Saint Martin is on Wednesday - but due to the corona pandemic, the moves cannot take place.
Martin's Day doesn’t have to be canceled entirely - and perhaps it is particularly important to remember the saint right now.
Because of the Corona crisis, many Saint Martin's parades cannot take place this year.
But the festival doesn't have to be canceled.
There are many alternatives how families can celebrate anyway.
Anyone can also take part in some actions.
One idea is, for example, to bring some light into the darkness with lanterns in the window or in front of the house.
Families can also organize private Martin parties at home.
It is important not to forget the background of the festival: it is about Saint Martin, who gave part of his cloak to a freezing beggar.
The focus is on sharing, helpfulness and humanity.
Weilheim - “A sea of lights, to Martins' honor.
Rabimmel, Rabammel, Rabumm. ”Normally next week children everywhere would be singing this song as they walk through the streets with brightly lit lanterns.
Wednesday is Martin's Day - but this year the Martin parades are canceled due to the corona pandemic.
Nevertheless, you don't have to do without the sea of lights entirely.
For example, the idea of putting lanterns in the window of Saint Martin is currently spreading on the Internet.
It should also shine in Weilheim.
For more than 50 years there has been a large parade with several hundred participants every Sunday after Sankt Martin.
Saint Martin rides on a horse, the brass band plays and there are gingerbread cookies for the children.
None of that works this year - that's why the local association of the German Family Association as the train organizer has thought about something: It calls for people to decorate doors, windows, entrances and front gardens for Saint Martin from November 11th to 15th, for example with a figure or a shining lantern.
"The more people participate, the more beautiful it becomes," says chairwoman Babsi Schifferl.
“How it is decorated is completely open.” The main thing is that the children and everyone else who goes on a private Martins walk are happy about it.
"The campaign is intended to encourage courage and encourage people to stick together, even when it gets dark," says Schifferl.
Saint Martin shared his cloak with a beggar
That is exactly the background of Saint Martin.
Legend has it that Martin, a young soldier, met a freezing beggar on a freezing cold day.
To help him, he parted his cloak with his sword.
Later Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream - with half of the cloak that Martin had given the beggar.
“Compassion and helpfulness are particularly important right now,” says Schifferl.
Therefore, Saint Martin should not be canceled entirely.
That is what the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising would like.
Martina Mauder is a pastoral advisor in the city church in Kolbermoor (Rosenheim district) and has created tips on how families can organize a St. Martin's celebration at home.
Singing songs, lighting lanterns, hearing the Martin story and saying a prayer - all this is also possible at home, she says: "The children can recreate the Martin story with Lego figures, for example." It is a nice sign when families are together go outside with the lanterns.
“Saint Martin is about paying attention to where someone is, who is dark and who needs help,” she explains.
The light could strengthen the view of this in children and adults alike.
"Maybe Corona is also a chance for that," she hopes.
"Even if I would of course have loved to be out with the children."
Everyone is hoping that the parades can take place again next year
This is also the case with Christina Reichert, who has been advancing the Weilheim Martinsum parade as Martin with her horse Payasso for over ten years.
“It's a festival for me,” she says.
She is therefore a little sad that the procession cannot take place: “The bright children's eyes are worth gold.” All the greater is the anticipation when the children will sing out loud “I'll go with my lantern” again in 2021 - and until then there will be with her Martin's decoration.
There are suggestions for a St. Martin's celebration at home or in the daycare centers on the website of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.