Statue de saint
Léopold III dans la cathédrale Saint-Étienne de
Vienne.
Saint Léopold III d'Autriche
Margrave d'Autriche (✝ 1136)
Margrave
d'Autriche, apparenté à l'empereur Frédéric Barberousse, il gouverna avec
prudence son pays, très soucieux des responsabilités civiles qui étaient les
siennes. Si grande était sa charité qu'il transforma son palais en asile pour
les pauvres et les orphelins. Il introduisit le monachisme cistercien en
Autriche et fonda la célèbre abbaye bénédictine de Mariazell. Il est la patron
principal de la catholique Autriche.
À Klosterneubourg en Autriche, l’an 1136, la mise au tombeau de
saint Léopold, margrave d’Autriche, surnommé le Pieux dès son vivant, homme de
paix, ami des pauvres et du clergé.
Martyrologe romain
Miniature de saint
Léopold, 1492, Trésor de l'Abbaye de Klosterneuburg
SAINT LÉOPOLD, MARGRAVE D’AUTRICHE
Léopold III-le Pieux, sixième margrave d’Autriche, était fils de
Léopold-le Bel et d’Itte, fille de l’empereur Henri IV. Il est né en
1073, saint Grégoire VII étant Pape, Henri IV empereur germanique et Philippe Ier
roi de France.
Les hautes vertus dont il donna des preuves dès sa plus tendre enfance
lui firent donner le surnom de Pieux. Ayant hérité (en 1096) des États de son
père, il gouverna ses sujets avec une prudence admirable, gagnant leurs esprits
par la douceur, cherchant à leur être utile, regardant leurs biens comme si
Dieu les lui avait confiés pour en être le protecteur, et prenant soin de
procurer leur salut éternel, en excitant les bons à la persévérance par les
grâces qu’il leur accordait, et en réduisant les méchants à l’observation des
lois divines par des châtiments paternels.
Sa charité envers les pauvres était inépuisable. Son palais était
l’asile des veuves et des orphelins ; les étrangers trouvaient auprès de
lui un secours assuré. Il ne refusa jamais son assistance à ceux qui, étant
dans l’oppression, implorèrent la force de son bras pour en être délivrés.
Il portait un profond respect aux ecclésiastiques et aux religieux. Les
affaires de son État ne l’empêchaient point de visiter souvent les églises et
d’y demeurer longtemps dans une dévotion ravissante. En un mot, toutes ses
démarches étaient si édifiantes, que son peuple avait à tous moments de
nouveaux sujets d’admirer la bonté, la sagesse et la sainteté de sa conduite.
Sa piété ne diminuait rien de son
courage, qu’il avait naturellement grand. Lorsqu’il lui fallut rendre à César
ce qu’il devait à César, il ne parut pas moins intrépide au milieu des armées
qu’il avait paru constant au pied des autels pour rendre à Dieu ce qu’il devait
à Dieu. L’an 1104, il commença ses exploits militaires sous l’empereur Henri
IV, qui était en guerre contre son fils Henri V ; ayant ensuite embrassé
le parti de ce dernier, il épousa sa sœur. Elle se nommait Agnès et était veuve
de Frédéric, duc de Souabe, duquel elle avait eu Conrad, qui fut depuis
empereur, et Frédéric, qui donna aussi à l’empire le fameux Frédéric
Barberousse. Ce mariage, qui se fit l’an 1106, fut très heureux, tant parce que
cette princesse était parfaitement vertueuse, que parce que Dieu le bénit par
une grande et sainte prospérité ; car ils eurent ensemble dix-huit
enfants : huit garçons et dix filles. Le Ciel en prit sept dans leur
innocence baptismale, et les onze autres se rendirent tous recommandables, ou
dans le siècle, ou dans la religion, ou dans l’état ecclésiastique.
Ce nouvel engagement de Léopold ne lui fit rien relâcher de sa
dévotion ; au contraire, se voyant une épouse toute dévouée à la vertu, il
s’efforça de donner avec elle de nouveaux exemples de sainteté à son peuple.
