St. Maurice was the leader of the Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century. He was born in AD 250 in Thebes, Egypt, near where the Aswan Dam is today. He grew up there and joined the legion. There he worked his way up through the ranks and became the leader of the 6,600 man legion.
The story goes that the Emperor Maximian ordered the Legion, composed (supposedly) entirely of Christians, to make sacrifices to false gods to ensure victory, and to harass fellow Christians. They refused, and every tenth man was killed in a military punishment known as "decimation". They continued to resist, and a second decimation occurred. When they still refused to comply and use violence against their fellow Christians, they were all executed. This execution occurred in Switzerland, in Agaunum, in what is now known as Saint Maurice-en-Valais, where the Abbey of Saint Maurice-en-Valais is.
This is the first version of the story, contained in the public letter Eucherius, bishop of Lyon, addressed to fellow bishop Salvius. Other variation say that the Legion refused to follow orders after discovering that a town they had destroyed was inhabited by innocent Christians, or that they were executed because they would not make sacrifices to false gods.
St. Maurice was the patron saint of the Holy Roman Emperors. In 926, Henry I (919-936) ceded the present Swiss canton of Aargua to the abbey in exchange for the sword, lance, and spurs of Saint Maurice. The sword and spurs were used in the coronation of the Austro-Hungarian Emperors until 1916.
He is traditionally depicted in full armor, and has come to be connected to the legend of the Spear of Destiny, which he supposedly carried into battle. There are over 650 religious organizations devoted to him in France and other European countries.
He is the patron of the Duchy of Savoy and of the Valais, as well as soldiers, swordsmiths, armies, infantryman, and, for some strange reason, weavers and dyers. He's also invoked against menstrual cramps.
I'll be honest, I don't understand why he's the patron of weavers and dyers, or why he's invoked against menstrual cramps, but hey, that's what the sites say, so there! His feast day is coming up on September 22.
Hope you have a great day!
Yours always,
Tara
