Protasius of Lausanne

Protasius of Lausanne (in Latin Prothasius, in French Protais) was bishop of Lausanne in Switzerland in the 7th century. A French source says he is recognized as a saint by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and commemorates him on 6 November.

He is attested as bishop of Lausanne from 652 or 653. During his episcopate he enlarged the chapel of Saint Thyrsus, built by his predecessor Marius of Avenches, and dedicated it to him; it became the chapel of Saint-⁠Maire. With the support of Duke Felix of Burgundy and his wife Ermentrude, he helped build a monastery and a church dedicated to the Mother of God at Baulmes. He also began restoring the main church of Lausanne and obtained permission to cut timber in the forest of Mont Tendre.

He died in the mountain while helping the woodcutters, when a wrongly felled tree fell on him. His body was carried to a suitable place to be laid in the coffin, and that place later became the commune of Bière. His relics were taken to Basuges, now Saint-⁠Prex, where he was buried. In the 14th century they were moved to the cathedral of Notre-⁠Dame in Lausanne. The saint is commemorated on 6 November, especially in the dioceses of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg.