Leo the Great

November 10 marks the feast day of Pope St. Leo I, also known as Leo the Great, who was Roman pontiff from 440 to 461. He was a great scholar and defender of the faith, and as such is a Doctor of the Church. As a deacon he knew and communicated with other great saint-scholars, including John Cassian and Cyril of Alexandria, and with them combated various heresies, including Pelagianism and Nestorianism. After becoming pope, he vigorously taught the humanity and divinity of Christ with a clear Christological explanation for how this is possible. His teaching was one of the primary inspirations for the definitive dogma handed down by the Council of Chalcedon, and tradition has it that the council fathers, after hearing Leo's statements on Christ read aloud, proclaimed, "This is the faith of the fathers. Peter has spoken thus through Leo." Pope St. Leo also vigorously defended the idea of Petrine primacy, i.e. the pope's preeminence and superiority over the other bishops of the Church by virtue of his succession of St. Peter as bishop of Rome.

Raphael's fresco The Meeting of Leo I and Attila in the Vatican

Leo is perhaps most well known in modern times for his skillful defense of the city of Rome. The mid-5th century saw the heights of the barbarian invasions into Italy, as the Roman Empire was in its final stages of collapse. The pope at the time was the figure of lawful authority in Rome and its guardian. Depending on which account you believe, Leo's skills at teaching, negotiation, bribery, or threat-making prompted Attila to withdraw his Hun army from the gates of Rome to back across the Danube in 452. In 455, Leo convinced the Vandals to spare much of the citizenry and treasures of the city although he could not prevent them from sacking it.

One of the longest-reigning and most influential popes in the Church's history, Leo the Great is one of only three popes to be honored with such an appellation. St. Leo, pray for us!

* * *

Tomorrow, November 11, also marks Veterans' Day in the United States, during which we honor all of those, past and present, that have served in our nation's armed forces. As our country continues to wage two wars, affecting as always many families and loved ones back home, let us continue to pray for the protection of all our armed service men and women. In gratitude for the sacrifices made by all who have defended our country, and through the intercession of Pope St. Leo the Great who himself defended the people of Rome from those who would do it harm, may God bless them and bring them home safely!