Leodegar of Autun

Saint Leodegar (or Leger) Bishop of Autun
The martyrdom of St. Leger. From a French Bible (c. 1200) depicting his eyes being pierced with a drill.
Born	c. 615 Autun, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France
Died	(679-10-02)October 2, 679 Sarcing, Somme, Picardie, France
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Major shrine	Cathedral of Autun and the Grand Séminaire of Soissons
Feast	October 2
Attributes	Man having his eyes bored out with a gimlet Bishop holding a gimlet Bishop holding a hook with two prongs
Patronage	Millers Invoked against blindness Eye disease Eye problems Sore eyes

Leodegar of Poitiers (Latin: Leodegarius; French: Léger; c. 615 – October 2, 679 AD) was a martyred Burgundian Bishop of Autun. He was the son of Saint Sigrada and the brother of Saint Warinus.

Leodegar was an opponent of Ebroin, the Frankish Mayor of the Palace of Neustria and the leader of the faction of Austrasian nobles in the struggle for hegemony over the waning Merovingian dynasty. His torture and death made him a martyr and saint.

Leodegar was the son of a high-ranking Burgundian nobleman, Bodilon, Count of Poitiers and Paris and Sigrada of Alsace, who later became a nun at Sainte-Marie de Soissons. His brother was Warinus.

He spent his childhood in Paris at the court of Clotaire II, King of the Franks and was educated at the palace school. When he was older he was sent to Poitiers, where there was a long-established cathedral school, to study under his maternal uncle, Desiderius (Dido), Bishop of Poitiers. At the age of 20 his uncle made him an archdeacon.

Shortly afterwards he became a priest, and in 650, with the bishop's permission, became a monk at the monastery of St Maxentius in Poitou. He was soon elected abbot, and initiated reforms including the introduction of the Benedictine rule.