Saint Leudomer (Lumier) of Limoges

It was then that Leudomir, entering perfectly into the views of his holy brother and sharing his tender affection for his diocese, both of them made a generous donation of several of their lands in Limoges to the Church of Saint-Étienne in Châlons. From that time on, the young deacon continued to grow from virtue to virtue in the company of the holy Bishop, working with zeal under his orders, relieving him as much as he could in his duties, and receiving from him, in return, a thousand precious instructions, a thousand wise counsels, and a thousand edifying examples, which never faded from his memory. Thus did Providence prepare Saint Leudomir from afar to ascend to the see of Châlons after the death of his brother.

Scarcely was this sad event known in that city than sadness and consternation were at their height, as well as throughout the diocese. But after the first outburst of public grief, when they began to think of filling the vacant see, all thoughts and all wishes turned spontaneously toward our Saint, whom they believed, with reason, to be more fit than any other, despite his youth, to repair the loss they had just suffered, as he was full of the spirit of the Prelate who had just died, and had been, for several years, imbued with his doctrine, a witness to his virtues, and the intimate confidant of his most secret thoughts. In the meantime, the trusted men charged with presenting to King Sigebert the relics of Saint Eu lalia, w Sigebert King of Austrasia, husband of Brunhilda. hich Saint Elaphe was bringing from Spain when he was overtaken by death, arrived at the court. The prince, upon learning of the death of the blessed prelate, expressed deep regret for such a great loss, the news of which was confirmed to him at the same moment by a deputation of the principal citizens of Châlons, who came to ask him for a bishop. While he was deliberating on the choice of this new pastor, the same deputies presented Leudomir to him and attested to the clearly expressed wish of their fellow citizens to have the young deacon as bishop. The king, who already knew Leudomir by reputation, gave him just praise, approved the choice his subjects had made, and consented to their desire. But, frightened as much as he was surprised, Leudomir resisted accepting such a heavy burden for a long time. Finally, overcome by the redoubled solicitations of his fellow citizens, he yielded to the violence they did him, solely out of fear of displeasing God by resisting His known will (587).

The new Bishop did not frustrate the happy hopes that had been conceived of him. Scarcely had he taken the pastoral staff in hand than he was seen, though still so young, to walk with a firm and invariable step in the footsteps of his blessed brother. There was in him the same purity of morals, the same innocence of life, the same piety and the same zeal, the same assiduity in all the functions of the pastoral office, the same care for the unfortunate, the same protection granted to widows, orphans, and the weak oppressed by the rich and the powerful of the century. Let us say it all in one word: one believed they saw his predecessor live again in him. He was endowed with an admirable simplicity, and his holiness was such that heaven often made it shine forth, even during his lifetime, through miracles; but he was so humble that, to avoid the praises they might have drawn to him, he usually performed them through the ministry of others. We shall report a few of them.

A day having caught sight of a poor blind woman, who was feeling her way as if groping, and whose feet were all bloodied, he had pity on her, and calling his deacon who was a man of a holy and exemplary life, "go," he said to him after having made a short prayer, "and make the sign of the cross on the eyes of this unfortunate woman." The deacon did what he had been ordered; and instantly this woman recovered her sight.

Leudomir, another time, stopped by the force of his prayers the course of a contagious disease which was causing great ravages in a castle situated on the banks of the Marne, and whose effects were so swift that those who were struck by it were carried off in less than three days. He healed the possessed several times, and among others a young girl distinguished by her nobility and beauty, whom several priests had not been able to deliver by their exorcisms. All those who were attacked by fever were healed as soon as the Saint had prayed for them. What more shall we say? Even animals, and in particular birds, obeyed him as if to bear witness to his holiness, just as has happened to several Saints, and especially to the great Saint Francis of Assisi.

