Nicholas of Flüe
Nicholas of Flüe | |
|---|---|
Nicholas of Flüe, from the altar piece of the local parish church in Sachseln. | |
| Brother Klaus | |
| Born | 1417 Unterwalden, Switzerland |
| Died | 21 March 1487 Sachseln, Switzerland |
| Venerated in | Catholicism |
| Beatified | 1669 |
| Canonized | 1947 by Pope Pius XII |
| Major shrine | Sachseln, Switzerland |
| Feast | 21 March (25 September in Switzerland and Germany) |
| Patronage | Switzerland, Pontifical Swiss Guards |
Nicholas of Flüe (German: Niklaus von Flüe; 1417 – 21 March 1487) was a Swiss hermit and ascetic who is the patron saint of Switzerland. He is sometimes invoked as Brother Klaus. A farmer, military leader, member of the assembly, councillor, judge and mystic, he was respected as a man of complete moral integrity. He is known for having fasted for over twenty years. Brother Klaus's counsel to the Diet of Stans (1481) helped prevent war between the Swiss cantons.