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Saint Ursus of Solothurn | |
|---|---|
 St. Ursus (fourth man from the left in the bottom row) depicted in aRussian Orthodoxicon amongst theTheban Legion | |
| Martyr | |
| Died | c. 286 AD |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Coptic church Roman Catholic church |
| Majorshrine | Solothurn |
| Feast | 30 September |
| Attributes | military attire, martyr's cross |
| Patronage | Solothurn |
Ursus of Solothurn was a 3rd-centuryRomanChristian who isvenerated as asaint in theEastern Orthodox Church,Coptic church andRoman Catholic church. He was associated very early with theTheban Legion and is recorded in theRoman Martyrology, commemorated withSt. Victor of Solothurn on 30 September.[1]
TheLife of Ursus was written byEucherius of Lyon in the 5th century;[2] it recounts that Ursus was tortured andbeheaded at Solothurn under EmperorMaximian and the governor Hyrtacus for refusing to worship idols around 286. The legend is classed byBollandistHippolyte Delehaye among the historical romances.[3]
The first church dedicated to Ursus in Solothurn was probably built afterVictor of Solothurn's remains were taken toGeneva in the late 7th century. TheTreaty of Meerssen of 870 mentions a monastery of St. Ursus in Solothurn.[4]
Hisrelics are displayed in churches throughout Switzerland, and his coffin was found in 1519 under the choir altar of St. Ursen. His feast day is September 30.[1][3]
Ursus is depicted as a soldier in arms, often with his head under his arm.[1][4] He is depicted in theSolothurn Madonna byHans Holbein the Younger.
Ursus is the patron of theRoman Catholiccathedral inSolothurn,Switzerland, where his body is located.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Ursus".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
