Saint of the Day – 16 August – St Theodulus (4th Century) Confessor, Bishop, considered the First Bishop of the Swiss City of Valais and of the Walser people, Miracle-worker. Patronages – against storms and bad weather, of vintners, of Valais, Switzerland. Additional Memorial – 26 August on certain calenders. Also known as – Theodule of Octodur, Theodule of Grammont, Theodulus… Theodore… Teodoro…
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Sion, in Valais in present-day Switzerland, Saint Theodule, the First Bishop of the City, who, following the example of Saint Ambrose, defended the Catholic faith against Arianism and venerated the Relics of the Martyrs of Agaunus.”
The Saint in question, sometimes called Theodore, is absolutely not to be confused with another Theodule, belonging to the group of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. These names, by which he is known, certainly suggest an oriental origin. In fact, absolutely nothing certain is known about his birthplace. It seems that he was sent by the Milanese Bishop St Protasius to evangelise Valais, today’s Swiss Province.
There is a document dated in 381, attesting that Theodulus was the Bishop of Octodurum, the current Valais – it is his signature at the Council of Aquileia. In this Council, in which the Arian Bishops Palladius and Secundus were condemned. Theodulus declared: “We believe that Palladius, denying that Christ is God and onr with the Father, is in no way a Christian or a Bishop!”
In early 390, St Ambrose also convened the Synod of Milan in 393 where the Priest Jovinian was condemned, who did not believe in theperpetual virginity of Mary. Our Saint was one of the signatories of a letter, addressed by this Synod to Pope Siricius, informing him of their condemnation of the Jovinian and his followers.
Theodulus’ fame is particularly linked to the discovery of bones of Martyrs of the Theban Legion and their translation to a Basilica the construction of which, Thodulus was himself the first promoter of, to be fuilt at the foot of a rock surmounting the Town of Agaunum, today’s Sain- Maurice.
Unfortunately, other precise dates on his life are missing. Instead, there are two legends about a Theodulus, perhaps not really related to the bishop in question but still very popular and worthy of being mentioned.
A miracle attributed to St Theodulus and giving rise to his patronage of vintners, tells that winegrowers went to Theodulus in tears because, after a bad year, the harvest had yielded almost nothing. The Saint then withdrew in prayer and later ordered to bring him some empty barrels and the few bunches that they had been able to gather. Taking these grapes in his hands,Theodulus filled all the containers with the best wine ever tasted by those present. There are many more legends of his miracles which are known, loved and venerated in his See and the surrounding areas.
The most certain thing about St Theodulus remains the unchanged popular veneration towards him, which has now lasted for seventeen Centuries! Even today, numerous Churches and Chapels are dedicated and the faithful are devoted to him.
AnaStpaul 
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