Saint Martin of Tours, born in 316 in Pannonia—present-day Hungary—was the son of a Roman officer. His name, Martinus, means "little Mars," the god of war.
Forced by his father to enlist, he became a soldier. And it was during those years that his most famous episode occurred: in Amiens, during a patrol, he shared his cloak with a cold, beggar. Shortly thereafter, he was baptized and chose to leave military life.
He then decided to devote himself to an ascetic life of prayer and poverty. In 359, he found refuge right here, on Gallinaria Island, off Albenga, where he lived as a hermit, subsisting on herbs and roots.
From that moment on, his life was marked by the evangelization of the countryside and the founding of monastic communities, until he became bishop of Tours. By his death on November 11, 397, his fame had already spread throughout Europe.
Saint Martin was not only a saint, but an example of humility and charity who left a profound mark on the history of Albenga.
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