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I believe the English horse race commemorates (was founded by? originally run on the estates of?) a family named St Leger, but of their connection with the seventh-century saint, deponent further knoweth not. John Parsons On Thu, 2 Oct 1997, Steven Botterill wrote: > >Today, 2 October, is the feast of... > > > > >Leodegarius or Leger, bishop of Autun, martyr (679): Had many struggles > >with Ebroin, who eventually became absolute master of Neustria and > >Burgundy. Suffered tortures a number of times; once, after having his eyes > >put out without groaning, he had his tongue and lips mutilated -- but he > >still could speak. When eventually sent to be murdered, the four servants > >entrusted with this task begged his forgiveness; he forgave them, and they > >cut off his head. > > > > Is this the St Leger of the famous English horse-race? And, if so, what's > the connection? As I recall it isn't run on 2 October, and is a > post-Reformation institution anyway :-) > > Steven Botterill > > Associate Professor of Italian Literature & Romance Philology > Chair, Department of Italian Studies > > 3335 Dwinelle Hall #2620 > University of California > Berkeley, CA 94720-2620 > (510) 642-6246/642-9884 (FAX) > > > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%