Visiting other Circles is a long standing and popular tradition of the Catenian Association. It fosters friendship as well as learning between Circles.
Each Circle is encouraged to arrange a visit by a group of members to another Circle at least once per month.
In order to further encourage visiting within Province 17, an Inter Circle Visiting Trophy was established in 1954.
The trophy was presented to Province 17 at its inauguration on 1st October 1954 by the then Provincial President of Province 1 in Manchester, Bro. A.J. Martin. The trophy has henceforth always been known as the Martin Trophy.
The reverse side of the trophy carries a print of the Visitation – a painting from 1503 by Mariotta Albertini depicting the visitation of the Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. The work was originally from the St. Elizabeth chapel in Florence’s church of San Michele alle Trombe.
At a Circle meeting the Trophy is won by the visiting Circle with most number of members present as a percentage of their Circle’s total membership. The trophy is then displayed at the winning Circle’s next meeting. At the following meeting the Trophy is available to be taken by another visiting Circle and the cycle continues.