German Translator Describes Start of Advent in Austria
St. Martin’s Day, celebrated throughout Catholic Europe and elsewhere in the world, marks the day after which Advent begins. According to a German Translation service, St. Martin’s Day is celebrated on November 11, and typically involves a feast, with the main coarse being “Martinigans”, or St. Martin’s goose. From the late fourth century onward, large areas of Europe and Great Britain practiced fasting for the forty days following St. Martin’s Day. This fasting period is now known as Advent, during which many Catholics still practice fasting in one form or another. In Austria, the feast of St. Martin includes roasted goose, potatoes, cabbage as well as a hot alcoholic fruit punch.
