-397) - Martin was a Bishop and a pioneer of western monasticism.  Martin was born in 316, the son of a pagan army officer.  At the age of 15 he was inducted into the army in Italy.  In 337 Martin cut his cloak in 1/2 and gave one half to a freezing beggar in France.  That same night Maring had a vision of Christ wearing half of his cloak.  Martin converted to Christianity and left the army to return to Italy where his mother and others received the faith.  Around the year 360 Martin joined St. Hilary of Poitiers and became a hermit at Liguge, the 1st monastic community in France.  Martin was named bishop of Tours in 371.  He founded Marmoutier Abbey and lived there while performing his episcopal duties.  Martin eventually went to Rome and to Condes, where he established a religous center where he died on November 8, 397.

(from Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, 1998)