The great St. Martin was a native of Sabaria, a town of Pannonia. From thence, his parents, who were pagans, had to remove to Pavia in Italy, for his father, as an officer in the army, had risen from the ranks. At the age of 15, he was forced into the army against his will and for some years, though not yet formally a Christian, he lived more like a monk than a soldier.

It was while at Amiens that the famous incident occurred. One day in a very hard winter, that is, during a severe frost, he met at the gate of the city a poor man, almost naked, trembling and shaking in the cold winter day, and begging alms from those who from those who passed by. Seeing that many passed by but did not take notice of the poor man, Martin cut his cloak into two pieces and gave the first half to the poor man while keeping the other half for himself. That very night in his sleep, he dreamed and saw Jesus Christ dressed in the half cloak that he had given away to the poor man. He heard Jesus say, "Martin has covered me with his garment."

As a consequence of this vision, he hastened to be baptized but did not leave the army at once. When he was about twenty years of age, he refused to join the battle in Gaul saying to Julius Caesar, "I have served you as a soldier, let me now serve Christ... I am a soldier of Christ and it is not lawful for me to fight." Martin continued then to spread the kingdom of Jesus Christ through his piety and zealous instruction until his death in the year 397.

Feats: November 11.

St. Martin of Tours Parish

Poblacion, Bocaue

692-4142

St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish

Poblacion, Balagtas

(044) 693-2995

Sto. Cristo and St. Andrew Kim Parish

Lolomboy, Bocaue

692-1581

St. Michael the Archangel Parish

Poblacion, Marilao

711-0709

St. Peter Alcantara Parish

Taal, Bocaue

692-3230

Our Lady of Fatima Parish

Meralco Village, Lias, Marilao

840-2294

St. Peter the Apostle Parish

Burol II, Balagtas

693-1579

Parish and Nat'l Shrine

of the Divine Mercy

Sta. Rosa, Marilao

711-5393/248-7255

Fr. Josefino Sebastian

Fr. Ramil Juat

Fr. Reynaldo Fernando, Jr.

Fr. Norman Baldoz

Fr. Carlos Cruz

(Guest Priest)

Fr. Avelino Sampana

Fr. Avelino Santos

Fr. Edmund Santos

Fr. Romeo Dionisio

Fr. Froilan Austria

Fr. Danilo Bermudo

Fr. Mario Arenas

Fr. Reynaldo San Juan, Jr.

(Rector)

Fr. John Paul Avila

Fr. Rolando Ang (Attached)