Saint Leonard ( c.485-559) Feast Day 6th November

Saint Leonard of Noblac was a Frenchman born about 485. He is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint Leonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, in Limousin region of France.

It is very difficult to separate fact from legend.
Traditional biography
He was a Frankish noble in the court of King Clovis 1, founder of the Merovingian dynasty. He was converted along with the king at Christmas 496, by Saint Remigius, Bishop of Reims. He was granted the right to liberate prisoners he thought worthy of it.
He did secure the release of prisoners -he is the patron saint for prisoners.
He would have prayed for them, converted some of them and tried to raise money for their ransoms.

Tradition suggests he became a monk , then became a hermit living in the forest of Limousin. As a hermit he then gained some friends, who recognizing his holiness, wanted to live with him - the result a monastery. One source suggests he became the abbot.

Legend ? -King Clovis 1 was his grandfather or godfather. (Sources differ)
Legend ?- he prayed for the queen , who was ill, before she gave birth to a son .
Legend ?- that during a losing battle the queen asked him to pray. He prayed and King Clovis 1 was victorious.
Legend? - as a way of saying thank you the king gave him royal lands at Noblac.
Legend? -prisoners who invoked (called ) his named saw their chains break off.

He died of natural causes around 559. There are churches all across Europe dedicated to his name. In England 177, In Italy almost 225 churches. Former prisoners used to hang their chains in churches dedicated to him.

There has to be truth in the legends.