In the 15th century, Christopher Columbus sailed the Caribbean Sea and on November 11, 1493 reportedly gave the name of St. Martin to our island. Columbus chose the name since, according to the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, it was the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, France, who lived from the year 317 to 398. , It is not surprising, therefore, that in 1841 when the Catholic Church was established on the Dutch side of the island, it was named St. Martin of Tours. Dutch-born Fr. Arnold ten Brink was the first pastor and in 1844 he laid the corner stone for the first Catholic church at its present location on Front Street in Philipsburg. However, the parish gr3ew so that church was expanded several times. By 1933 the parishioners realized that the construction of a larger church was necessary. On May 30, 1952 the present church was constructed, at the cost of 132, 659 Dutch guilders which, according to today’s exchange rate would be about $74, 000 US., As the population on the Dutch Side of the island grew, so did the Catholic community. In addition to the main church Philipsburg, other churches (belonging to the same parish) were established. One is Cole Bay was built in 1847 only to be destroyed by fire in 1872 and never rebuilt. In 1897 a small chapel was constructed in Simpson Bay to be replaced in 1965 by the present small church of Mary Star of the Sea. Finally, in 1977 the Risen Christ Church was completed in South Reward. As the population moves to the northeast corner of the Dutch side of St. Maarten, the parish is looking for a site for a future church in the area of Belvedere.