00:00Today, November 6th, the church celebrates Saint Leonard of Noblat.
00:06a 6th century hermit whose fame spread far beyond the Limousin region.
00:12Along with him, we also honor some lesser-known saints such as Saint Vinoc,
00:16monk of Flanders, and Saint of Bertille, abbess of Chêle.
00:22But it is Leonardo who dominates this day through the depth of his faith.
00:25and the power of his intercession,
00:27particularly among captives and prisoners.
00:33Saint Leonard was born towards the end of the 5th century,
00:36probably from a noble family at the court of King Clovis.
00:40His baptism was a major event.
00:43It was Saint Remigius of Reims himself who baptized him,
00:46just as he had baptized Clovis a few years earlier.
00:51Raised at court, Leonardo learned the use of weapons at a very young age.
00:55and the customs of the kingdom's elite.
00:58But in his heart, another call is heard, that of Christ.
01:03He refuses the honors of war and the political career that his birth promised him.
01:09Under the spiritual guidance of Saint Remy,
01:12He discovers the path of charity and self-denial.
01:15Eager to follow the example of the hermits,
01:19He leaves the court and retires to the solitude of the Limousin forests near Limoges.
01:25There, he leads an austere life.
01:27made of prayers, work, and silence.
01:30One day, the legend goes,
01:34while he was praying for the Queen of the Franks, who was in difficult labor,
01:38She gave birth to a son who was safe and sound.
01:40In gratitude, the king granted him the right to free prisoners.
01:45that he would deem worthy of freedom.
01:49From then on, Leonardo became the patron saint of captives and prisoners.
01:52Many came to him asking him to intercede for them.
01:55and chains were often hung in churches baptizing in his honor
02:00symbol of spiritual and physical liberation.
02:04The faithful gather around his hermitage.
02:07A small community is born, then a village.
02:10This is how the town of Saint Léonard de Noblat was founded.
02:14which still bears his name today and houses his relics
02:16in a magnificent Romanesque collegiate church,
02:19listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
02:21on the paths of Saint James of Compostela.
02:25Leonardo died around 559, surrounded by his disciples.
02:30His devotion spread rapidly throughout Europe,
02:33in France, England, Germany, and even Poland.
02:38Prisoners, pregnant women,
02:40Horses and farmers invoke his help.
02:44His cult has endured through the centuries, reminding everyone
02:47that true freedom is that of the heart.
02:48obtained through forgiveness and mercy.
02:51Prayer to Saint Leonard of Noblat
02:55O Saint Leonard,
02:59You who have chosen solitude to better hear the voice of God,
03:04Look kindly upon those who live in prisons, hospitals,
03:08the invisible chains of fear or sin.
03:10You who have received from the Lord the power to set the captives free,
03:16Intercede for all those who are held far from freedom,
03:20that they may find peace of heart and the light of Christ.
03:24It also protects women who carry life,
03:27the travelers, prisoners of their own fault
03:30and all those who seek reconciliation with God and with themselves.
03:34Saint Leonard, hermit of Limousin,
03:39a model of humility and charity,
03:42Make us artisans of freedom and peace.
03:45Amen.
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