Via Sancti Martini | EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF SAINT MARTIN CULTURAL CENTRES

The European Federation of Saint Martin Cultural Centres

The European Federation of Saint Martin Cultural Centres is a non-profit association under French law which brings together 13 Centres in Europe : Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France (Via Sancti Martini France and Culturel Centre Saint Martin Corsica), Germany, Hungary, Italy (CCE Saint Martin Puglia and Friuli), Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia…. It is the organization responsible for developing the European Cultural Route « Saint Martin de Tours, a European figure, a symbol of sharing, a common value », certified since 2005 as a « European Cultural Route » (label awarded by the Council of Europe).

The European Federation of the Saint Martin Cultural Centres works with the European Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, in Luxembourg.

How does it work ?

The European Federation of Saint Martin Cultural Centres is a non-profit association under French law which brings together 13 Centres in Europe : Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France (Via Sancti Martini France and Culturel Centre Saint Martin Corsica), Germany, Hungary, Italy (CCE Saint Martin Puglia and Friuli), Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia…. It is the organization responsible for developing the European Cultural Route « Saint Martin de Tours, a European figure, a symbol of sharing, a common value », certified since 2005 as a « European Cultural Route » (label awarded by the Council of Europe).

The European Federation of the Saint Martin Cultural Centres works with the European Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, in Luxembourg.

More information

The European Cultural Route Saint Martin of Tours

280 cities in France bear the name of Saint Martin, and 3,700 monuments are dedicated to him. There are over 500 in Spain, 700 in Italy, 350 in Hungary; there are 13 Saint Martin’s cathedrals in Europe. Canterbury, the first Anglican church, is named after him, and a major Parisian district bears his name.

For over a thousand years, Saint Martin was patron of the kings of France, but also of many European countries, including Hungary, including Hungary. His influence spread throughout Europe and the world.

Rediscovering this cultural past in Europe through the implementation of a European Cultural Itinerary « Saint Martin de Tours, a European figure symbol of sharing, a common value » is the best way to pass on to future generations sixteen centuries of a cult linked to Europe’s tangible and intangible heritage.

What are its main themes?

Great European figure
For over 1600 years, traces of Saint Martin of Saint Martin of Tours can be found all over Europe, in both tangible (historical and archaeological, cultural and artistic) and intangible (myths, rites, legends, beliefs or traditions). The development of his cult through the ages, while the notion of Europe had not yet appeared, brings out the idea of a European consciousness, undoubtedly linked to the personality of Saint Martin de Tours.
The European Cultural Route « Saint Martin of Tours, a European figure, a symbol of sharing, a common value » links European cities that shared the life of Saint Martin in the 4th century :
Szombathely, Pannonhalma, Pavia, Siccomario, Milan, Rome, Albenga, Amiens, Worms, Poitiers, Ligugé, Tours, Trier, Luxembourg, Paris…On the other hand, it connects major European cities that architectural heritage linked to the cult of Saint Martin of Tours :
– Cathedrals of Mainz,Eisenstadt, Bratislava, Lucca, Orense, Ypres, Groningen, Utrecht, Saragossa…
– Monasteries of Naples, Pannonhalma, Canigou, Palermo, Santiago de Compostela…

Saint Martin is still very much alive today in certain regions of Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain… He is a historical European hero of legend and folklore. Martin is by far the most common surname in Europe, and one that is often chosen. His feast day, November 11, still gives rise to many festivities in goose-eating and new wine tasting, as well as popular events such as the popular events: the Saint Martin fair, children’s parades with lanterns …

What are its main themes ?

Symbol of sharing
The 21st century is the century of material » sharing of water, food, the environment and wealth between developed Western Europe and the countries of Eastern Europe, from which it has been cut off for decades. as well as between the countries of the North and those on the other side of the Mediterranean and Black Africa… But it is also the century « of shared universal spiritual values, founders of many religions », as well as that of sharing experiences in development, law and democracy.

The recognition by the Council of Europe of the theme: «sharing, common value» allows, through this European Cultural Itinerary « Saint Martin of Tours, European figure, symbol of sharing, common value», to open the debate on the European values that have been transmitted to us, on their impact in the current and future European context. From the founding gesture of Saint Martin stressing the importance of sharing, it is now necessary to base the ethical and philosophical bases of the project on the following themes : sharing information, sharing knowledge, sharing technologies and common Heritage…

Pilgrimage routes
The rediscovery of pilgrimage routes to the tomb of Saint Martin in Tours is fundamental, as it is one of the most one of the oldest pilgrimages in Western Christendom, « la gallicana peregrinatio » (Pilgrimage of Gaul). They are far more difficulties than those of Santiago de Compostela, due to the scarcity of vestiges of such a remote era, and the silence of pilgrims unable to and the silence of pilgrims, most of whom were unable to write down their pilgrimages from the 4th to the 6th century. The Saint Martin of Tours European Cultural Route should help us rediscover the richness of this forgotten Martinian heritage.

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