Theodor of Sitten

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Figure of St. Theodor von Sitten in the women's shelter museum in Strasbourg , around 1515–1520

Theodor († around 400 in the canton of Valais , Switzerland) was bishop of Octodurum (today Martigny , Unterwallis, Switzerland), is a saint and the patron saint of the canton of Valais and the diocese of Sion . He is also known under the name forms St.  Theodul and St.  Joder (also St.  Jodern ). His patronage and memorial day is August 16.

Figure of St. Theodul with grapes in the parish church of Isenthal

Life

Theodore was probably the first bishop of Octodurum. In 381 he took part in the Synod of Aquileia . Presumably he also visited the Synods of Milan in 389 and 393. He “discovered” the grave of St. Mauritius , a martyr of the legendary Theban Legion , near Agaunum (today's parish of Saint-Maurice ). He built the Saint-Maurice Abbey over the alleged grave around 380 (or around 400) . Together with the St. Gallus Church (Kaiseraugst), it is one of the oldest known Christian places of worship in Switzerland.

Adoration

The bones of St. Theodore were probably transferred to Sitten in the 6th century . They were lost during the occupation of Sion by French troops in 1798.

Theodor or Theodul is the patron of bells, weather and winegrowers, and in Vorarlberg also patron of cattle. His saintly attribute is the bell-bearing devil . This is based on a legend that in Rome he saved the Pope from temptation. As a thank you, he received a bell that the devil had to carry over the Theodul Pass near Zermatt to Sion (Sion). According to another version, the saint cast this devil out of a man possessed. Small particles were removed from this Sion weather bell and added when further weather bells were poured. When the bell rings, Theodul's intercession should avert threatening storms .

The Theodul pass and the Theodul glacier in Valais are named after the saint . When the Walsers moved east around 1300, his worship also came to Vorarlberg . He shares the role of the Walser patron saint with St. Nicholas .

Occasionally he is venerated elsewhere, for example as the city ​​patron in the Swabian town of Ehingen , where the Theodulbrunnen from 1987 is dedicated to him in front of the Ständehaus .

literature

Web links

Commons : St. Theodul  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ St. Jodern; Saint Theodul accessed December 1, 2017.
personal data
SURNAME Theodor of Sitten
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Theodor of Octodurus; Theodule; Theodolus; Theodulus; Ioder; Yodelling; Théodule; Sogn Gioder
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Octodurum, saint, patron saint of the canton of Valais
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century
DATE OF DEATH around 400
Place of death Canton of Valais , Switzerland