| Saint Ursus of Solothurn | |
|---|---|
The Saint Ursus Fountain, Solothurn. Ursus is depicted as a soldier. |
|
| Died | ~286 AD |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | Solothurn |
| Attributes | military attire |
Ursus of Solothurn was a 3rd century Roman Christian venerated as a saint. He is the patron of the main Roman Catholic Church church in Solothurn, Switzerland, where his body is located. He was associated very early with the Theban Legion and Victor of Solothurn, for instance in the Roman Martyrology. The Life of Ursus was written by Saint Eucherius of Lyon in the 5th century; it recounts that Ursus was tortured and beheaded under Emperor Maximian and the governor Hyrtacus for refusing to worship idols around 286.
The first church dedicated to Ursus in Solothurn was probably built after Viktor's remains were taken to Geneva in the late 5th century. His relics are displayed in churches throughout Switzerland, and his coffin was found in 1519.[1]