He first fought in Lombardy[4] and later, in 1617 he served his faith by fighting Protestants[i]inBohemia and Hungary.[ii][5] In 1620[4] or 1622,[5] after returning from his campaigns, he gave his wealth to the poor and renounced his name; seeking peace, he cloistered himself in the hermitageofSanta Maria MaddalenainBrescia, taking the name of Tiburzio Lazzari.[2] He spent his time with the sick and destitute, providing them with conversation and consolation,[5] and would leave the hermitage only to go begging for alms.[3]
The life of a hermit sapped his health and he fell gravely ill. The wealthy of Brescia offered him succor in their palaces but he refused them. Rather, he asked to be taken to a hospital to die among the same people he had previously ministered to. Following his death in April 1625,[5] the faithful considered him so holy the Bishop of Brescia had to protect his body from those wanting it for relics.[2] The Bishop later convened a trial to examine his life and works,[6] and thereafter Leonelli was referred to as il Venerabile.[5]
Two years after his death, the regents of the hospital re-buried him in a tomb of fine marble. The tomb was relocated in 1733 as part of the restoration and improvements made to the temple of Santa Lucia at that time.[7]
Lupieri, Edmondo F. (1 December 2003). "Friar of Ignatius of Jesus (Carlo Leonelli) and the First Scholarly book on Mandaeaism (1652)". ARAM Periodical. 16. Peeters Publishers: 25–46. doi:10.2143/aram.16.0.504670.
Breve Racconto della Vita et Opere del Venerab. Servo di Dio Innocentto Leonelli della ctttd du Fossombrone [Brief Tale of Life and Works of the Venerable Servant of God Innocentto Leonelli of Fossombrone]. Fossombrone. 1679. Ms. in Fol., di carte 10, nel vol. 39 de' Mss. della Biblioteca Passionei. – Mentioned in Vernarecci (1903) p. 653
