Saint Sigismund (c. 460-524) was a king of the Burgundians and a Christian ruler. Converted to Catholicism under the influence of Saint Avitus of Vienna, he fought against Arianism in his kingdom. In 522, he founded the abbey of Saint-Maurice d’Agaune (Switzerland), which became an important religious center. Filled with remorse after ordering the execution of his own son, he withdrew for a time into prayer. Captured by the Frankish king Clodomir during a war, he was executed in 524, thrown into a well with his family. Canonized, he became a highly venerated saint in Lorraine and Burgundy, particularly as a protector against invasions and political unrest.