Comme ils n’avaient point d’autre désir que de procurer la gloire de Dieu, ils
résolurent ensemble de faire bâtir une église et de la fonder pour y entretenir
le service divin. L’endroit où ils devaient la faire construire leur fut montré
par une espèce de miracle ; car, un jour que le temps était fort doux, le
voile que la princesse avait sur sa tête fut enlevé bien loin, et Léopold ne le
trouva que quelques années après, sans qu’il eût reçu aucun dommage, sur le
sommet d’un arbre, dans un lieu appelé Neubourg, près de Vienne.
Cette merveille, qu’ils prirent pour une marque de la volonté de Dieu,
les détermina à y faire ériger, en l’honneur de la sainte Vierge, une
magnifique basilique. La première pierre en fut posée le 9 juin 1111. Cette
église était desservie par des chanoines réguliers de l’Ordre de
Saint-Augustin.
Ce ne fut pas le seul témoignage
public que notre Saint donna de sa religion. Il fonda encore, l’an 1127, à
douze milles de Vienne, un célèbre monastère sous le nom de la Sainte-Croix. Il
répara aussi et dota de nouveau une ancienne maison déjà fondée par ses
ancêtres, et, par la force de ses armes, il chassa de la province les ennemis
qui l’avaient désolée et avaient contraint les religieux de l’abandonner.
Léopold couronna glorieusement une vie si belle par une très-sainte mort
en 1136, Innocent II étant Pape, Lothaire III empereur germanique et Louis VI le
Gros ou le Batailleur, roi de France. Il fut inhumé dans son église
de Neubourg, et de nombreux miracles sont venus attester sa sainteté. C’est ce
qui a déterminé le pape Innocent VIII à le canoniser en 1485.
De nos jours encore, à la fête de saint Léopold, on expose à la
vénération du peuple ses reliques dans une châsse d’argent, la tête parée du
chapeau ducal et couchée sur un coussin de velours rouge. L’église est alors
toujours remplie de fidèles, tant de la ville que des environs.
La couronne ducale et les armoiries de la maison d’Autriche sont des
attributs fréquents de saint Léopold. Le drapeau blasonné, caractéristique
générale des princes, est aussi une des siennes. Comme fondateur d’églises et
de monastères, il porte quelquefois une petite réduction d’église sur la main.
On le représente aussi (surtout les gravures allemandes) entouré d’enfants :
ce sont les dix-huit rejetons dont nous avons parlé.
Il est patron du duché d’Autriche, de la Carinthie, de la Styrie.
Martino
Altomonte. Apothéose de saint Léopold, 1750, Galerie nationale hongroise
Leopold of Austria (RM)
(also known as Leopold the Good)
Born at Melk (Gars), Lower Austria, 1073; died in Vienna in 1136; canonized
1486; named patron of Austria in 1663.
Margrave Leopold
Babenberger, the grandson of Emperor Henry III, was educated by Bishop Altmann
of Passau and succeeded his father as fourth margrave of Austria when he was 23
(1095). He married Agnes, the widowed daughter of Emperor Henry IV, by whom he
had 18 children. He initially supported the Concordat of Worms (1122) in the
investiture controversy, but after his marriage he took the side of his
father-in-law.
He was a capable
and beloved ruler and a munificent benefactor of the Church. In 1106 he founded
the monasteries of Heiligenkreuz (Holy Cross) in the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods)
(Cistercian); Klosterneuburg (Augustinian) near Vienna; and Mariazell
(Benedictine) in Styria. Additionally, he reformed the monastery of
Melk.
His piety and
charity earned him the popular appellation of "the Good." He was
notably free from ambition, for in 1125, he refused the imperial crown when his
brother-in-law Henry V died. He actively helped the first crusade. Leopold died
at Klosterneuburg after reigning as margrave for 40 years. His chronicler Otto
of Freising was one of his 18 children. Historians are not without criticism of
Saint Leopold; he did lay the foundation for Austria's greatness, but also that
for its ecclesiastical provincialism (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney,
Encyclopedia, Farmer).
