The Latin second Martyrdom of *Leudegar (bishop and martyr of Autun, ob. 677/9, S02098), by Ursinus, records the saint's life, martyrdom, and miracles; the dispute over possession of his body; and his translation from the diocese of Arras (north-east Gaul) to Poitiers (western Gaul). Written at Poitiers, 684/c.750, perhaps 684/96.
E06463
Literary - Hagiographical - Lives
Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdom
Ursinus, Life and Martyrdom of Saint Leudegar, Bishop and Martyr (Vita et passio sancti Leudegarii episcopi et martiris, BHL 4851, CPL 1079a)
Summary:
(Prologue) Ursinus addresses Bishop Ansoald of Poitiers, stating that the bishop, with the insistence of Audulf, 'father' of the monastery of *Maxentius (abbot near Poitiers, ob. c. 534, S01144), has ordered him to set to writing the life and martyrdom of Leudegar. He apologises for his style, but expresses his hope that the 'rustic' and illiterate will understand it, and thereby imitate the saint's example, having listened to his miracles.
(1-11) Here Ursinus provides a simplified summary of chapters 1-24 of the first Martyrdom of Leudegar (E06463).
(12-13) How Leudegar and his brother Gaerenus were brought into the presence of the king, where they confronted Ebroin, who then separated the two and had Gaerenus crushed to death with rocks. (14) How Leudegar hoped to join his brother, but was denied a swift death by Ebroin, who did not wish him to gain the 'crown of martyrdom': instead, Leudegar was made to walk through a pool of sharp stones which bore through his feet, then thrown to the ground where he had his lips and tongue cut out. (15) How Ebroin then ordered Waning to take Leudegar into custody at his monastery of virgins and sanctimoniales called Fiscamnum (Fécamp), where the saint regained the use of his tongue, and resumed his preaching. (16-17) On the episcopal synod convened by King Theuderic and Ebroin, and how Leudegar, when summoned, began to prophesy future events.
(18) How Leudegar was handed over into the custody of Chrodbert. How, in his house, a halo ('a great light, like a round circle', lumen magnum quasi in roti circulo) appeared above the saint's head, and how his preaching converted almost all the household to God. (19) How he was at last, on Ebroin's orders, taken from the house to an unknown place by four executioners: three threw themselves at his feet and received a blessing, (20) while the fourth cut off his head. How the body stayed standing for (it is said) about an hour, and how the swordsman kicked it so that it might fall sooner to the ground; not long after, demons seized this executioner's mind and ended his life. How Chrodbert's wife mourned his death, and ordered that the blessed martyr be buried at Sarcingum in a small oratorium in the clothes in which he was executed: this is believed to have happened on 2 October, and he is said to have been buried there for two and half years.
(21) On the miracles at this oratorium. How a priest who performed services there (sacerdus... fungebat offitium) saw a great light shine out from the place at night, and how once this story had spread, the infirm and the demonically possessed came to the place and were healed. How a (night) watchman, a clerical minister of this priest (huius sacerdoti minister clericus... custus), one night had all his possessions stolen from his home, including a chalice (caligola) he had taken from the blessed martyr; how, discovering all that had been stolen in the morning, he went back to the tomb and fasted, prayed and sung psalms, promising to return what he had taken; how later he found all that had been lost returned, including the chalice; and how the master of the thief swore an oath that he had not committed the crime, after which both perished. (22) How the martyr's fame continued to spread, prompting Ebroin to secretly send a messenger (nuntius) to the site to inquire into matters, 'who denied the power of God, saying that 'the dead cannot work miracles'' (nesciret virtutem Dei: 'Etenim mortuus,' inquid 'virtutes nequaquam faciet'). How the messenger lost his life as he set off; how Ebroin secretly feared the increasing glory of the martyr; and how the fame of the saint's miracles spread within days yet more widely. (23) How almost three years passed, during which Ebroin was killed, and the praise of the saint continued to spread far and wide.
