Saint Martin the Elder’s Church

The ruins of Saint Martin the Elder’s Church are located on the road going from Monte Parodi (Parodi Mount) to Monte Bramapane (Bramapane Mount), on the slopes of Monte Verrugoli (Verrugoli Mount), not far from the uphill city district of Biassa. The first historical evidence of this church dates back to 1229 and the church remained open for worship until the 17th century.
Inside, the church houses a marble altarpiece with the figure of Saint Martin and other Saints, which was later transferred to Riomaggiore’s Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista (Saint John the Baptist’s Church). Saint Martin’s Church was the first parish church of the area, as it had been established prior to the 12th century, and was the church used as a reference for the current churches of Biassa, Riomaggiore, and Carpena. 
Placed on an uphill position, between Mount Verrugoli and Mount Parodi, in the area that was originally occupied by the village, what is left of this church are its Romanesque apse with its half-column structure and the local pink-stone hanging arches.
The church is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, who was born in 317 A.C. and was one of the first non-martyr saints of the Catholic Church.
He was a non-Christian Roman soldier. He is considered the patron saint of pilgrims and wayfarers and he is celebrated on November 11th. 
The legend has it that on this day, Martin, as he was leaving his city, saw an old naked poor man shivering in the cold: he got off his horse, cut his wool cloak in half with his sword, and gave one half of it to the poor man to ward off the cold. At that very moment, the sun began to warm the earth as if it had been summer. To this very day, that day of November is called “estate di San Martino” (literally, Saint Martin’s summer). 
After this event, Martin turned to the Lord, was baptized, and after many years as a solider, he became Bishop of Tours, where he stayed and carry out his pastoral work until his death. 
His famous cloak became a relic and was kept by the Merovingian kings.