Feast day: November 6

St. Leonard of Noblac

Hermit, Abbot · d. c. 559

Patron of Prisoners, captives, women in labor

A Frankish nobleman who became a hermit near Limoges and obtained from the king the right to free any prisoner he visited, becoming the great patron of captives.

By tradition the king granted him the power to release prisoners he visited, and freed captives across Europe hung their broken chains at his shrine in thanks.