The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Deeds and Martyrdom of Saint Leudegar, Bishop and Martyr (Gesta et passio sancti Leudegarii episcopi et martyris, BHL 4850, CPL 1079)

Summary

(Prologue) The author addresses the Martyrdom's dedicatee, Bishop Hermenar of Autun: he submits the work to the bishop for correction, and apologises for his 'rusticity.'

(1) The author announces that Leudegar 'has become a new martyr of the Christian age' (christianorum temporibus effectus est martyr novus). He describes the saint's background: his noble birth; his accomplishments 'in the various studies that lay noblemen are wont to do'; his election as archdeacon of Poitiers, where his uncle Dido was bishop; how 'in lay matters he was a judge to be feared' (saecularium terribilis iudex).

(2) How Queen Balthild appointed Leudegar to the see of Autun after a bloody dispute had created a vacancy. On his virtues as a bishop, especially in peacemarking, almsgiving, and the adornment of churches: 'though we may say nothing, the grave of the holy martyr *Symphorianus (of Autun, S02098) and the glorious translation of his holy body there bear witness to how he loved and was devoted to the martyrs' (Quantumque in amore martyrum eius mens fuit devota, silentibus indicat sancti Simphoriani martyris sepultura seu translatio sancti corporis gloriosa).

(3) How the 'age-old servant, envy' (antiquus serpens invidus) began to sow discord against the bishop. (4-6) How Ebroin, the mayor of the palace, turned against Leudegar, but was overthrown and exiled to the monastery of Luxeuil; how Childeric was raised to the kingship; and how Theuderic - the king's brother raised up by Ebroin, whose hair had since been shaved - was allowed to remain under protection in the monastery of *Dionysius (bishop and martyr of Paris, S00349) until his hair grew back. (7-8) How Childeric kept Leudegar at the palace for his 'wisdom' (sapientia), but began to turn against him as the bishop admonished him, spurred on by the counsel of his 'hangers-on' (satellitum).

(9-12) How King Childeric turned against Leudegar during Easter at Autun, deciding that the bishop and Hector, patricius of Marseilles, should be put to death; how Hector was killed escaping from Autun, and Leudegar captured and banished to Luxeuil. (13-17) How Childeric was killed while hunting, prompting Leudegar's and Ebroin's release from Luxeuil; (18-20) and how the 'tyrant' Ebroin raided the palace and raised a boy he called Clovis as king, taking the counsel of bishops such as Desideratus/Diddo of Chalon and Bobo of Valence.

(21) How, when an army arrived to besiege Autun, Leudegar did not seek to flee with the treasury (thesaurus), but offered to distribute it to the poor, following the example of *Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), whose 'glory is praised in music' (cornu illius exaltatum est in gloria). (22) How he and the people of Autun undertook a three-day fast to protect the town, 'making the sign of the cross and carrying the relics of the saints around the circuit of the walls, stopping at the opening of each gate, where he bowed to the earth and tearfully beseeched the Lord that, if he should be called to suffering, God would not allow the people entrusted to him to be led into captivity' (cum signo crucis et reliquias sanctorum murorum circumiens ambitum, per singulos etenim aditos portarum terrae adherens, Dominum praecabatur cum lacrimis, ut si illum vocabat ad passionem, plebem sibi creditam non permittereit captivari).