In art Saint
Leopold is an armed count with a cross upon his coronet, a banner with three
eagles, and a model of the church of Heiligenkreuz (Holy Cross) in his hand. In
some pictures he is shown (1) hunting with his courtiers, when he finds his
wife's veil near the monastery of Klosterneuburg; (2) with the Virgin appearing
to him while hunting and the veil nearby; (3) with his countess building
Klosterneuburg; (4) before the Virgin and Saint Anne; or (5) with Saint Jerome as
patron of Klosterneuburg (Roeder). Leopold is the patron saint of Austria
(Encyclopedia); his feast is a national holiday (Farmer).
St. Leopold, Marquis of Austria, Confessor
LEOPOLD, the fourth of that name, from his infancy commonly called The
Pious, was son of Leopold III. and Itta, daughter to the Emperor Henry IV. 1 By attending diligently to the instructions of God’s ministers, and
meditating assiduously on the pure maxims of the gospel, he learned that there
is but one common rule of salvation for princes and private persons: this he
studied, and from his cradle he laboured to square by it his whole life. In his
youth he laid a good foundation of learning; but it was his chief study to live
only for eternity, to curb his passions, to mortify his senses, to renounce
worldly pleasures, to give much of his time to prayer and holy meditation, and
to apply himself to the exercise of all manner of good works, especially those
of almsdeeds and charity. By the death of his father, in 1096, he saw it was
become his indispensable duty to study and procure in all things the happiness
of a numerous nation committed by God to his charge. The Austrians were then a
very gross and superstitious people: it was necessary to soften their minds, to
imbue them with the principles of reason and society, and make them Christians.
The work was tedious and difficult. The saint prepared himself for it by
earnestly asking of God that wisdom which he stood in need of for it; and by
active endeavours, through the divine blessing, succeeded beyond what could
have been hoped for. He was affable to all, studied to do good to every one, and
eased as much as possible all public burdens of the people. His palace seemed
the seat of virtue, justice, and universal goodness. When he was constrained to
proceed to punishments, he endeavoured to engage the criminals to receive them
with patience, and in a spirit of penance, and to acknowledge the severity
which he used, to be necessary and just. He pardoned malefactors as often as
prudence allowed him to do it: for he considered that the maintenance of
justice and the public peace and safety depended upon the strict execution of
the laws.
When the civil war broke out between the unnatural excommunicated
emperor, Henry IV., and his own son, Henry V., Leopold was prevailed upon to
join the latter, to whose cause he gave the greatest weight. Motives of justice
and religion, and the authority of others determined him to take this step; yet
Cuspinian tells us, 2 that he afterwards did remarkable penance for the share which he had in
those transactions. In 1106 he took to wife Agnes, a most virtuous and
accomplished princess, daughter to the Emperor Henry IV., sister to Henry V.,
and widow of Frederic, duke of Suabia, by whom she had Conrad, afterwards
emperor, and Frederic, father of Frederic Barbarossa. To St. Leopold she bore
eighteen children, of whom seven died in their infancy: the rest rendered their
names famous by great and virtuous actions. Albert, the eldest, having given
uncommon proofs of his valour and military skill, died in Pannonia, a few days
after his father. Leopold, the second, succeeded his father in Austria, and
reigned also in Bavaria. Otho, the fifth son, made great progress in his
studies at Paris, became first a Cistercian monk, and abbot of Morimond, was
afterwards chosen bishop of Frisingen, accompanied the Emperor Conrad into the
Holy Land, and died at Morimond in great sentiments of piety. His famous
Chronicle from the beginning of the world, and other works, are monuments of
his application to his studies. The Marchioness Agnes would have her part in
all her husband’s good works. With him she read the holy scriptures, and with
joy interrupted her sleep in the night to rise to the usual midnight devotions
of the church, to which this religious couple added together long meditations
on the truths of everlasting life. Leopold, in the year 1117, founded the
monastery of the Holy Cross, of the Cistercian Order, twelve Italian miles from
Vienna, near the castle of Kalnperg, where he lived. The saint and his
religious marchioness were desirous to have been able to watch continually at
the foot of the altar in singing the divine praises; but being obliged by their
station in the world often to attend other affairs, though in all these they
found God, whose holy will and greater glory they proposed to themselves in
every thing they did; they resolved to found a great monastery of fervent
regular canons, who might be substituted in their places, to attend night and
day to this angelical function. This they executed by the foundation of the
noble monastery of Our Lady of New Clausterberg, eight miles from Vienna. The
marquis out of humility would not lay the first stone, but caused that ceremony
to be performed by a priest. The church was dedicated in 1118 by the archbishop
of Saltzburg, assisted by the bishop of Passau, the diocesan, and the bishop of
Gurck. The foundation was confirmed by the pope, and by a charter of Leopold, 3 signed by Ottacar, marquis of Stiria, and many other counts and
noblemen, in presence of the bishops, who fulminated an excommunication, with
dreadful anathemas, against any who should invade the rights or lands of this
monastery, or injure or molest the poor servants of Christ, who there followed
the rule of St. Austin.
