The lantern festival !

By Anis Albasha

I go with my lantern
and my lantern goes with me

There above, the stars shine
and we shine here below…

This is a translated part of the popular German song 'Ich geh mit meiner Laterne' which my son and his classmates along with parents and teachers sang in one of November's cold evenings to celebrate a popular German festival called St. Martin's Day. With the kids carrying their handmade lanterns, we strolled the street and chanted joyfully.  

St. Martin’s day, also  known as the 'Lantern Festival’ takes place on November 11. It is officially a Catholic occasion. However, the celebration of this occasion has become a widespread tradition in the whole Germany including the Protestant areas.

This religious celebration dedicated to St. Martin of Tours (336- 397 AD) who was known as ‘friend of the children and patron of the poor’. According to Wikipedia, “Saint Martin was a Roman soldier who was baptized as an adult and became a monk. Conscripted as a soldier into the Roman army, he found the duty incompatible with the Christian faith he had adopted and became an early conscientious objector. The most famous legend concerning this person was that he had once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the latter from the cold. This celebration originated in France and then spread to the Low Countries, the British Isles, Germany, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe.” Though St. Martin's Day is so popular in Europe, celebrating this occasion is not common in the United States of America. 

One of the most favorite activities for children in this occasion is the lantern run ‘Laternelaufen’. In order to participate in this run, children have to make their  own lanterns in the run-up to November. On the evening of St. Martin’s Day, children bring their lanterns and take part in the lantern procession which also includes adults. In some areas, people who participate in those parades might be lead by an actor impersonating the Saint, usually dressed up as a Roman soldier riding on a horse. In addition, many Germans celebrate St. Martin's Day with a festive meal where roasted goose or duck ‘Martinsgans’ is traditionally served as the main course. The goose became a symbol of St. Martin because of a legend which says that, when trying to avoid being ordained bishop, St. Martin had to hide in a goose pen where he was betrayed by the cackling of the geese.

So, early in November we were notified by our son’s school about the celebration of St. Martin’s Day and we were also invited to take part in it. Parents were asked to help voluntarily in building up the lanterns children would carry during the evening parade. We were also told that those who would come to celebrate might bring a homemade food so we all could have an open buffet at the school after the lantern procession. Since St. Martin's Day is not a public holiday in Germany, children went to school in the morning. Later at 5:30 pm, we went to the school and we took with us some food. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy when we left, so I wished that the rain would stop when the parade starts.

At the school, children were very excited about the celebration. Every child was keen to get his/her own lantern while the parents were busy arranging the dishes they brought on a large table. The class teacher had put all the lanterns, which have been made earlier with the help of some parents, on the floor. The names of the children were written on the lanterns so each child could look for his/her own lantern. At 6 pm, we all gathered in the school yard where children made a circular ring. All the candles inside the lanterns were lit. Under the guidance of the class teacher, children and parents started to sing some famous lantern songs. Then we all headed out of the school and continued singing while strolling around the neighborhood. The weather was cold but luckily there was no rain. However, the children didn’t pay much attention to the cold weather as they strode happily, laughing excitedly and chanting loudly.

All the songs that children and parents sang were so beautiful and I liked them all. One of the songs I liked the most is called “Kommt, wirwollen Laterne laufen” which can be translated as “come, we are going to make a lantern parade”.

When we finished circling the neighborhood, we returned to the school where all parents and children started eating together in one of the classrooms. The children finished their food quickly and then went to another classroom to play. The fact that the school and the classrooms were open that night only for fun was so delightful to the kids. As a result, they were running, playing and shouting in a passionate and crazy way. At about 7:30 pm, we left the school and went back home. Of course, we didn’t forget to take our son’s lantern with us. 

Though most religious occasions have become more commercialized recently, it is still interesting to be engaged in some of these occasions, especially those which involve parents and children. We all enjoyed the gathering, the strolling and the singing of that evening. My son was so happy about his lantern and he still keeps it. Before I took part in the lantern festival at my son’s school, I knew nothing about St. Martin's Day. I’ve read later that the essence of this occasion is to celebrate modesty and altruism. We  desperately need these values in our life to make it 'shine' even with the help of some paper lanterns.