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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.
Heavenly Father, Shepherd of your people, we thank you for your servant Leo, who was faithful in the care and nurture of your flock; and we pray that, following his example and the teaching of his holy life, we may by your grace grow into the stature of the fullness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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