St. Leonard of Noblac

Saint Leonard of Noblac (who died in 559) is a Christian saint venerated particularly in France and known as the patron saint of prisoners. According to legend, he was a Frankish noble in the court of Clovis I, converted to Christianity, and later chose to live as a hermit in the region of Limoges. His reputation for piety and miracles, especially in securing the release of captives, grew rapidly. Many miraculous stories are associated with him, the most famous being his intervention to secure the release of a prisoner who then became his lifelong disciple. As devotion to him spread, the town of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat in France developed around a monastery that held his relics, and it became an important pilgrimage site.