(24) How a dispute rose up at the palace during an assembly of bishops and nobles, concerning who should possess Leudegar's body: Bishop Ansoald of Poitiers claimed he should have it, since the saint was related to him (meum esse parentem) and was sent from his diocese (ex parrochia mihi commissa); Bishop Hermenar of Autun claimed it was his (iure mihi), since it was 'just that he should rest where he was bishop' (iustum est, ibi eum requiescere, ubi fuit episcopus); and Bishop Vindicanus of Arras laid claim to it (facultas huius beati corpus habere) on the grounds that Leudegar was killed in his diocese (in cuius fuerat dicise interfectus). How the bishops decided to settle the dispute: after prayers and fasts, three letters were placed on an altar (epistolis... super altarae positis), so that 'it might be declared by the Lord through this lot where the body of the holy martyr should go' (per eos Dominus declararet, in cuius sorte hoc sanctum beati martyris corpusculum perveniret). How the next day, after prayers and masses, a servant was ordered by the bishops to pick up, hidden under a pall, the 'truth' in his hand (unus ex ministris iussus a pontificibus manum incognita subter pallam posuit et cognitio veritatis in manu sua pervenit): 'all those who were present at this spectacle watched, and, understanding what had happened, acclaimed Bishop Ansoald as having the right, since this is what this royal letter was seen to declare, and this was truthfully upheld' (videntes cuncti, qui huic expectaculo aderant, cognoscentes adclamaverunt Ansoaldi pontificis esse iustitiam, quoniam huius regi epistolae apparuisse declarabatur, quod veraciter teneretur).
(25) How, with this decision confirmed unanimously by the council, Ansoald ordered Abbot Audulf (who had been brought up by the martyr) to bring his body to Poitiers. When he arrived at the site of his burial, many of the monks, men and women who lived in the area hurried to the place; and once many had been healed there, with many praising and chanting, the saint's body was removed from the site, 'just as the glorious lord king ordered' (sicut iussum erat a glorio domno rege); as they left, the places on their itinerary were made known, and many monks, clerics and people came running out from the monasteries and villae with crosses and incense, meeting them with sweet smells; and how the infirm who touched the bier were healed. (26) How they came to a villa in the diocese of Chartres called Gaudacium (Jouy) where a blind, mute and paralytic girl called Randinga was healed by touching the bier, and then to a hamlet in the territory of Tours called Solnacum (Saunay), where a certain woman was exorcised in the same way. (27) How they were met in Tours by a procession carrying lamps and singing psalms by Bishop Chrodbert; and how in the middle of the city a woman who had been accused of killing her husband called for Leudegar's help, whereupon the fetters on her fell, and she was seen to be innocent. How, as the body was brought towards Poitiers, healing miracles occurred at the hamlet of Hicurandis (Ingrandes); and a wine miracle at Interamnis (Antran). (28) How, at Sannunis (Cenon), a contrary wind on the river Vienne was calmed after Abbot Audulf called upon the saint's help; and how the blind infant of a woman from elsewhere (peregrina mulier) was healed at the church the party rested in that night.
(29) On the saint's entry into Poitiers. How Bishop Ansoald met the party at the villa Gelcanum (Jaulnay) with a multitude of clerics, common people and paupers (vulgi populorum et pauperum), and with incense, crosses, and burning candles, and 'many columns of chanters' (agminibusque multis canentibus), who took up the body and brought it into the city. How a crippled woman was healed as they came to the city. How the bishop brought the body into the suburbican basilica where *Radegund (queen of the Franks and monastic founder, ob. 587, S00182) rests, where a paralytic was healed. How the body was then brought to the basilica of *Hilarius (bishop of Poiters, ob. 367, S00183), where another paralytic was healed when he touched the bier. How a little later, a blind girl was healed when she invoked the saint.
(30-31) How the body was brought out of the city by the bishop, together with his priests and ministers, to Zezinaiolum (Jazeneuil), where it was met by a great crowd of monks from the monastery of Saint Maxentius, to which the body was then taken: further healings occurred along the way, and at the monastery. (32) How, at the order (iusso) of Bishop Ansoald and through the efforts (opere) of Abbot Ansoald, a church (domus) of great size was built, 'whose manner of construction is unlike that of all other basilicas' (cuius fabricae aedificatio est dissimilis omnium basilicarum constructio). How, following the church's construction, the bishop arrived with all his priests and crowds of great and common people (turba magnificorum catervaeque plebis populi magna); with great praise the body of the martyr was buried, and many miracles are worked in that place daily.
Text: Krusch 1910, 323-56.
Summary: B. Savill.
Benjamin Savill
15/06/2019
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity |
|---|---|---|---|
| S00182 | Radegund, former queen of the Franks and monastic founder, ob. 587 | Radegundis | Certain |
| S00183 | Hilarius/Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367 | Helarius | Certain |
| S01144 | Maxentius, abbot near Poitiers, ob. c. 534 | Maxentius | Certain |
| S02098 | Leudegar, bishop and martyr of Autun, ob. 677/9 | Leudegarius | Certain |
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