Last modified: 2024-08-10 by martin karner
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[Flag of Upper Engadin circle (1827, 109x107 cm). On white cloth a centered
shield with Saint Lucius as an old man, writing in a book, wearing a blue robe and a golden crown, a nimbus around his head.
Two golden laurel branches frame the shield. Behind the shield protrudes a bundle of five skewers,
surmounted by a hat with three feathers (green, red, blue), and framed by two golden oak leaf branches.
Above the shield a fluttering ribbon with the lettering "VEXILLUM ANGADINAE SUPERIORIS 1827". Both sides
identical. Golden fringes on three sides (source: [b7b42]).
Lucius (a.k.a. Lucius of Britain, Luzius von Chur) was a supposed 2nd-century king of the Britons, traditionally credited with
introducing Christianity into Britain. Lucius is first mentioned in a 6th-century version of the Liber
Pontificalis, which says that he sent a letter to Pope Eleutherius asking to be made a Christian. After
Eleutherius granted Lucius' request, the Britons followed their king in conversion and maintained the
Christian faith until the Diocletianic Persecution of 303 (source).
In Switzerland there is a legend that Pope Eleutherus sent Timothy, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, to
Lucius, king of the Britons, with the missionary commission. Lucius obeyed him and moved first to Augsburg
and later to Raetia (Grisons). Angry pagans threw him into a well, but he was saved by believers. According
to this legend, he died in 176. According to another legend, he was the first bishop of the city of Chur.
However, he is missing from the Chur bishops' list (source).]
