Saint Liborius Of Le Mans – Saint Of The Day – 9 April

09/04/2024

Share the Beauty of Art

Saint Liborius of Le Mans. A bishop for 49 years. Patron saint of peace and understandig among people. Portrayed with stones and a peacock.

Saint Liborius of Le Mans. German School of 18th century

Liborius of Le Mans (c. 348–397) was the second Bishop of Le Mans, the.diocese of the Catholic Church in France. Very little is known about his life, like that of other saints of the late fourth and early fifth centuries. However it is known that by origin he was a Gaul, that is, a European Celt, but Latin culture had a great influence on his formation.

It seems that his Gallic origin has set a limit on his missionary activities, which, however, did not stop him and allowed him to concentrate with even greater persistence on building churches in the region of France where he lived.

Liborius died in 396 in the arms of his friend Martin of Tours – that’s why is a patron of a good death. Also, it is said that miracles were happening at his tomb.

In the 7th century his body was sent to Paderborn (modern-day Germany) where under the rule of French Emperor Charlemagne a new cathedral was built and a new diocese was established. The new cathedral had no own saint – so the body of St Liborius was sent there.

St Liborius is also shown with a peacock. This is a symbol from a legend that when his body was carried from Le Mans to Paderborn a peacock was following the procession of bearers all the way.

He is also prayed to for assistance against gallstones. In the 13th century gallstones were caused by the water of the limestone area. That’s why one of the iconology symbols of St Liborius are three stones placed on the Bible.