SAINT LEONORUS, IN FRENCH LUNAIRE, B.

He was of a noble family in Wales, and educated under the care of St.

Iltut; and passing over into that part of France called the province

of Domnone, he founded a monastery between the rivers of Rancé and

Arguenon, on a piece of ground which was given him by Jona, the lord

of the country. His many extraordinary virtues drew the attention of

king Childebert, who very pressingly invited him to Paris, where he

was received by this prince and his royal consort Ultrogotha with

every possible demonstration of the highest respect. At his return he

had the affliction to hear that his protector Jona was stripped of

his possessions, and murdered by Conomor. Happily however he arrived

time enough to shelter that unfortunate nobleman’s son Judual from

the bloody tyrant’s cruelty, and conveyed him safely to England:

whence Judual afterward returned, and recovered his inheritance. The

saint is styled bishop, though he had no fixed see. For it was then

an established custom in Brittany to honor the principal abbots with

the episcopal dignity. The year in which St. Leonorus died is not

known. His body was translated to a parochial church near St. Malo,

which still retains the name of St. Lunaire: here his tomb is shown,

which is empty, his relics being inclosed in a shrine. The feast of

his translation is on the 13th of October, but he is principally

honored in the several diocesses of Brittany on the 1st of July. He

is patron of many churches. See the Breviary of Leon, of the abbey of

St. Meen, &c. also Lobineau, Vies des SS. de Bretagne, p. 91, and the

Martyrology of Usuard.

The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, Vol. 7. July · 第 19 / 228 题