LEODEGARIO (LÉGER), bishop of AUTUN, saint. — Of Frankish nobility, born around 616, died near Arras on 3 October 679. He was educated at the court of Clotario III, then under his uncle Didone, bishop of Poitiers, who ordained him deacon (636), made him archdeacon of Poitiers (ca. 653), and entrusted to him, with the title of abbot, the monastery of St-Maixent in Poitou. Called to the court (656), he became adviser to s. Bathilde, regent during the minority of Clotario III. Bishop of Autun in 663, he convened in his episcopal city a council that dealt particularly with monastic discipline (670).
Devoted to the poor, he founded the «Matricula» at Autun, a charitable institution to which he assigned his own possessions. On the death of Clotario III (673), he contributed effectively to the election of Childerico II of Austrasia to the throne of Neustria, against the mayor of the palace Ebroino. Adviser to Childerico, in 675 he fell into disgrace as a result of calumnious accusations and was exiled to Luxeuil. Having returned to Autun after the assassination of Childerico (September 675), he was soon besieged by Ebroino’s troops; wishing to spare his people, he surrendered to the enemy (676). They burned out his eyes with red-hot iron and cut off his tongue and lips. Condemned by a synod acting under Ebroino’s orders, he died by decapitation in the forest of Sarcing, near Arras. His remains were transferred in 681 to the monastery of St-Maixent. He is honored as a martyr. His cult spread in France and Belgium. Feast day: 2 October.