Wood icon, "St. Martin of Tours", Hand painted, 20x26 cm

Hand painted icon on wood.

Our father among the saints Martin the Merciful, Bishop of Tours (Latin: Martinus), was a bishop of Tours in the fourth century; he is called the Merciful because of his generosity and care for the poor. The saint showed interest in Christianity at an early age. After service in the Roman army, he was baptized and became a disciple of St. Hilary of Poitiers who was prominent in the trinitarian disputes with the Arians. He was acclaimed bishop of Tours in 371. He founded the monastery Marmoutier where he led a austere life with cave-dwelling cenobites. Veneration of Martin was very popular in western Europe during the middle ages. After his death he was buried in Tours where, in time, a large basilica was built as the shrine of St. Martin of Tours. His hagiographer Sulpitius Severus, a contemporary, recorded the events in his life.