Lentorama 2006 Saint of the Day: St. Nicholas von Flue

The opening sentence on Catholic Online describing this saint: "Hermit and Swiss political figure." That's a combination you don't expect to see.

In any case, St. Nicholas was a married father of ten who fought for Obwalden canton against Zurich in the 15th century, served in a variety of cantonal positions, and repeated turned down the position of governor. He became a hermit when he turned 50 (with the support of wife and family), and moved into a monastery where he supposedly lived 19 years eating only the Eucharist, which I hope was more appetizing that the styrafoam we get now.

Hermitry apparently didn't end his political career, as he was often sought out for advice, and he was instrumental in bringing Fribourg and Soleure into the confederation, which helped avoid a civil war. He's a patron saint of Switzerland, though I wonder if that holds for the Protestant parts.