Stephen II. king of Hungary, invaded Austria, but was repulsed by St.
Leopold, who defeated his troops in a pitched battle. The Hungarians returned
some years after, but were met by the holy marquis on his frontiers, and their
army so ill handled that they were glad to save their remains by a precipitate
flight. Upon the death of Henry V. in 1125, some of the electors and many
others desired to see Leopold raised to the imperial dignity: but the election
of Lothaire II. duke of Saxony, prevailed. Conrad and Frederic, sons of the
Marchioness Agnes by the Duke of Suabia, who had also stood candidates, raised
great disturbances in the empire, to which they afterwards both succeeded. But
Leopold adhered with such fidelity to Lothaire, as to give manifest proofs of
his sincere disinterestedness, and to show how perfectly a stranger he was to
jealousy and ambition. He attended the emperor as his friend in his journey
into Italy. After a glorious and happy reign he was visited with his last
sickness, in which he confessed his sins with many tears, received extreme
unction and the other rites of the church, and, never ceasing to call on Christ
his Redeemer, and to recommend his soul, through his precious death, into his
divine hands, with admirable tranquillity and resignation, passed to a state of
happy immortality on the 15th of November, in 1136. He was buried at his
monastery of New Clausterberg, two German miles from Vienna, and on his and his
holy consort’s anniversaries two large doles are still distributed by the
community to all the poor that come to receive it. St. Leopold was honoured by
God with many miracles, and was canonized by Innocent VIII. in 1485. See his
life by Vitus Erempercht, published by F. Rader, in Bavaria Sancta, vol. 3, p.
143; the History of the Foundation of Medlic, quoted at large by Lambecius,
(Bibl. Vindob. vol. 2); and Francis of Possac’s oration before Innocent VIII.
in order to the saint’s canonization, (in Surius, t. 79,) in which many
miracles are recited; see other manuscript monuments quoted by F. Rader.
Note 1. Austria was part of Noricum, and
afterwards of Pannonia, when it fell a prey to the Huns and Abares. Charlemagne
expelled them, and settled colonies from whom the country was called
Osterriccha and Osterlandia; whence Austria signifies the eastern country, as
Austrasia in France. Charlemagne and his successors placed there governors of
the borders called marches, to restrain the Huns, &c. Upper Austria
frequently was subject to Bavaria. Leopold I. was created by the Emperor Otho
I. Marquess of Austria, in 940. St. Leopold was the sixth marquess, and his son
Leopold V. was also duke of Bavaria, from whom the present dukes of that
country derive their pedigree. Henry II., marquiss of Austria, was created the
first duke by the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa. Rodulph, count of Hapsburg,
possessed the county of Bregents, near Constance, and Alsace; after he became
emperor of Germany he obtained this duchy of Austria in 1136, with which he
invested his son Albert: from which time his descendants have remained possessed
of it. See Bertius, Rerum Germanic. Aventinus, Aannal. Boiorum; Rader. Not. in
S. Leopold. Fiefs or feodal principalities were established by the Lombards in
Italy, and, after the extinction of their kingdom, adopted in Germany, &c.
