St. Léger, Bishop and Martyr (7th Century)
St. Léger (~615 – 2 Oct 679) was a martyred Burgundian Bishop of Autun. He was the son of Saint Sigrada and the brother of Saint Warinus. He was the opponent of Ebroin, the Frankish Mayor of the Place of Neustria and the leader of the Austraisan nobles in the struggle for control over the waning Merovignian dynasty of Frankish kings. The calumny, torture, and death he endured, coupled with his charity and defense of the sacraments, ensured his name in the catalog of martyrs and saints. (He is often also called Leodegar or Leodegarius.)
YOUTH AND ORDINATION
As a young noble boy, St. Léger was sent by his parents to the court of Clotaire II, King of the Franks, and although he dedicated his life to the service of God, he always had much to do with the affairs of the rulers of his day. The King sent the boy to Léger’s uncle, Bishop Didon of Poitiers (a see of great fame on account of St. Hilary, a Doctor of the Church, who ruled there during the time of the Arian crisis). Bishop Didon took care of his education and made him his Archdeacon. Around 651 he ordained Léger, who then withdrew to live the life of a monk. There he was elected Abbot of Maxentius Abbey. He ruled well, introducing the Rule of St. Benedict and insisting about a faithful observance of it.
CONTEXTUAL HISTORY
This saint’s life was embroiled in the intrigue of Frankish court in the seventh century, thus this bit of historical context may help as well. King Clovis had died in 511 and left a strong united Frankish Kingdom. It continued to expand and conquer other barbaric tribes, spreading the one true Catholic Faith. Unfortunately, conflicts among Clovis’ grandsons led to serious divisions, though a unity was achieved by King Clotaire II in 613. Later divisions produced the stable but somewhat independent regions of Austrasia, Nuestria, Burgundy and Aquitania. These factions vied with each other for mastery and were not finally ended until Pepin triumphed in 687 and his son, Charles Martel, strengthened the Frankish Kingdom. It was Martel “the Hammer” who defeated the Moslem invaders at Tours in 732 AD, halting their advance into Europe. His grandson was the great emperor, Charlemagne.
BISHOP OF AUTUN
St. Léger helped advise the Queen Regent, St. Bathildis, once King Clovis II died in 656 AD. In 663 AD, He was appointed Bishop of Autun and there reconciled the differing factions. He brought peace and new fervor to the people of that city, especially by introducing needed reforms, fortifying the town, constructing public buildings, and exhibiting charity towards the poor. He struck an exemplary balance of kindness, compassion, fidelity to the truth and strictness in the laws of God and Church. He held a council in 661, denounced the heresy of Manichaeism and, by his example, led many others to adopt and profess the Trinitarian Athanasian Creed. (One of the errors of Manichaeism is that God is only one Person who assumes three different roles, almost like an actor who puts on three different masks to play three different parts in a play: first He acted as Father, then as Son, and now as Holy Ghost.) St. Léger reformed the secular priests and religious communities, insisting upon the reverent administration of the sacraments. He had three beautiful baptisteries built to instill in all the importance of baptism.
ROYAL INTRIGUE
About ten years later, King Clotaire III, eldest son of Clovis II, passed away. Serious trouble then arose. Both of his surviving brothers vied for the crown. Theoderic III was supported by Nuestria and its de facto leader, a vile man named Ebroin. He had risen to the position of mayor of the palace and wished to eliminate all who opposed him. The elder brother, Childeric, was supported by the Austrasians and Burgundians. St. Léger hurried to the royal court to help restore order. The bishops supported King Childeric in his right to the crown over his brother, Theoderic, who had been supported by Ebroin. St. Léger became Childeric’s advisor and Ebroin was banished to Luxeuil. He swore vengeance and became a bitter enemy of St. Léger. As long as King Childeric heeded the advice of St. Léger, he governed well. But he was young and had a violent, even lustful temper. King Childeric decided to sin and do as he pleased. He married his first cousin, his uncle’s daughter, in the year 675 AD.
BANISHMENT
St. Léger denounced this action as the sin of incest and a violation of God’s law and human decency. St. Léger’s enemies saw their chance. They told the King that Léger was traitor, and already being embittered against his saintly advisor, the king only too quickly accepted their calumny and sent Léger into exile. Note how St. Léger was willing to suffer the loss of his entire livelihood and homeland in defense of the sacredness of holy matrimony.
That same year however, King Childeric died. His rash and brutal rule had disenfranchised a Frankish subject unjustly. He sought revenge and murdered the king. Theoderic III now assumed the crown. He restored St. Léger to his proper bishopric. When St. Léger was allowed to return to his see of Autun, his people welcomed him back joyously. But the saint’s real sufferings were just beginning. Theoderic III had named a man named Leudesius as his palace mayor. Ebrion had returned from exile in the confusion of changing monarchs and secretly plotted to have Leudesisus killed. Since Ebroin still had many friends within the royal court he was able to one more secure his position as mayor, now under King Theodoric III.
HIS PASSION AND MARTYRDOM
The evil Mayor Ebroin then nefariously created an alliance (through lies and intimidation no doubt) among the bishops of Chalons and Valence and the Duke of Champagne. He led them in an attack upon the city of Autun. In order to save his city, and to prevent his people from suffering the ravages of war, the saintly bishop freely turned gave himself into his enemies’ hands (quite reminiscent of our Lord’s own actions at the Garden of Gethsemane). Ebroin’s cruelty then inspired him to put out the holy bishop’s eyes and cauterize the sockets. St. Léger made no resistance and uttered not a sound. Next, Ebroin had his lips cut off and his tongue pulled out so he could never again expose his plots, advise the kings, nor preach the truth. Léger was then imprisoned and suffered for two long years.
Not satisfied with this revenge, Ebroin used this time to convince King Theoderic III that his brother, Childeric, had been assassinated by Léger and his brother, Warinus. Ebroin accused Léger of having taken offense for being banished and deposed as royal advisor. Warinus received the capital sentence and was stoned to death. (His life is left best for another day, though he too has been raised to the Church’s altars and is honored among her saints.) St. Léger was tortured and imprisoned at Fecamp Monastery in Normandy. Despite all these terrible injustices, Léger wrote to his mother, who had become a nun, and told her that he forgave his enemies and felt full of courage and charity.
Despite how much Ebroin had made his sworn (and holy) enemy suffer, his hatred could not be satiated. Thus, following two more years of harsh imprisonment, Léger was summoned to a mock trial by Ebroin. He was humiliated and deposed as a bishop (that is, stripped of his office). Through a personal command of Ebroin, St. Léger was then led out to a forest near Sarcing and privately executed. He protested his innocence until the end and even prayed for his executioners.
VENERATION
The Roman Martyrology names him a martyr and there is no doubt that he is entitled to these honors. In 782 his relics were transferred to the Abbey of St. Maxentius near Poitiers. Later they were removed to Rennes and to the city of Ebreuil, which took the name of Saint-Léger in his honor. Some relics of his are still kept in the Cathedral at Autun and the Grand Séminare of Soissons. In 1458, Cardinal Rolin caused his feast day to be observed as a holy day of obligation, but that discipline has since been foregone.
Where did the Saints get the courage to suffer so much, and to forgive their enemies? From the Cross. From the Sacraments. From Prayer and persevering in prayer. We too, when we pray, will find it easier to forgive our enemies and to offer up all injuries and injustices for the love of God!