Few other individuals in the history of the world can be credited with greater accomplishments than Pope St Leo I. He is the man who literally saved Rome itself from destruction and is one of only three Pontiffs in Papal history to be titled, "the Great". A native of Rome, Leo I served as a deacon and worked under Popes Celestine I and Sixtus III, learning how to deal with theological matters as well as the danger of heresies. He was elected Pontiffex Maximus in September or August of 440 while on a diplomatic mission to France. Comparitively little is known of his early life but today he is legendary for strengthening the early Christian Church and allowing it to survive the chaotic period surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire.
St Leo I is also important for his views on Papal infallibility. Although he probably never said, "Rome has spoken; the subject is closed" it was the general way in which he expected Church authority to be obeyed. He stated that every new Pope was the successor of St Peter and not simply the Pope before him, and inherited the power to "bind and loose" directly from the Apostle. He put forward the important principle that it is the office of Pope, and not the man himself, that is most important and incapable of error. As Pontiff he was a dutiful preacher and has left behind 96 sermons while also encouraging charity for the poor and working to rid Rome of the lingering pagan religions.
In 452 all of northern Italy came under a ferocious attack by Attila the Hun who swept south to Rome itself. Showing what can only be called incredible courageousness the Pope went out to face the barbarian chieftan and persuade him to spare the Eternal City. Historians have argued over why Attila would do such a thing, the Christians record that Attila saw a vision of an angel with a fiery sword floating over the head of the Holy Father waiting to incur the wrath of God if he attacked the city. Attila left with his army and retreated from Italy despite having a campaign marked by success up to that time. In 455 Pope Leo went out under similar conditions to meet Genseric, King of the Vandals. Although the city was still taken, he did persuade the tribal leader to spare it from the cruelties seen elsewhere.
For all of this, Pope Leo I was extremely popular and it seemed evident to everyone that he had truly inherited the powers of St Peter granted by Christ. After a reign on the Papal Throne of 21 years, 3 months and 10 days Leo I died and in 668 had his tomb moved from the porch of St Peter's Basilica to the interior itself with a monument erected in his honor. He was the first Pope to have been so treated. His feast day is November 10th. |