Among all the virtues of Sa int Lumier, Saint Lumier Bishop of Châlons in the 7th century, known for his chastity and miracles. his admirable chastity shone above all. Let us give an ever-memorable example of this. Nature had lavished all its gifts upon him, both the qualities of the mind and heart, and the outward graces and all the charms of the face: he was an accomplished man. Queen Brunhilda, La reine Brunehaut Queen of Austrasia and Burgundy, principal political opponent of Columbanus. whose confidence he had managed to earn, like his brother Saint Elaphe, was not indifferent to this kind of merit, and confessed her infamous desires to the Limousin gentleman. But she met only with a shameful refusal. Irritated to the highest degree, she banished the Pontiff from his bishopric and sent him into exile. He remai ned there f Clotaire II King of Neustria and later sole King of the Franks, protector of Columbanus after his exile. or twenty years: Clotaire II, having found himself, after the expiatory death of the unworthy Brunhilda, the peaceful possessor of the entire French monarchy, hastened to recall him to Châlons and to restore him to the episcopal see of that city. But the holy Prelate lived too short a time for his people: the earth was not worthy of such pure virtue; thus heaven only showed it to him. Leudomir died on September 30, 626.

A painting in the church o f Villotte-devant-Saint-Mihi Villotte-devant-Saint-Mihiel Place of worship and pilgrimage dedicated to the saint. el (Meuse, arrondissement of Commercy, canton of Pierrefitte), of which Saint Lumier is the patron, depicts our Saint in crozier and miter, healing a blind woman. — Three stained-glass windows in the choir of the same church show him: 1st In deacon's vestments, signing his act of donation to the church of Châlons; 2nd explaining to the inhabitants of this city the reasons that led him to refuse the episcopal dignity; 3rd casting out, during the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the demon from the body of a possessed person.

## CULT AND RELICS.

The body of Saint Lumier was placed in the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste of Châlons-sur-Marne, opposite that of his brother Saint Elaphe, and on the other side of the nave. In the 12th century, Roger II, Bishop of Châlons, had his body exhumed to transport it to the abbey church he had just built under the title of Toussaintes. All the Saint's remains were reduced to dust, bu t one of his e un de ses yeux Miraculous relic that remained intact during the exhumation in the 12th century. yes, the one whose severe gaze had condemned the unchaste Brunehaut, had remained intact and retained all the brilliance and vivacity it had once possessed. The common name of Lumier probably dates from the time of this miracle (lumina, 100x).

The Abbey of Toussaintes kept the body of Saint Lumier until the 18th century, at which time it was stripped. Then a fairly considerable part of these precious relics was transported to the cathedral church of Châlons, where the people come today to venerate them.

The Bollandists inform us that the tomb of Saint Lumier was glorious, that numerous miracles took place there, and that people came from very far away to implore his assistance for children suffering from wasting diseases.

The cult of our Saint crossed the boundaries of the diocese of Châlons. We have already said that the church of Villotte-devant-Saint-Mihiel, in the diocese of Verdun, recognized him as its patron. Father Quetsch, parish priest of this parish, wrote to us on March 25, 1873: "Before the Revolution, the church of Villotte was the destination of a pilgrimage: people came there to invoke Saint Lumier for eye diseases. — We have a small relic of our patron saint, it is a bone fragment; but the authentic document was lost during the revolutionary turmoil. Here is a tradition relating to its arrival in Villotte: it was attested to me by several elders of the locality, all men truly worthy of faith, both by their Christian sentiments and by their social position in the village: When the parish priest of Villotte, one of my predecessors, was in Châlons pressing to obtain this relic, a priest from a neighboring parish mocked him: he lost his sight as punishment for this lack of respect, and he only recovered it after a novena of expiation and prayers made in concert with his colleague from Villotte. This relic, I expose it solemnly and have the faithful kiss it twice a year: on the day of the patronal feast and on the day of the feast of the holy relics."

Acta Sanctorum; Beautés de la Champagne, by Father Boitel; Vies des Saints du Limousin, by Mr. Laidche de Raignefort; Local notes due to the kindness of Father Quetsch, parish priest of Villotte, diocese of Verdun.