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St. Martin's Day procession in Unterholzhausen: lanterns glow in the dark!
On November 14th, 2025, Altötting celebrated the traditional history of Saint Martin with a St. Martin's parade and shadow play.
St. Martin's Day procession in Unterholzhausen: lanterns glow in the dark!
On November 14, 2025, people from Unterholzhausen gathered to celebrate Saint Martin. Today, which is characterized by mercy and community, began with an atmospheric shadow play, which was opened by the committed Franziska Sonderhauser. There was a small downside: the start had to be delayed because it was initially too bright to really show off the lights. But the anticipation and community spirit made the time fly by.
In the meantime, the St. Martin's procession was formed, consisting of children, parents and grandparents, who walked around the village with lovingly made lanterns. The festive procession wrapped around the church, passed the fire station and finally returned to the village square. There a warming fire burned in a fire bowl, bringing together the small and large celebrants.
A special moment
As befits a proper St. Martin's Day celebration, Franziska Sonderhauser read the story of St. Martin in poem form. This timeless tale follows Martin, a Roman soldier known for his compassion. He shared his cloak with a freezing beggar, symbolizing God's love for the poor and the little ones. This legend is not only an important part of the celebrations, but also one of the most common themes in St. Martin's customs, which include lantern parades and sharing, evoking the values of St. Martin.
The shadow play also relaxed the situation because the actress playing St. Martin did not feel fit enough to take on the role. Other members of the village community illustrated the story with figures on an illuminated screen. Saint Martin came to life and the children were allowed to immerse themselves in the world of legends.
A cozy get-together
After the impressive performances, the smell of Bosna, mulled wine and children's punch attracted the revelers to a cozy get-together. Sitting together, laughing and sharing stories have long been a tradition and strengthen cohesion in the village community. A donation to the parent-child group was also very well received and underlines the important motto of sharing, which is closely linked to St. Martin.
St. Martin's Day, which for many people is associated with lantern parades and festive gourmets like St. Martin's goose, has historical roots that go back a long way. It is not only celebrated in some areas of the German-speaking world, but also symbolizes the anticipation of the upcoming Advent season. Over the years, much has revolved around November 11th, which is even known as the pride of geese, which is often served as a feast.
In Unterholzhausen and many other places, St. Martin's Day is celebrated not only to keep the stories and legends of St. Martin alive, but also to strengthen the community and share the anticipation of the upcoming holidays. A warm celebration that focuses on tradition and cohesion.
For more information about the customs and stories surrounding St. Martin's Day, visit kinderpastoral.de and [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/Sankt-Martin-Why- Feiern-wir-am-11-November-Martinstag,martinstag106.html).