Saint Martin's Day / Der Sankt Martinstag in Pegau - 4

I recorded this video on the afternoon of Tuesday the 11th of November 2014 in the town of Pegau, (pop. 6,500), which lies about 20 miles west of the city of the German city of Leipzig in Germany. It was the last day of a six week visit to the area because I had decided to stay for a few days longer than originally planned in order to be present for the 'Sankt Martinstag', now a treasured holiday memory.
The ceremonies began in the medieval Lutheran church of Sankt Laurentius (Saint Laurentius). Then the people, men, women and children, walked to the nearby very modern (1994) Catholic church of Sankt Hedwig (Saint Hedwig) for a very well attended party. The spacious garden of St. Hedwig’s was lit up by a very impressive bonfire as food and drink for young and old alike was served by cheerful volunteers in the long wooden shelter which is such an unusual facility for a church of any denomination.
Saint Martin is also celebrated in other places:
!: Saint Martin’s Day: en.wikipedia.or...
It is celebrated in many parts of Europe and beyond on the 11th of November.
2: Saint Martin’s Day in Ireland: www.irishcultur...
3: Saint Martin’s Day in Germany: www.timeanddate...
4: Der Martinstag in Deutschland: de.wikipedia.or...
5: La Fête de Saint Martin en Martinique:
martinique.cath...
It looks like Saint Martin is quite a hit in that French island in the Caribbean.
6: La Fête de Saint Martin en Croatie:
www.encroatie.c...
This presentation in French based on the experience of Croatians has an admirable purpose. It sets out to persuade us to drink the red wine of France on the third Thursday of November!
5: Ich Gehe Mit Meiner Laterne: • Ich geh mit meiner Lat...
This is a link to a charming animated song in German for the feast of the saint. The title means: ‘I am Going With My Lantern’. That it has had almost three million views already is not very surprising.
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Dieses Video unternahm ich Nachmittags am Dienstag den 11ten November in der Stadt Pegau (Einwohner: 6,500) die etwa 30 Kilometer nach Westen von Leipzig in Deutschland zu finden ist.
Anfangs fand eine kirchliche Seremonie mit kurzem Gottesdienst in der mittelalterlichen Kirche von Sankt Laurentius statt. Danach ging die Leute, Männer, Frauen und Kinder, in einer Prozession nach Sankt Hedwig, eine moderne (1994) Katholische Kirche. Da gab es im Garten eine tolle Party. Das riesige Freudenfeuer brachte die gute Stimmung dabei als jedes Menschenkind das Essen und das Trinken geniess!
Links:
1. Die Stadt Pegau: www.stadt-pegau...
2. Sankt Laurentius: kirchspielpegau...
3: Sankt Hedwig: www.stadt-pegau...
4: Ich Gehe Mit Meiner Laterne: • Ich geh mit meiner Lat...