Leo, Pope of Rome
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Leo, Pope of Rome

On this day we celebrate the memory of our holy father Leo, Pope the Bishop of Rome and as such, the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church (Roman and Eastern Catholic). of Rome.

Leo lived during the reign of Emperor Marcianus in 450.

Leo served as archdeacon with Pope Sixtus III, then was elected, against his wishes, to succede him in September 440.

Attila the Hun (Huns a nomadic people who invaded Europe in the 4th century.) came to lay siege against Rome. Pope Leo went out to meet him in his episcopal vestments. Attila received him and was persuaded to turn away (more about this meeting). This was because of Leo's holiness and because Attila saw a vision of Saints person of exceptional holiness. Peter and Paul holding flaming swords behind Leo.

Leo pastured his flock with holiness and completely destroyed the blasphemies of the heretics at the time of the holy and Ecumenical fourth Council which was held at Chalcedon (now Kadiköy in Turkey) in 451. This Council declared and affirmed many dogmas of the orthodox faith and completely refuted the dogmas of those heretics, who said that there was one nature and one energy and will over Christ, our God.

Because those enemies of God were fighting against the truth and were studying how to refute the God-inspired dogmas of the divine fathers, this blessed man yielded to the entreaties of the whole Council and he fasted, kept vigils, and prayed for many days. So, he was inspired by the life-giving Spirit and exposed in writing, declared, and laid down about the issues of that time that there are clearly two natures and two energies and wills over Christ, our God. He also sent a letter about these issues to the forementioned fourth ecumenical Council, about which the multitude of the fathers who received it thought that it was a column of orthodoxy and they believed that it was as if it had been pronounced by the mouth of God. So, that holy Council rested on this letter and with greater courage resisted the numerous Monophysites believed that Jesus Christ’s nature remains altogether divine and not human. and Monotheletes (Monothelites believed that Christ had two natures but only one will. ). The Council was dismissed after these things. Divine Leo on the other hand remained in this life for some time more, shining like the sun with his virtues, and then departed to the Lord full of years.

Glory be to God forever, Amen.