From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

October 2nd -Saint Leger, or Leodegar or Leodegarius

Born c. 616; died near Arras in 678. Leodegarius was raised at the
court of King Clotaire II and educated by his uncle, Bishop Didon of
Poitiers. He was made archdeacon by Didon, was ordained, and about
651-653 became abbot of Maxentius (Maixent) Abbey, where he introduced
the Rule of St. Benedict. During this time it appears that Saint
Leodegarius acquired a humble spirit and became a true priest.

It is unknown whether Leodegarius was summoned or went to the court of
his own accord. Nevertheless, he counselled Queen Saint Bathildis
during the minority of her son Clotaire III after the death of her
husband, Clovis II, in 656.

Leodegarius was appointed bishop of Autun in 663, though he continued
to advise the queen.

Autun was in a state of complete disorder. There had been no bishop
for two years and before that there were two claimants for the
episcopal throne. One of them had been murdered and the other exiled
because of his abuses of power. Leodegarius began by physically
restoring the town: its walls and the cathedral.

It is said, "Those who were not led to peace and concord by preaching,
were forced there by justice and terror." Although Leodegarius had a
reputation as a very strict bishop, he managed to reconcile the
factions that had torn apart the see, introduced reforms, imposed the Benedictine Rule in all monasteries, and was known for his concern for
the poor.

After Bathildis had retired and on the death of Clotaire III, he
supported young Childeric II for king against his brother Thierry, who
had been backed by Ebroin, mayor of the palace. Ebroin was exiled to
Luxeuil, where he became a tonsured monk and a bitter enemy of
Leodegarius, who became Childeric's adviser. Leodegarius's exalted
position didn't last for long for he alienated many with his severity.
When Leodegarius denounced the marriage of Childeric to his uncle's
daughter, he also incurred the enmity of Childeric .

One Easter Childeric refused Leodegarius's invitation to attend the
Easter Mass at the cathedral of Saint-Nazaire in Autun. Later
Childeric interrupted the Mass. He was drunk and shouted insults, but
as he was king, no one said anything. Because no one said anything,
the king believed that there was nobody there, and left. But the next
day his fury against Leodegarius had not abated. The saint decided to
flee, but he was soon caught, returned to court, judged and banished
to Luxeuil in 675. There he met and was reconciled to his enemy
Ebroin. In Luxeuil they prayed side-by- side and pledged eternal
friendship.

When Childeric was murdered in 675, his successor, Theodoric III,
restored Leodegarius to his see. Ebroin was also restored as mayor of
the palace after he had the incumbent Leudesius murdered and persuaded
the duke of Champagne and the bishops of Chalons and Valence to attack
Autun. To save the town, Leodegarius surrendered himself.

Ebroin had him blinded, his lips cut off, and his tongue pulled out. Leodegarius accepted his fate. His death did not come at once, and he
suffered in silence and prayer. Ebroin sent him to a forest and
ordered that the blind man should be left there to die of hunger. But Leodegarius's guard took pity on him and after a few days went to find
him. He took him into his home and cared for him.

Not satisfied, several years later, Ebroin convinced the king that
Childeric had been murdered by Leodegarius and his brother Saint
Gerinus. Gerinus was stoned to death, and Leodegarius was tortured and imprisoned at F=C3=A9camp monastery in Normandy, a cripple. A letter
written by Leodegarius to his mother about the death of his brother
still exists.

Two years later Leodegarius was summoned to a court at Marly by
Ebroin. A court of bishops declared him deposed from his see. Finally,
his enemies executed him at Sarcing, Artois, protesting his innocence
to the end. Though the Roman Martyrology calls him blessed and a
martyr, and he is popularly regarded as Saint Leger, there is doubt
among many scholars that he is entitled to those honors. It is
primarily his political supporters who advanced his veneration. Only
God knows if Leodegarius was one of his own (Attwater, Benedictines,
Delaney, Encyclopedia).

In art, St. Leodegarius is depicted as his eyes are bored out with a
gimlet. His executioner stands behind him with a sword. At times,
Leodegarius may be shown enthroned and holding the gimlet or holding a
hook with two prongs (Roeder).

His feast is kept in Lucern, Switzerland. Leodegarius is the patron of
millers and is invoked against blindness (Roeder).


Saint Quote:
Is it not true that You promise those who keep Your commandments a
reward more desirable than great wealth and sweeter than honey? You
promise a most abundant reward, for as Your apostle James says: "The
Lord has prepared a crown of life for those who love Him." What is
this crown of life? It is surely a greater good than we can conceive
of or desire, as Saint Paul says, quoting Isaiah: "Eye has not seen,
ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has
prepared for those who love Him.
-- Saint Robert Bellarmine

Bible Quote:
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me: let my
enemies be confounded and ashamed that seek my soul.=C2 [Psalm lxix.
2,3]


<><><><>
Meditation for troubled times:

=C2 =C2 Pray-- and keep praying until it brings peace and serenity and=
a
feeling of communion with One who is near and ready to help. The
thought of God is balm for our hates and fears. In praying to God, we
find healing for hurt feelings and resentments. In thinking of God,
doubts and fears leave us. Instead of those doubts, and fears, there
will flow into our hearts such faith and love as is beyond the power
of material things to give, and such peace as the world can neither
give nor take away. And with God, we can have the tolerance to live
and let live.
=C2 =C2 I pray that I may have true tolerance and understanding. I pra=
y
that I may keep striving for these difficult things.
--From Twenty-Four Hours a Day

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* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)