Seeing an ill-clad beggar asking alms at the gate of the city of Amiens and being overlooked by passersby, Saint Martin, having nothing else to give, rent his military cloak in two with his sword and gave half to the beggar, so that he might cover himself in the cold. That night, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him, clothed with the half of the cloak he had given to the beggar. Saint Martins cloak - capella in Latin - was kept in a sanctuary which came to be called capella, from which the word chapel is derived; and they under whose care it was kept were called cappellani, from which chaplain is derived. Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours, reposed in peace in the year 397.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:08:55 +0000