Titles merely honorary were first made hereditary by Otho I. The name of
Hertzog, which the Germans give to their dukes, signifies a leader of an army.
Landgraves were originally governors of provinces; margraves of marches,
frontiers, or conquered countries; burgraves of particular places of
importance; rhinegrave, of the country about the Rhine: wildgrave, of the
forest of the Ardennes, this word signifying wild count. See
Selden on Titles of Honour, Du Cange, &c. [back]
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume
XI: November. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/11/152.html
Nonostante la sua grande religiosità non potè evitare di essere coinvolto nelle lotte per le investiture e rimase fedele all'alleanza con l'imperatore di Germania, Enrico IV, di cui aveva sposato la figlia, sino a quando questi non venne scomunicato dal Papa. Leopoldo si allontanò da lui, seguendone il figlio, Enrico V, che sembrava condividere il suo pensiero ed essere favorevole a Roma, tanto che si era ribellato al padre.
Con la moglie, già vedova di Federico di Hohenstaufen, Leopoldo visse una vita di fede profonda, mettendo al mondo ben diciotto figli che, vissuti in un'atmosfera ascetica, scelsero poi chi il convento, chi il monastero, chi il vescovado.
Regnò per quarant'anni con giustizia, dando al suo regno un periodo di fecondità e di parziale pace, poichè dovette combattere contro il popolo Magiaro che sconfisse. Morto Enrico V gli venne offerto di diventare Imperatore della Germania, ma egli vi rinunciò, preferendo l'Italia, accanto all'Imperatore Lotario III. Morì nel 1136 lungamente compianto e venne canonizzato nel 1485, divenendo Patrono dell'Austria cattolica, della dinastia degli Asburgo, poi Asburgo-Lorena.
Il suo nome è soprattutto legato alla fondazione di quella che, dapprima semplice cappella dedicata alla Vergine, dove c'era una immagine miracolosa della Madonna, divenne poi il Santuario mariano più antico ed importante della Stiria (Austria), conosciuto in tutto il mondo col nome di Mariazell.
Gli Imperatori d'Asburgo e i Granduchi di Lorena che successivamente portarono il nome di Leopoldo, ma ovviamente anche gli altri, ritenevano un onore ed un dovere essere considerati protettori pii e generosi del Santuario; prima di tutto si recavano ad onorare la Madonna in qualità di pellegrini per la sua protezione, poi, come mecenati, consentirono la realizzazione di varie opere atte a migliorare l'accesso a Mariazell, quali vie di comunicazione, edificazione di chiese, conventi, immagini, nonchè la creazione di biblioteche, opere d'arte ed altro.
Viene spesso raffigurato con un edifico religioso in mano a ricordo delle numerose chiese e dei monasteri da lui fondati. Nella diocesi di Massa Marittima-Piombino il suo culto venne introdotto con la costruzione della chiesa parrocchiale d Follonica, per gli operai delle ferriere del Granduca Leopoldo II che la dedicò appunto al suo santo patrono. La costruzione, in muratura e ghisa è un capolavoro...
Autore: Patrizia Fontana Roca
San Leopoldo III il Pio Margravio
d'Austria
Melk, Austria, 1073 - Klosterneuburg, Austria, 1136
Nato a Melk, nel 1073 venne educato
dal monaco Altmanno, santo vescovo di Passau. Succedendo sul trono al
padre, che era margravio della Marca d'Austria, la sua prima preoccupazione fu
quella di promuovere la riforma ecclesiastica. Alleato dell'imperatore di
Germania Enrico V, ne sposò la sorella, vedova di Federico di Hohenstaufen. Un
matrimonio benedetto con 18 figli. I 40 anni del suo regno furono giusti e
prosperosi, per quanto dovesse guerreggiare contro gli Ungheresi, che
finalmente sconfisse. Il popolo lo chiamò Leopoldo il Pio e «Padre dei poveri».
Alla morte di Enrico V venne proposto come imperatore di Germania, ma rinunciò.
