The 11th Day of the 11th Month is the unveiling of the City’s Prince of the Carnival. He presides over all the celebrations of excess until the first day of Lent. Rather makes Lent worth it. This is a much lauded celebration in the Southern-part-of-the-country, but many in the northern regions join in as well. Why not!
However, seemingly limited to North Holland, is the celebration on the 11th day of the 11th month the feast of Sint Maarten. Those I asked have no idea who he is, or what he does.* This man is celebrated in the dark of night [as the sun sets at 4:55 anytime after that is the dark of night].
The celebration is composed primarily of little children carrying sticks, on the end of which are lanterns lit from within. The children are marched from one end of town to the other. At the completion of the march, in front of the no-longer-used-but-grand-in-style-city-hall a play depicting an event in the life of St Martin is performed. A Beggar is approached by mounted soldiers in petite medieval chain-maille armour; the poor man is commanded to leave the scene. The beggar complains of hunger and cold. The Soldier [clearly the-to-be-St. Maartin] gives the poor man a piece of dry bread and when the man still complains of the cold, with his sword the soldier slices off part of his royal cape and hands it down to the beggar. End of story. No division of Church and State here. Next, the Mayor of the town addresses the gathered children, reciting a St. Maarten prayer and exhorting the children to always do the right thing by sharing what they have.[not far removed from a sermon]. The Children sing a song especially composed for the event; sweets are distributed. This completes the tableau. [One does have to wonder what sort of man, gathers little children in the dead of night, marches them away from their homes and gives them candy.] The children then disperse and go house to house knocking on doors, singing a song and more candy is proffered.
*St Maarten was originally a Catholic holiday. There are several stories but to keep it simple: Martinus was born in Hungary in 316, the child of Roman parents. The story, as told to children at primary school, is that Martinus met a beggar in Amiens, France. He gave half of his cloak to the numb man. He saved his life that way. “I was naked and you clothed Me.” (Matthew 25:36). Martinus was later elected bishop, but not believing himself worthy. He hid. When his followers found him, he consented; he became a bishop. They looked for him with lights – this is why children carry lanterns during the begging party. [courtesy of deS a local newspaper]