Coming to the Alps of Egypt, the Roman Legion under the command of Maurice numbered 6000 Christian soldiers. When the legion received the Imperial order to persecute the Christians, they refused and preferred to submit to the punishment of decimation.
Lucas Cranach the Elder, Saint Maurice, 1520-1525
One soldier out of 10 was executed. But that was not enough to make them change their minds, and in the end the entire legion was massacred including Maurice. "It is better for us to die innocent than to live guilty" was their cry before dying as martyrs. A very popular saint, Saint Maurice is the patron saint of Alpine hunters, the French infantry but also the Swiss and American infantry.
Dubbed "The Queen of Battles", the infantry has for centuries formed the main element in the fray of combat. Now equipped with armoured vehicles such as the Infantry Combat Armoured Vehicle (VBCI), the French infantry has been using armoured vehicles since the Front Armoured Vehicle (VAB) came into service in 1976.
Les autres saints patrons dans l'armée
Ils existent de nombreux autres saints patrons au sein des armées. Charque arme, chaque division célèbre son saint patron une fois par an. Voici la liste des autres saint patrons célébrés dans les armées.
- Sainte Barbe (4 décembre) : Sainte Barbe patron de l’Artillerie
- Saint Eloi (1er décembre) : Saint Eloi patron des Mécaniciens
- Saint Luc (18 octobre) : Saint Luc patron du Service de Santé des armées
- Saint Bernard (15 juin) : Saint Bernard patron des Troupes de montagne
- Sainte Véronique (4 février) : Sainte Véronique patron des Photographes
- Saint Roch (16 août) : Saint Roch patron des Unités Cynophiles
- Saint Gabriel (29 septembre) : Saint Gabriel patron des Transmetteurs
- Saint George (23 avril) : Saint George patron de la Cavalerie
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...
Book : Paul Rascle, The great history of French infantry, from its origins to our time, Privat, 2017
Video : Immersion VBCI VPC,
Available at : https://youtu.be/81wfiPEZso8
Source : https://blackcentraleurope.com/sources/1500-1750/lucas-cranach-the-elder-st-maurice-1520-25/