October 2025: Lantern Walk Information
Lantern Walk, more commonly known as Martinmas, is typically celebrated between the fiery out-breath of Michaelmas (Day of Courage) and the deep in-breath of the coming winter holidays. As our school is Waldorf-inspired and we hold no official religious leanings, we forgo the traditional titles of Michaelmas and Martinmas, as they are named after Sts. Michael and Martin. Instead, we chose a more universal name, Day of Courage for Michaelmas and Lantern Walk for Martinmas. Below is the story of St. Martin and the inspiration for Lantern Walk.
Story of St. Martin and Lantern Walk:
Lantern Walk celebrates the story of a young man named Martin and a single act of compassion. Martin was a soldier from a wealthy family and was stationed in the city of Amiens. Dressed in the formal regalia of his station, with bright armor and a beautiful white cloak lined with warm lambswool, Martin hardly noticed the bitterly cold weather.
As he crossed into the town, he noticed a poor beggar dressed in nothing but rags, so thin that he was shaking and shivering from the cold. People would pass by the beggar, looking ahead and not looking the poor man in the eyes.
Martin, seeing the beggar, was overcome with compassion. He removed his cloak, cut it in half with his sword, and wrapped it around the poor man’s shoulder, leaving the other half of the cloak for himself. This single act of kindness and compassion gave the poor man hope and warmth on a cold night.
Many of the townspeople were touched by this act of kindness. Martin was a soldier and this gesture was unusual for a man of his status. That night, as Martin dreamed, he saw an angel wearing his cloak. This dream propelled Martin to give up his military life and dedicate himself to the poor and needy. He is now known as St. Martin, the patron saint of beggars and outcasts.
This festival is also known as the Festival of Compassion, as we remember the kindness Martin showed. Waldorf schools celebrate this by making lanterns and gathering for an evening Lantern Walk. The lanterns remind us that we all have an inner light that shines in us and out into the world.
At The Garden School, we celebrate Lantern Walk in several ways. Each Kindergarten class sings Lantern Walk songs and makes a lantern to use during the Lantern Walk. Below, you will find links to the three songs we will sing at the Lantern Walk.
The three songs to be sung as a group during Lantern Walk:
