f Savoy. It was rebuilt in the second half of the 15th Century. In the meantime, St. Peter's church took over as the bishop's and parish church. It was demolished in 1806. The Valeria Church was built in the 11th Century and originally consecrated to St. Catherine. This church was probably the first church for thecathedral chapter. St. Theoduls church was first mentioned in the 13th Century. It was probably built in 1100 on the ruins of Roman baths and a Carolingian era church. This church was probably built as a grave and pilgrimage church with a shrine in the Theodulskrypta. It was destroyed in the wars with the House of Savoy in the 14th Century. Construction began on a new church in 1510-16 under Bishop Matthew Schiner and continued until the 17th Century. St. Theoduls served the French-speaking urban population as a parish church until 1798. In the 17th Century, citizens claimed the right to choose their parish priest, over objections of the ecclesiastical authorities. The dispute eventually required mediation through the Papal Nuncio. The resolution allowed the citizens to choose the pastor from one of four proposed by the archbishop.
In the second half of the 16th Century a large Protestant community grew in Sion under the leadership of renowned burghers, who had learned of the new doctrine while students in Bern, Basel, Zurich, Lausanne or Geneva. After 1604, the Valais government had clearly decided to remain part of the old faith. Some individuals or families emigrated to reformed areas, while others went back to the old faith. The Counter-Reformation, led by the Capuchin friars of Savoy and the Jesuits destroyed the last hopes of the Protestants to establish a foothold in the cathedral town. The Capuchins founded a monastery in 1631 and started construction of the monastery church in 1636) and the Jesuits started missionary activity in the 17th century and established a school in 1734.
From the Helvetic Republic to 1848
During
