Leo

On this day we celebrate the memory of Leo, bishop of Catana.

Leo lived during the reign of Leo the Wise in 886. He came from the Italian city of Ravenna and was the son of pious and noble parents. Because of his pure life he was ordained to every office of priesthood first becoming a reader, then a subdeacon, deacon and a presbyter. Finally, he became bishop of the Metropolis of Catana, which is in Sicily. Leo, remaining faithful to his name (leo=lion) and being zealous in good and virtue, shined like a luminary in these parts. He took care of people's souls, he protected the widows, he comforted the poor, he pursued the darkness of heresy, and with his prayer he toppled a statue.

He built a great church in the name of victorious martyr Lucia the Sicilian and adorned it with his own works of art. He also executed the sorcerer and magician Heliodoros. When Leo had publicly ridiculed every kind of magic, which that Heliodoros worked, Leo wanted to clearly show to everybody his own piety and truth and also that villain's demonic work. So, Leo stepped into the fire together with Heliodoros and did not walk out of it until that miserable and cowardly man had been completely burnt.

Everybody was astonished at this miracle not only because Leo had not at all been burnt but also because the fire had left his holy vestments completely untouched as well. Rumours about this miracle reached the ends of the earth and, so, emperors Leo the Wise and Constantine, his son, having heard about it fetched Leo to Constantinople and begged him to pray to God for their sake.

Leo performed not only great miracles while alive but also, after he had died and was buried, worked many more wondrous things.