Placidus

Saint Placidus was a hermit and, together with Saint Sigisbert, founder of the monastery of Disentis in Switzerland. He died in the first half of the 8th century. Placidus was probably an influential landowner from the region of Raetia. Sigisbert was a wandering monk from the Frankish lands, who probably spent some years at Luxeuil. According to the legend of the end of the 12th century, Sigisbert was a direct disciple of Saint Columbanus of Luxeuil and came about 700 over the Oberalp pass to Disentis; as confirmation the old church of Saint Columbanus at Andermatt is cited, which once belonged to the monastery of Disentis, which arose around the year 700.

Placidus was slain by the ruler of the land and president, Victor of Chur, who perhaps saw in Sigisbert, the Frankish immigrant, a danger to the independence of Raetia. As reparation for the crime, Victor's son Tello left the monastery extensive gifts in 765 by the so-⁠called "Testament of Tello". On the basis of this testament and of archaeological excavations (the crypt was built about 700), the date of the death of Placidus and Sigisbert can be fixed in the first half of the 8th century. The death of Placidus was interpreted by legend as martyrdom and embellished accordingly. His bust reliquary, made around 1480, probably by the goldsmith Hans Schwartz of Constance, is in the Cathedral Museum at Chur. He is commemorated on 11 July, by the Western calendar (new style). He is honored as a saint of the undivided Church.