(23-5) How Leudegar asked the people of Autun into the church to forgive him; how the town was besieged by a force led by Bishop Diddo; how Leudegar gave himself up, and was blinded; and how the wealth of Autun was carried away by the army, which then headed to Lyon, but was unable to take the city. (26) How Ebroin ordered Leudegar to be hidden in the woods, and for the news to be spread that he he had drowned. (27-8) How Ebroin, having again become mayor of the palace, ordered Leudegar to be brought out of hiding, and accused him and his brother Gaerinus of King Childeric's death: the bishop had his lips and tongue cut out, while his brother was crushed with stones; (29) Leudegar was then stripped and dragged through the streets. (30) How Abbot Winobert went to visit him in jail, and saw 'an inspired miracle: For among the bloody spittle and using a cut tongue without lips, his usual eloquence began to return' (insperatum... miraculum: Nam inter sputamina sanguinum incisa lingua sine labia solitum reddi coepit eloquium); Winobert reported the matter to Bishop Hermenar, who freed him from jail and tended to him. (31) How, when Leudegar's jailer Waning began to take him back to his 'own lands,' the saint's lips and tongue began to grow back, as the author himself saw; Waning's heart softened, and he lodged Leudegar in a convent he had founded.

(32-3) How Leudegar remained in this place for two years, before Ebroin ordered him to be brought to the palace and deposed by an episcopal council. How he refused to confess to having conspired against King Childeric, and was sent to the home (domus) of Chrodbert, count of the palace, to be decapitated by the sword, yet when there 'all the inhabitants recognised him [as a martyr] and by confessing they abandoned their own sins and eagerly sought the healing refuge of his forgiveness' (omnes illic habitantes hoc manifeste cognoscerent, peccata propria confitendo relinquerent et certatim ad paenitentiae medicamenta). (34) How the order came from the palace for Leudegar's execution, and how Ebroin, fearing 'the honour of martyrdom would be bestowed upon him' (honor ei inpenderentur martyrii), ordered a well to be found in the woods for the body to be thrown into, and then filled with earth and stones, so his grave would be 'unknown to men' (incognitum... hominibus); Chrodbert, who had been converted (conversus) by Leudegar's preaching, deferred the execution to his servants. (35) How Leudegar comforted the count's wife, and promised her a 'blessing' if she laid his body in a grave. How his executioners were unable to find a suitable well, during which time the saint prophesied to them about the future; how he instructed the one who feared to kill him to seek penance from a priest, while the other cut off his head; how his soul was raised to heaven by angels to join our Lord Jesus Christ and his saints.

(36) How the executioner was killed by divine punishment. How the servants had been unable to find a well for Leudegar's body, and so hid it in the woods, where it was found by the count's wife, who moved it to an oratorium. There, miracles then began to occur: a blind man received his sight and a cripple walked. How the woman then set about building a new oratorium, 'with a congregation of monks charged with the perpetual chanting of psalms'  (monachorum offitium iuge psallentium institutum), and there wondrous signs of cures unceasingly shone out to the faithful. The sick were healed, the downtrodden were cared for, the fevered cooled, evil spirits were openly cast out.' (37) How a priest at the oratorium saw wondrous lights and heard angelic singing. How Ebroin sent 'one of his brethren' (unum ex suis fratribus) to investigate the miracles, who did not believe, and who then died after tripping over the threshold (in limine). How Ebroin ordered that the miracle be concealed; and how he was later killed by one of his noblemen as he left his house on a Sunday to head to the morning service (ad matutinarum solemnia).


Text: Krusch 1910, 282-322.
Translation: Fouracre and Gerberding 1996, 215-53.
Summary: B. Savill.

Chant and religious singing
Procession

Cult building - independent (church)
Cult building - monastic
Oratory
Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave

Monastery

Uncertainty/scepticism/rejection of a saint
Scepticism/rejection of miracles
Destruction/hostile attempts to prevent veneration of relics

Prayer/supplication/invocation
Visiting graves and shrines
Fast
Construction of cult buildings
Renovation and embellishment of cult buildings
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Demoniacs at the site

Miracle during lifetime
Miracle at martyrdom and death
Miracle after death
Healing diseases and disabilities
Miracles experienced by the saint
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Exorcism

Unspecified relic
Bodily relic - entire body

Women
Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Relatives of the saint
Monarchs and their family
Aristocrats
Soldiers
Torturers/Executioners
Officials
Slaves/ servants
Angels

Source

Discussion

Bibliography