00:00Imagine the 3rd century. The Roman Empire is at its height and among its armies is the Legion
00:07Thebene, an elite unit from Egypt.
00:10At its head was a charismatic and respected man, Maurice.
00:15What makes this Legion unique is that most of its soldiers, including Maurice, are Christians, a
00:22faith which, at the time, was often persecuted.
00:25Under Emperor Maximian, this Legion was sent to Gaul, near Agone, now Saint-Maurice, in Switzerland, to
00:33to suppress a local revolt.
00:35But once there, they receive an unbearable order.
00:40Participating in pagan sacrifices in honor of Roman gods and, even worse, massacring Christians in the region.
00:47For Maurice and his companions, it is a line they cannot cross.
00:51Their conscience and their faith forbid them from betraying their principles.
00:57Maurice, with the dignity of a leader and the strength of his conviction, refuses the order.
01:03These men are following him.
01:05Faced with this disobedience, the Emperor's fury was terrible.
01:10He orders a decimation.
01:12One in ten soldiers is executed.
01:15Far from breaking their resolve, this massacre only strengthens their faith.
01:20A second decimation is ordered, with the same result.
01:25No one gives in.
01:27Finally, Maximian, exasperated, ordered the execution of the entire Legion.
01:33Maurice and thousands of his companions fell as martyrs.
01:37refusing to renounce their faith until their last breath.
01:41Their sacrifice has become a powerful symbol.
01:43Saint Maurice is today the patron saint of soldiers, dyers and many places and countries.
01:50His story is not just that of a martyr,
01:53but that of a conscience that refuses to submit to injustice and violence.
01:58It reminds us of the importance of remaining true to our convictions.
02:01even in the face of the most extreme adversity.
02:05Maurice and his companions embody the courage to defend what one believes is right.
02:09a timeless message of spiritual and moral resistance
02:13which still resonates strongly today.
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