Saint Pope Leo the Great:

Feast day : 10 November

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Pope Leo I, one of the most influential and revered Popes of the Church. The 21 years of his papacy was a period of great upheaval in the Church and the State through which he emerged as an influential leader of his time. Through his sermons, his leadership to the Council of Chalcedon, his fierce defence against heresies and his famous letter ‘The Tome’ he made a priceless contribution to the history of the Church, earning him the much deserved title ‘The Great’. In 1754 Pope Benedict XIV honoured him with the title ‘Doctor of the Church’.

Early life:

Pope Leo was a native of Tuscany, Northern Italy and is believed to have been born in the year 400. He often called Rome his homeland and hence it is believed that he grew up in Rome. Not much is known about his early childhood and most of his known history is recorded after he began to serve in the Church. Even before he was made Pope, he was considered to be influential and was well regarded by popular Bishops of his time. Saint John Cassian himself documented that it was on the persuasion of Saint Leo that he resumed writing, which he had abandoned for a monastic life. When Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem appeared to nurture bold and unlawful ambitions to control Palestine, Saint Cyril of Alexandria sought the help of Saint Leo to present the matter to the Pope in a suitable manner. When he was still a deacon and away in France on a civil mission to bring peace between two of the Roman Empire’s military leaders, he was called back. Pope Sixtus III had died and the people and clergy unanimously elected him as their bishop. Thus forty days after the death of Pope Sixtus III he came back to Rome and was consecrated the Pope on 29 September 440.

Papacy:

Saint Leo was commonly described by people who knew him as strong in principles and majestic in his stature. During the 21 years of his papacy he emerged as a very influential person of his time as there were no great saints, bishops or emperors in the East or West. During this period there were many barbarian nations who were trying to invade the Roman Empire. He is most remembered for his role in saving Rome twice from being invaded. The first time was when the notorious Attila the Hun tried to invade Rome in 452 and again when Genseric the Vandal tried to invade Rome in 455. Saint Leo went out to meet Attila at the request of the Emperor Valentinian and the Roman Senate. Through his courageous and persuasive words, Attila turned back and Rome was spared. Later when Genseric the Vandal came, the Emperor was dead, and there was no one to defend Rome. Saint Leo was the only one who could save Rome and he persuaded Genseric to spare the lives of the people and not burn the city. The Vandals looted the city for two weeks, but left the large churches and people unharmed.

Saint Leo strongly believed in the vision of unity of the Church as one and universal. His actions and thoughts were always inclined to protecting and strengthening the unity of the Church. Pope Pius XII called him “the greatest among the great: and Pope John XXIII in his encyclical “The Eternal Wisdom of God” which he wrote whilst commemorating the 15th centenary of St. Leo’s death wrote “St. Leo is celebrated above all as the Doctor of the unity of the Church...”

He also fiercely defended the Church against all kinds of heresies and argued against all false teachings saying “the integral and true Faith is a great bulwark to which nothing can be added or taken from by anyone.”

His sermons to the common people were always intended to teach and lead all souls to salvation. There are more than 96 extant sermons which revolve around the liturgical cycle and deal with Christmas, Passion, Easter and Pentecost. Among his collection of letters, there are a total of 173 letters and ‘The Tome’ dated 13 June 449 which is his most famous letter is numbered 28 in the series. The selection used in the Liturgy of The Hours for the Solemnity of the Annunciation is taken from ‘The Tome’. It is defined as ‘the plain man’s guide to the doctrine of the Incarnation’ owing to the simple language in which he wrote it for the common people to understand the great mystery of the Incarnation. He sent this letter to Saint Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople and later it was read to more than 500 bishops who had assembled at the second session of the Council of Chalcedon. This became an influential document in defining the doctrine about Christ’s nature and person which was approved in the fifth and sixth session of the Council.

Through his sermons, his leadership to the Council of Chalcedon, his wars against heresies and his famous letter ‘The Tome’ he made a valuable contribution to the history of the Church and to Christology.

Death & Sainthood:

He is believed to have died on 10 November 461 and was laid to rest in the entrance passage to the old St. Peter’s basilica. In 688 his sacred remains were moved inside the church. When the present basilica was built his remains were place in its southwest chapel. Pope Benedict XIV declared him ‘Doctor of the Church’ in 1754.