Pope Leo I / St. Leo the Great Feast Day: November 10 Born: around 400 AD Died: November 10, 461 Patron: popes, vocations, confessors

St. Leo I was born in Italy around 400 A.D. He was known as a skillful arbiter during an arduous time of heresies, quarrels over defining doctrine, and barbarism. While still a deacon, Leo was elected pope in 440. He was an excellent administrator of the Church, he created doctrine based on the teachings passed on from the Apostles while still caring for the needy and the poor. Over 100 letters and sermons have been handed down from St. Leo. Heresies that threatened the Eastern Church came from the Arians, Pelagians, Nestorians and Manichaeans. False teachings that they spread included: that Jesus was not equal to God the Father; there is no such thing as Original Sin; human perfection could be achieved without divine grace; rejection of Mary as Mother of God; and that all material creation is evil including man. Leo had a gift of clarity. His sermons and writings provided such lucidity on these issues that many were converted to the Truth. The Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451 instituted Pope Leo’s Tome where he explained the Incarnation of Christ as being both fully divine and fully human which was necessary for the restoration of man’s unity with God. The Tome was so clear and concise that the Eastern Church had confidence that Leo spoke as the successor of Peter and accepted this doctrine. Pope Leo prevented the Church from splitting in the 5th century. The Church was endangered by constant invading forces. First, in 452, Atilla the Hun brutally ravaged the Roman Empire. He decimated cities in northern Italy. When he headed for Rome, Pope Leo was sent to intervene. It was a shock to all when Atilla was persuaded by Leo to turn away. It is said that Atilla saw a vision over Leo’s head of Ss Peter and Paul who were brandishing swords warning him he would be killed if he plundered any further. A year later, just as he began to prepare for another attack on the Roman Empire, Atilla died from a mysterious nose bleed. Yet another scourge on the Roman Empire was the Vandal army from Spain. They pillaged their way toward Rome. Pope Leo boldly approached them and begged them to spare the basilicas of St. John Lateran and Ss Peter and Paul. Leo and several bishops saved countless lives as they ushered thousands of people into these churches while the Vandals sacked and devastated the rest of Rome. St. Pope Leo I reigned as pontiff for over 20 years. He fought battles on many fronts, unifying the Church and preserving Apostolic teaching through clear and concise doctrine. St. Leo the Great died on Nov. 10, 461. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754. “Our sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ has no other purpose than to transform us into that which we receive.” ~ St. Pope Leo the Great