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Saint Leander of Seville
Image: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Leander of Seville

Bishop of Seville behind the Visigothic kingdom's turn to Catholicism in 589

Rank
Saint
Kind
Bishop
Life
534 – 600
Era
6th century
Feast
13 March
Countries
Spain
Spain

Life story

Leander was born at Cartagena in southern Spain around 534 into a noble Hispano-Roman family. He was the elder brother of Isidore, who succeeded him as bishop of Seville, and of Fulgentius and Florentina. He entered religious life and around 579 was chosen bishop of Seville. At that time the Visigothic kingdom was ruled by kings who followed Arianism.

He supported Prince Hermenegild, son of King Leovigild, when the prince became Catholic. After Hermenegild's revolt failed, Leander was banished from Spain and lived in Constantinople. There he met Gregory, the papal envoy and later Pope Gregory the Great, and the two became close friends. He returned to Seville when tensions eased.

After Leovigild's death his younger son Reccared took the throne and turned to Catholicism, partly through Leander's influence. The Third Council of Toledo, held in May 589 with dozens of bishops, formally declared the kingdom Catholic. Leander gave the closing sermon, which his brother Isidore titled a homily on the triumph of the Church over the conversion of the Goths.

He also wrote a rule of religious life for his sister Florentina, and Gregory the Great sent him a copy of his Commentary on Job. He died around 600, usually given as 13 March. That date is used as his day of remembrance, though one source says his name was once wrongly placed on 27 February in the Roman Martyrology.

Works and witness

  • Born at Cartagena around 534, bishop of Seville around 579
  • Backed Prince Hermenegild and was banished to Constantinople
  • Befriended Gregory, later Pope Gregory the Great
  • Helped win King Reccared to Catholicism and presided at the Third Council of Toledo in 589
  • Wrote a rule of religious life for his sister Florentina

Saints from the same country

Saint Dominic, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint Francis Xavier

References

  • Isidore of Seville, De viris illustribus
  • Gregory the Great, Moralia in Iob (dedicatory letter to Leander)
  • Martyrologium Romanum

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.