Hebrew-English Guide to Soncino

59 THE LEGENDS THE PATRON SAINT OF SONCINO Lightnings, thunders flooded the earth with water while the ene- mies invaded the Soncino territory trying to conquer the fortified village. Meteors of arrows rained down on the defenders placed on the ram- parts of the Fortress that was the last defensive bulwark of Soncino. For several days the Brescians had invaded the Soncinese territory for the supremacy on the river Oglio. By now exhausted, the besieged people were about to abandon the battle when, suddenly, the storm worsened, forcing the attackers to interrupt the assault. Within the Fortress, provisions began to become scarce and the dead continued to increase; women and children prayed in the Greater Church so that their lives could be saved. In the Brescia trenches, however, bad weather was seen as a fatal and divine sign. Soncino was said to be protected by supernatural forces and for this reason it was impossible to conquer it. When the storm was about to end, the sky was torn by creating a large beam of mysterious light from which a figure took shape, lea- ving the besieged ones astonished. A priest recognized that appearance and cried aloud that it was San Martino and asked the Saint to help the people of Soncino. The Brescia army, intimidated by the imposing and terrible figure that was approaching them, decided to retreat. From that day Saint Martin became the patron saint of Soncino.