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Exuperius (Theban Legion)
Encyclopedia
Exuperius or Exupernis is venerated as a saint
and martyr
by the Catholic Church; according to tradition, he was the standard-bearer
of the Theban Legion
and thus a companion to Saint Maurice
.
in the 10th century to Gembloux Abbey. This translation was performed by the monastery’s founder, Saint Guibert (Guibertus), who dedicated the monastery in honor of Saint Peter
and Saint Exuperius. The saint thus enjoyed special veneration at Gembloux; Sigebert of Gembloux
wrote a long poem on the martyrdom of the Theban Legion. The buildings of the abbey, which largely survived, are used for the Agronomical University of Gembloux
.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
by the Catholic Church; according to tradition, he was the standard-bearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
of the Theban Legion
Theban Legion
The Theban Legion figures in Christian hagiography as an entire Roman legion — of "six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — who had converted en masse to Christianity and were martyred together, in 286, according to the hagiographies of Saint Maurice, the chief among the Legion's...
and thus a companion to Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice was the leader of the legendary Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century, and one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that group. He was the patron saint of several professions, locales, and kingdoms...
.
Veneration
Exuperius’ relics were translatedTranslation (relics)
In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another ; usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary relics such as items of clothing treated with less ceremony...
in the 10th century to Gembloux Abbey. This translation was performed by the monastery’s founder, Saint Guibert (Guibertus), who dedicated the monastery in honor of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Saint Exuperius. The saint thus enjoyed special veneration at Gembloux; Sigebert of Gembloux
Sigebert of Gembloux
Sigebert of Gembloux was a medieval author, known mainly as a pro-Imperial historian of a universal chronicle, opposed to the expansive papacy of Gregory VII and Pascal II...
wrote a long poem on the martyrdom of the Theban Legion. The buildings of the abbey, which largely survived, are used for the Agronomical University of Gembloux
Faculté universitaire des sciences agronomiques de Gembloux
The Faculté Universitaire des Sciences Agronomiques de Gembloux, in Gembloux, Wallonia, Belgium, is a university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French. The university is housed in the historical Abbey of Gembloux, which dates from the tenth century...
.