Fondò diversi monasteri e si adoperò in maniera particolare per il monastero di
Melk, sua città natale. Fondò anche quello di Neuburg, dove venne sepolto. Ma
alla sua memoria è legato Mariazell, nato prima come semplice cappella, o
«cella», dedicata alla Vergine, e poi, sotto la guida dei monaci benedettini,
diventato il più antico e il più importante santuario mariano di tutta l'Austria.
Leopoldo morì nel 1136. (Avvenire)
Patronato: Austria
Etimologia: Leopoldo
= che si distingue, dal tedesco
Martirologio
Romano: Nel cenobio di Klosterneuburg in Austria, deposizione di san
Leopoldo, che, margravio di questo territorio, chiamato Pio già da vivo, fu
promotore di pace e amico dei poveri e del clero.
Leopoldo III ( o "Il Pio" o "Padre
dei poveri", come lo chiamava il popolo), Margravio della Marca d'Austria,
nacque a Melk nel 1073 e venne educato alla fede cristiana dal santo vescovo di
Passau. Salito sul trono nel 1095, fino alla sua morte avvenuta nel 1136, il
santo marchese governò con grande energia e avvedutezza, prodigandosi per la
Chiesa, proteggendo i suoi diritti e promuovendo un'azione di riforma atta a
rinnovare lo spirito ed i costumi ecclesiastici, elargendo cospicue elemosine,
aiutando il monastero della sua città natale e fondando quello di Neuburg, dove
poi sarà sepolto.
Nonostante la sua grande religiosità non potè evitare di essere coinvolto nelle lotte per le investiture e rimase fedele all'alleanza con l'imperatore di Germania, Enrico IV, di cui aveva sposato la figlia, sino a quando questi non venne scomunicato dal Papa. Leopoldo si allontanò da lui, seguendone il figlio, Enrico V, che sembrava condividere il suo pensiero ed essere favorevole a Roma, tanto che si era ribellato al padre.
Con la moglie, già vedova di Federico di Hohenstaufen, Leopoldo visse una vita di fede profonda, mettendo al mondo ben diciotto figli che, vissuti in un'atmosfera ascetica, scelsero poi chi il convento, chi il monastero, chi il vescovado.
Regnò per quarant'anni con giustizia, dando al suo regno un periodo di fecondità e di parziale pace, poichè dovette combattere contro il popolo Magiaro che sconfisse. Morto Enrico V gli venne offerto di diventare Imperatore della Germania, ma egli vi rinunciò, preferendo l'Italia, accanto all'Imperatore Lotario III. Morì nel 1136 lungamente compianto e venne canonizzato nel 1485, divenendo Patrono dell'Austria cattolica, della dinastia degli Asburgo, poi Asburgo-Lorena.
Il suo nome è soprattutto legato alla fondazione di quella che, dapprima semplice cappella dedicata alla Vergine, dove c'era una immagine miracolosa della Madonna, divenne poi il Santuario mariano più antico ed importante della Stiria (Austria), conosciuto in tutto il mondo col nome di Mariazell.
Gli Imperatori d'Asburgo e i Granduchi di Lorena che successivamente portarono il nome di Leopoldo, ma ovviamente anche gli altri, ritenevano un onore ed un dovere essere considerati protettori pii e generosi del Santuario; prima di tutto si recavano ad onorare la Madonna in qualità di pellegrini per la sua protezione, poi, come mecenati, consentirono la realizzazione di varie opere atte a migliorare l'accesso a Mariazell, quali vie di comunicazione, edificazione di chiese, conventi, immagini, nonchè la creazione di biblioteche, opere d'arte ed altro.
Viene spesso raffigurato con un edifico religioso in mano a ricordo delle numerose chiese e dei monasteri da lui fondati. Nella diocesi di Massa Marittima-Piombino il suo culto venne introdotto con la costruzione della chiesa parrocchiale d Follonica, per gli operai delle ferriere del Granduca Leopoldo II che la dedicò appunto al suo santo patrono. La costruzione, in muratura e ghisa è un capolavoro...
Autore: Patrizia Fontana Roca
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Fonte:
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