St. Maurice, Patron Saint of Magdeburg



St. Maurice, Patron Saint of Magdeburg

Introduction

St. Maurice, Patron Saint of Magdeburg, also known as Moritz and Mauritius was an Egyptian Christian who during the 3rd century commanded the Egyptian legion of the Roman Theban legion army. He was one of the most respected preferred, wanted and most widely respected saints of that assembly and was an officer of the Theban Legion of Emperor Maximian Heraclius' army, which had Christians from the Upper Egypt serving in it. Moritz was a patron saint of numerous occupations and empires and was a greatly honored by Coptic Orthodox Church.

Life of St Maurice

According to tradition, the centurion Maurice was a Roman officer in the Theban Legion, in which soldiers were Christians. Legion was stationed in the territory of present Agaunum Switzerland. This took place during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, who was known for his hatred of the followers of Christ. Before one of the battles, for refusing to make a pagan sacrifice to idols, martyred along with the other soldiers in the number okolu 6000 (martyrs of Agaunum). They were the commander of the Legion others: campiductor (from Lat. Captain) and Senator Militum Eksuperiusz Candide and soldiers, including: Alexander of Bergamo and Gereon (unit commander).

Discussion

The hagiographical data tells us that the legions, entirely made up of Christians, were asked to come from Egypt to Gaul to support Maximian in defeating an uprising by the Bagaudae. Maurice and other legionnaires repudiated the command of the Emperor to surrender to the gods for the guarantee of a victory over Bagaudae who were rising up for a revolt. The emperor then killed every tenth soldier of the army, as a military punishment then known as decimation. Then further orders were given which the army refused to follow again, because of Maurice encouraging them to do so.

The army withdrew from Octodurum, which was near Lake Geneva where they were encamped at, for Agaunum. Due to this and them refusing to be violent against their Christian brothers, a second decimation was eventually ordered by Maximian, which led to the execution of 6,666 members of the unit. Until the very last part of this horrid event, they were encouraged for their faithfulness by Maurice and two associate officers, Exuperius and Candidus. This account was by St. Eucherius, who became then became the Bishop of Lyons about 434. Researchers are often uncertain about believing that an entire Legion was massacred; but what there is no question ...