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St. Martin's Day in Wittenberg: lights, singing and participation in the evening!
On November 11th Wittenberg celebrates St. Martin's Day with parades, devotions and stories about St. Martin. A highlight for families!
St. Martin's Day in Wittenberg: lights, singing and participation in the evening!
On November 11, 2025 it was that time again: In Wittenberg people traditionally celebrated St. Martin's Festival, an event that brings young and old together. The Evangelical City Church of St. Marien became the starting point for a joyful parade through the old town, which was organized by the Catholic parish and the Protestant Church. At 5 p.m., numerous children and their families gathered to celebrate this special celebration together. In addition to an atmospheric prayer led by city church priest Fabian Mederacke, the story of Saint Martin was told and enriched with St. Martin's songs led by cantor Christoph Hagemann.
The parade was particularly impressive, in which a rider on a 100-year-old carousel horse took on the role of Saint Martin. Around 300 participants marched from the town church to the Catholic kindergarten on Mayorstrasse. There the children were encouraged to light the lanterns they had brought with them and to end the evening by sharing St. Martin's croissants with festive brass music. Sister Mechtild warmly welcomed the guests and spoke about sharing the delicacies, a central element of St. Martin's celebration, which wonderfully embodied St. Martin's basic message of charity.
Tradition and togetherness
St. Martin's Day has a long tradition not only in Wittenberg, but also throughout Europe. It commemorates Saint Martin of Tours, who shared his cloak with a beggar and thereby became a symbol of help and solidarity. According to the legend reported by [br.de](https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/sankt-martin-religion-und-alte-braeuche-was-bayern-am-11-november- Feiert,V1s5a62), Martin lived around the year 316/317 and was a Roman officer who later became a bishop. The day itself is considered the end of the harvest season and initiates the pre-Christmas Lent in many regions.
In Bavaria, for example, lantern parades, like those that took place in Wittenberg, are a central part of St. Martin's Day. The tradition is shared by kindergartens, schools and parishes and is reminiscent of old customs surrounding fire and light. Whether young or old, St. Martin's Day remains a family event that focuses on the values of sharing and community.
So St. Martin's Day in Wittenberg also became a cozy get-together where conversations, sausages and drinks couldn't be missed. The festive atmosphere and the lovingly orchestrated celebration helped ensure that all participants felt comfortable in the community and that this old custom was kept alive. Cheers to tradition and cohesion!