Saint Maurice (September 22) mantheycalltom A Roman imperial legion of 6,600 soldiers, all of whom were Christians; they had been recruited from the area around Thebes in Upper Egypt, were led by …More
Saint Maurice (September 22)
mantheycalltom A Roman imperial legion of 6,600 soldiers, all of whom were Christians; they had been recruited from the area around Thebes in Upper Egypt, were led by Saint Maurice, and served under Emperor Maximian Herculeus. Around the year 287, Maximian led the army across the Alps to Agaunum, an area in modern Switzerland, in order to suppress a revolt by the Bagandre in Gaul. In connection with battle, the army offered public sacrifices to the Roman gods; the Theban Legion refused to participate. For refusing orders, the Legion was decimated – one tenth of them were executed. When the remainder refused to sacrifice to the gods, they were decimated again. When the survivors still refused to sacrifice, Maximinian ordered them all killed. Martyrs.
Known members of the Legion include
Saint Alexander of Bergamo
Saint Candidus the Theban
Saint Chiaffredo of Saluzzo
Saint Exuperius
Saint Fortunato
Saint Innocent of Agaunum
Saint Martiniano of Pecco
Saint Maurice
Saint Secundus the Theban
Saint Ursus the Theban
Saint Victor of Agaunum
Saint Victor of Xanten
Saint Victor the Theban
Saint Vitalis of Agaunum
Other profiled saints associated with the Legion include
Saint Antoninus of Piacenza (martyred soldier; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Adventor of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Attilio of Trino (martyred soldier; associated by some, but not all, later lists)
Saint Bessus
Saint Cassius (may have been a member)
Saint Florentius the Martyr (may have been a member)
Saint George of San Giorio (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Gereon (not a member, but another soldier who was martyred for refusing to make a sacrifice to Roman gods)
Saint Gusmeo of Gravedona sul Lario (may have been a member)
Saint Matthew of Gravedona sul Lario (may have been a member)
Saint Octavius of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Pons of Pradleves (escaped the massacre to become an evangelists in northern Italy)
Saint Secundus of Asti (not a member, but linked due to art work)
Saint Solutor of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Tiberio of Pinerolo (may have been a member)
Saint Verena (wife of a member of the Legion)
Died
martyred c.287 in Agaunum (modern St-Maurice-en-Valais, Switzerland
a basilica was built in Agaunum to enshrine the relics of the Legion
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-the-theban-legion/
mantheycalltom A Roman imperial legion of 6,600 soldiers, all of whom were Christians; they had been recruited from the area around Thebes in Upper Egypt, were led by Saint Maurice, and served under Emperor Maximian Herculeus. Around the year 287, Maximian led the army across the Alps to Agaunum, an area in modern Switzerland, in order to suppress a revolt by the Bagandre in Gaul. In connection with battle, the army offered public sacrifices to the Roman gods; the Theban Legion refused to participate. For refusing orders, the Legion was decimated – one tenth of them were executed. When the remainder refused to sacrifice to the gods, they were decimated again. When the survivors still refused to sacrifice, Maximinian ordered them all killed. Martyrs.
Known members of the Legion include
Saint Alexander of Bergamo
Saint Candidus the Theban
Saint Chiaffredo of Saluzzo
Saint Exuperius
Saint Fortunato
Saint Innocent of Agaunum
Saint Martiniano of Pecco
Saint Maurice
Saint Secundus the Theban
Saint Ursus the Theban
Saint Victor of Agaunum
Saint Victor of Xanten
Saint Victor the Theban
Saint Vitalis of Agaunum
Other profiled saints associated with the Legion include
Saint Antoninus of Piacenza (martyred soldier; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Adventor of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Attilio of Trino (martyred soldier; associated by some, but not all, later lists)
Saint Bessus
Saint Cassius (may have been a member)
Saint Florentius the Martyr (may have been a member)
Saint George of San Giorio (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Gereon (not a member, but another soldier who was martyred for refusing to make a sacrifice to Roman gods)
Saint Gusmeo of Gravedona sul Lario (may have been a member)
Saint Matthew of Gravedona sul Lario (may have been a member)
Saint Octavius of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Pons of Pradleves (escaped the massacre to become an evangelists in northern Italy)
Saint Secundus of Asti (not a member, but linked due to art work)
Saint Solutor of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
Saint Tiberio of Pinerolo (may have been a member)
Saint Verena (wife of a member of the Legion)
Died
martyred c.287 in Agaunum (modern St-Maurice-en-Valais, Switzerland
a basilica was built in Agaunum to enshrine the relics of the Legion
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-the-theban-legion/