Collegiale Claude Andrieu 2The medieval town of Saint-Léonard de Noblat grew up around the cult of its patron saint. The patron saint of prisoners, pregnant women and deliverances, Leonardo was (and still is!) a very popular saint in Europe, and has been the subject of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages.
Collégiale de Saint Léonard de Noblat classée à l'UnescoDedicated to Saint Leonard, the collegiate church preserves his tomb, the lock and the reliquary shrine. The architecture of the religious building was specially designed for pilgrims who came to pray and ask for the intercession of the patron saint of prisoners. St Leonard is prayed to for deliverance, from earthly prisons to the throes of illness or infertility.
Collégiale de Saint Léonard de Noblat - Photographiée avec un smartphoneA stopover on the Vézelay route, the collegiate church of Saint Léonard de Noblat has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the “Pilgrims’ Way to Santiago de Compostela in France” since 1998. The majestic Romanesque building has received this recognition because of the great development of the cult of Saint Leonard, the high profile of his pilgrimage from the Middle Ages onwards and his inclusion in the “Livre de Saint-Jacques”.
Built in the 11th and 12th centuries and then modified until the 19th century, the Romanesque collegiate church is remarkable for its bell tower-porch, its gable windows, its rotunda used as a baptistery and its Limousin portal. Inside, you’ll find a vaulted nave, a lantern tower, a vast choir with an ambulatory lit by 7 radiating chapels and the tomb of Saint Leonard.
Collégiale de Saint Léonard de Noblat et tulipesSituated in the heart of the medieval town, the collegiate church is open every day. Go through the imposing gate to enter the building and stroll freely among the curious and the pilgrims.
Verrous du saint dans la collégiale de Saint Léonard de NoblatTradition dictates that women in need of children should touch the bolt in order to be granted their wish and experience the joys of motherhood. Even today, small slippers can be seen placed on the tomb of Saint Leonard in thanks.
Autel de la collégiale de Saint Léonard de NoblatPush open the small door to reach the altar. A small door leads underneath. By touching the vault, the faithful can get as close as possible to the saint’s relics.
Exposition de maquettes d'églises dédiées à saint Léonard dans la Collégiale de Saint Léonard de NoblatWhen you visit the collegiate church, you’ll find models of other churches in France and Europe that are also dedicated to the popular Saint Leonard.
It is a type of church so named because it housed canons gathered in a “college”. The church of Saint Léonard de Noblat is unusual in that it is both a reliquary church, a parish church and a collegiate church.
The Ostensions are a religious and popular festival held every 7 years during which the relics of Saint Leonard and the saints of Limousin are exhibited. They are included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
The collegiate church of Saint Léonard de Noblat occasionally hosts concerts within its walls. Gospel, Christmas carols, classical music, Corsican polyphony… stay tuned and enjoy the beautiful acoustics of this enchanting venue!
Proof of the popularity of the cult of Saint Leonard is the fact that there are almost 1,200 places in 15 European countries that claim this patron saint as their own.
