Maurice

Saint Maurice was an Egyptian military leader who commanded the legendary Theban Legion of Rome in the 3rd century. He is a widely venerated saint and is remembered as a martyr for his refusal to obey orders that conflicted with his Christian faith. Maurice is the patron saint of various professions, locales, and kingdoms.

Life and historical context

Born in Thebes, an ancient city in Upper Egypt, around 250 AD, Maurice was raised in Luxor. He became a soldier in the Roman army and rose through the ranks to become the commander of the Theban Legion, a unit composed entirely of Christians. At a time when early Christianity was viewed as a threat to the Roman Empire, Maurice was an acknowledged Christian.

The Theban Legion was summoned from Egypt to Gaul to aid Emperor Maximian in quelling a revolt. Before engaging in battle, they were instructed to offer sacrifices to pagan gods and pay homage to the emperor. Maurice pledged his men's military allegiance to Rome but stated that their service to God superseded all else, deeming wanton slaughter inconceivable for Christian soldiers. They refused to worship Roman deities.

Martyrdom

When Emperor Maximian ordered the legion to murder local Christians, they refused. As a consequence, Maximian ordered the unit to be punished through decimation, with every tenth soldier killed. Despite this, the men, encouraged by Maurice, continued to refuse to comply with further orders. A second decimation was ordered. In response to the Theban Christians' refusal to attack fellow Christians, Maximian ordered the execution of all remaining members of the legion.

The place where this martyrdom occurred, known as Agaunum in Switzerland, is now called Saint-Maurice, Switzerland, and is the site of the Abbey of Saint-Maurice. The earliest account of their martyrdom is found in a public letter by Bishop Eucherius of Lyon (c. 434–450). Alternative accounts suggest the legion refused orders only after discovering innocent Christians inhabited a town they had destroyed, or that the emperor executed them for refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods.

Legacy and veneration

Maurice became a patron saint of the German Holy Roman Emperors. In the 10th century, Henry the Fowler ceded territory in exchange for Maurice's lance, sword, and spurs. These items, or replicas, were used in the coronations of Austro-Hungarian emperors until 1916. Some emperors were also anointed before the Altar of Saint Maurice at St. Peter's Basilica. In 961, Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, had the body of Saint Maurice and some companions conveyed to Magdeburg Cathedral, where the relics are still venerated.

Maurice is often depicted in full armour, sometimes emblazoned with a red cross in Italy. He is traditionally connected with the legend of the Holy Lance, with his name engraved on one such relic. He gives his name to the town of St. Moritz and numerous places called Saint-Maurice. The island nation of Mauritius was named after Maurice, Prince of Orange, not directly after the saint.

Over 650 religious foundations dedicated to Saint Maurice exist in France and other European countries. In Switzerland alone, numerous churches and altars are dedicated to him, and his feast day is a cantonal holiday in Appenzell Innerrhoden. Notable sites include the Church and Abbey of Saint-Maurice-en-Valais and the Church of Saint Moritz in the Engadin. Several orders of chivalry were established in his honor, including the Order of Saint Maurice and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.

In 1941, Pope Pius XII declared Maurice the patron saint of the Italian Army's Alpini corps. Several Coptic Orthodox churches are also named for him.

Patronage

Maurice is the patron saint of the Duchy of Savoy, the Valais, soldiers, swordsmiths, armies, infantrymen, weavers, and dyers. He is also the patron saint of several towns and cities, including Manresa (Spain), Piedmont (Italy), Montalbano Jonico (Italy), Schiavi di Abruzzo (Italy), Stadtsulza (Germany), and Coburg (Germany). He is also the patron saint of the Brotherhood of Blackheads.

Portrayal and modern debates on race

In modern times, there has been debate regarding Saint Maurice's race and physical depictions. The earliest surviving work portraying Maurice as dark-skinned dates from the 13th century, while earlier depictions featured European features. The oldest surviving image of him as a dark-skinned man in knight's armor was sculpted in the mid-13th century for Magdeburg Cathedral. Scholars like Jean Devisse and Paul Kaplan have explored the historical sources and the reasons behind his depiction as a black man, suggesting it was a way to emphasize his foreign origin and potentially to convey the universality of Christianity, or to promote claims to global rule by highlighting diverse subjects.

Another view, proposed by Gude Suckale-Redlefsen, suggests that Archbishop Alfred I of Käfernburg or his half-brother Wilbrand may have been responsible for the "black St. Maurice" trope after 1220, possibly influenced by texts describing Maurice as a leader of the "Moors." Images of the saint ceased to be common in the mid-16th century, which Suckale-Redlefsen suggests might be linked to the developing Atlantic slave trade and the re-association of the color black with spiritual darkness and cultural 'otherness.' The city of Coburg's coat of arms has honored Maurice, depicted as a "Coburg Black man," since 1493. The Nazi government banned glorification of the "Black" race in 1934, altering the coat of arms, but the original was restored after World War II. The silhouette of Saint Maurice can still be found on manhole covers and the city's coat of arms in Coburg.

Historical debate

There is scholarly debate regarding the historical accuracy of the Theban Legion story. While the account by Eucherius of Lyon is sometimes classified as historical romance, other researchers, like Donald F. O'Reilly, argue that evidence from coins, papyrus, and Roman army lists supports the story. Denis Van Berchem proposed that Eucherius' account was a literary production, not based on local tradition. However, historians like Henri Leclercq and L. Dupaz, along with scholars like Thierry Ruinart and Paul Allard, have defended the historical authenticity of the martyrdom, citing ancient and reliable evidence.