Leontius II of Bordeaux

Leontius II of Bordeaux was bishop of Bordeaux in the second half of the sixth century. He is venerated as a saint in the Western Church.

What is known of him comes from the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours and the poems of Venantius Fortunatus. He succeeded a bishop of the same name and was the thirteenth shepherd of Bordeaux. He lived fifty-⁠four years. Fortunatus met him when passing through Bordeaux between 567 and 570, so Leontius reposed during or soon after those years, and before 574.

He was born into a noble Gallo-⁠Roman family and in his youth took part in a military expedition to Spain. He was married to Placidina, a great-⁠niece of Sidonius Apollinaris. As bishop he took part in several councils of Gaul: the fifth Council of Orléans (549), the Council of Paris of 553, which deposed Bishop Saffaracus of Paris, and another council of Paris around 560. Between 561 and 567 he convened a provincial council at Saintes.

His contemporaries remember him above all as a builder: the cathedral of Bordeaux is due to him, as are the basilicas of Saint Vincent at Mas d'Agenais, of Saint Nazarius at Sainte-⁠Foy and of Saint Vivian at Saintes, besides many works begun by his predecessors and completed by him. He was also known for his help to the poor. The Roman Martyrology keeps his feast on 11 July, according to the Western calendar (new style).