The Cradle of Christianity
The abbey of the Canons Regular of St Augustine in St. Maurice Agaunum in the canton of Valais can be regarded as the “cradle” of Christianity in Switzerland. This came about as follows: In Lyon, the local Bishop Eucherius (died about ad 450) heard about the story of the martyrdom of the so-called Theban Legion. In order to ensure that it did not become forgotten, he wrote down what he had heard, the story was passed on and became the legend we know today.
In ad 302/303, the whole force of 6,500 men, who originated form Egypt where they had become Christians, was encamped in the area around the present-day St. Maurice. Demands were made on the Thebans to renounce their beliefs. As they refused to do so, they were killed, together with their commander, Mauritius, who the Catholic Christians still revere as a saint today. After Romainmôtier, St. Maurice is actually the second oldest abbey in Switzerland (founded: 22 September 515) and the oldest abbey in Europe that has existed without interruption since it was first founded. There had already been a religious centre in Auganum to venerate the martyrs since ad 380. Theodul, Bishop of Martigny/Sitten, had a church built over the burial site of the martyrs, probably the oldest church building north of the Alps. St. Maurice was already an important place of pilgrimage in early times.
The monastery became famous in ad 574 because the perpetual psalmody known as the “laus perennis” was practised there for the first time in the Occident.