Saint Theodore of Octodurum (also of Sion, of Grammont; German Theodor von Sitten, locally Joder; also known as Theodulus, French Théodule, Latin Theodolus Sedunensis etc.; 4th century) is the first known
bishop of Octodurum,
Alpes Poeninae province (present-day
Martigny,
Valais,
Switzerland). He is the patron saint of
Valais and of the
Walser. His feast day is 16 or 26 August.[1]
He is known to have participated in the
Council of Aquileia in 381, his presence being preserved on the attendance list as Theodorus Episcopus Octodorensis. He was also one of the signatories of a letter addressed by the
Synod of Milan to
Pope Siricius early in 390, informing him of their condemnation of the monk
Jovinian and his followers.
He is said to have discovered the tomb of
Saint Maurice, at which place he established the
Abbey of St. Maurice, Agaunum.
Aloys Lütolf placed the beginning of his episcopate in the 340s, which would amount to a reign of more than forty years. At first, he would not have had a fixed seat and in some sources is known as "bishop of the Helvetians".[1]
It is possible that three distinct historical bishops with the name Theodulus or Theodorus are venerated as a single saint.
The first would be the late 4th-century bishop recorded as Theodorus (fl. c. 350–400).
The second Theodorus/Theodulus is recorded for the year 515. It was at this time that the seat of the bishopric was moved from Martigny to
Sion and the remains of the first Theodorus were transferred there.
A third and possibly legendary Theodore is recorded only in Acts written by a monk called Ruodpertus in c. the 12th century; he is said to have been installed as secular ruler of the Valais by
Charlemagne in 805. The byname "of Grammont" properly only applies to this third Theodorus, who "in certain
propria" is said to be a member of the baronial family of this name.[2] The existence of the third Theodorus/Theodulus, "of Grammont", was first questioned in the
Swiss Reformation, by
Johann Stumpf (1546).[3]
The relics of Theodore, transferred to Sion probably in the 6th century, were lost during the French occupation of 1798. There are also accounts of his relics being moved to
Bischofszell and by
Ulrich of Augsburg to
Ottobeuren.[1] His attribute is a devil bearing a bell. This represents a legend that the pope gifted a church bell to the saint, who forced the devil to carry the bell across
Theodul Pass (formerly Matterjoch, the naming of the pass after the saint is a 17th-century tradition). According to legend, metal particles from this original bell of Sitten were used in the casting of later bells.
Theodulhorn and
Theodul Glacier are in turn named for Theodul Pass.
^Acta Sanctorum vol. 37 (1737), p. 280 (note a). In quibusdam Officiis propriis hic Sanctus dicitur oriundus ex nobili familia Baronum Grandi Montensium.
E. F. Gelpke, Kirchengeschichte der Schweiz (1856–61) I.95ff, 120ff;
II.97ff.
E. F. Gelpke, "Theodulus" in: Johann Jakob Herzog (ed.) Real-encyklopädie für Protestantische Theologie und Kirche vol. 15 (1862),
738–743.
H. Foerster, "Zur Vita sancti Theodori Sedunensis episcopi", Zeitschrift für schweizerische Kirchengeschichte 33 (1939), 233–240 (
doi 10.5169/seals-125391).