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Leontius of Autun

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Saint

Leontius of Autun
BornLeontius
ResidenceAutun, France
Diedc. 430 AD
Autun, France
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
FeastJuly 1
PatronageAutun, France

Saint Leontius of Autun (French:Saint Léonce) (d. ca. 430 AD) was a bishop of Autun in Gaul during the fifth century. He is mentioned in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum. He is sometimes confused with the similarly named Saint Leonorius (Saint Leonore, Lunaire)[1] and Leontius of Fréjus who lived around the same time. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic church, and his feast day is 1 July.

Background

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There are scant details of Leontius life before he entered the ministry, and almost no documentation.[2] On 1 July, the Martyrologium Hieronymianum has the following listing, "The burial of Leontius, bishop of Autun (Gaul), 5th cent."[3] The chronotaxis of the bishops of Autun show that he was the eighth bishop, serving after Evantius and before Euphronius.[4]

It is believed he was born in Autun, entered the ministry and that he was the bishop of the Diocese of Autun in the 5th century.[2] The diocese comprises what is now the French department of Saone et Loire, in the region of Bourgogne.[5] He was a respected leader within the religious community of Gaul.[2]

Leontius died circa 430 in Autun, and was elevated to sainthood pre-congregation.[6] At the time of his death he was considered a confessor, and it was not uncommon for one who led a virtuous life who had died peacefully to be venerated as a saint.[7][8] More than likely, he was elevated to sainthood by the local bishop.[6] His cult spread throughout the region of Gaul where he lived, and he became a patron saint of Autun.[2]

The French commune, Saint-Lieux-Lafenasse, is named after him (Languedocien: Sant Lionçe La Fenassa).[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Holweck, Frederick George (1924). "Leontius C. Bp. of Autun". A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. p. 505.
  2. ^ a b c d "Saint Leontius of Autun". Saint for a Minute. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Leontius, bishop of Autun, 5th cent". The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity. Oxford University.
  4. ^ Santi Beati. "Leonzio di Autun". Santi Beati (in Italian). Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. ^ "The diocese of Autun". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  6. ^ a b Watkins, Folo (2014). O Patrónum in Cuius Nomen Gloriae:A Book of Period Saints. Urbana, IL: Folump Enterprises. ISBN 978-1-55680-046-7.
  7. ^ "Beatification". Catholic Encyclopedia. p. 365.
  8. ^ Beccari, Camillo (1908). "Confessor" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  9. ^ Busquets, Étienne. "Petite Histoire De Saint Lieux Lafenasse". calameo.com (in French). p. 2.
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