Saint Leonard
Saint Leonard of Noblac (born c. 496 AD in Gaul (France); died c. 559 AD in Noblac, Limousin, France) was a Frankish hermit and nobleman who became one of the most popular saints of medieval Europe. He is the patron saint of prisoners and captives, whose chains hang as ex-votos at his shrine. According to tradition, he persuaded King Clovis to release political prisoners, and the king granted him the forest of Noblac, where he lived as a hermit. His intercession reputedly released thousands of captives throughout the Middle Ages. His feast day is November 6.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Leonard
| Saint Leonard | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 06 |
| Profession | Hermit; nobleman turned monk; founder of Noblac |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Frankish church; patron of prisoners; Limousin; medieval Europe broadly |
| Patronage | Prisoners and captives; the falsely imprisoned; political prisoners; hostages; knights and Crusaders taken prisoner; women in difficult labor; Limousin; Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat; locksmiths (by extension from chains); farmers (in some regional traditions) |
| Attributes | Chains (freed prisoners' ex-votos); fetters; hermit's habit; donkey (the donkey circuit of his land grant); small oratory; forest setting |
| Birthplace | Gaul (northern France, exact location unknown) |
| Death Place | Noblac, Limousin, France (modern Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, Haute-Vienne) |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died c. 559 AD at Noblac; the date is uncertain; he lived as a hermit until an advanced age |
| Primary Shrine | Collegiate Church of Saint Leonard, Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, Haute-Vienne, France — his tomb; one of the finest Romanesque churches in the Limousin; on the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela; chains of freed prisoners hung here for centuries; open to visitors and pilgrims year-round |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); November 6 |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; widely observed in France and England |
Biography
Leonard was reportedly a Frankish nobleman, a disciple or godson of Saint Remigius (bishop who baptized Clovis I). His Life — written in the 11th century — tells of his connection to King Clovis's court, his intercession for the queen during childbirth, and the land grant of the forest of Noblac.
He lived as a hermit in the forest of Noblac in the Limousin, clearing land, building an oratory, and receiving those who sought prayer and counsel. He is said to have persuaded Clovis to release political prisoners. He died around 559 AD.
His cult spread rapidly after accounts of miracles circulated in the 11th century, particularly among prisoners and captives. By the time of the First Crusade, he was widely venerated across Europe. Bohemond I of Antioch's pilgrimage to Noblac after his release from Turkish captivity made his fame universal. Over 177 churches were dedicated to him in England alone.
His shrine at Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat received the chains and fetters of freed prisoners from across Christendom for centuries and continues to be a pilgrimage destination.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Gaul (northern France, exact location unknown)
Death location: Noblac, Limousin, France (modern Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, Haute-Vienne)
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Leonard have been added to the database yet.
Media
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Collegiate Church of Saint Leonard, Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, France — his tomb; principal pilgrimage shrine; on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
Feast day
November 6
Veneration
Saint Leonard is the patron of prisoners and captives and one of the most widely venerated saints of medieval Europe. His feast is November 6.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.