St Placidus
Placidus of Disentis (died 7th century)
St Placidus is venerated with his associate Sigisbert as the founder of the Disentis monastery. Placidus, a Raeti, was a rich local landowner and he lived together with Sigisbert as a hermit in the Vorder Rhine region. The governor of Chur, Victor, accused Placidus of irregularities towards the hermits of Disentis, whereupon Victor had Placidus beheaded. According to legend, Placidus carried his head to Sigisbert’s cell. Sigisbert was later buried next to Placidus. The present-day Benedictine Disentis Abbey was built on the site of their graves around AD 720.
The feast of St Placidus is celebrated in the Diocese of Chur on 12 July.