St Leo the Great was a Pope who Stopped an Attack by Attila the Hun and a Doctor of the Church! Saint of November 10
Biography - Leo required people to rebuke Pelagianism publicly and to subscribe to an unequivocal confession of Faith before receiving Communion. The heresy of Pelagianism overemphasized human freedom. He also fought against Manichæism, which saw everything material as evil. Another heresy he suppressed was the Nestorians who attacked Mary’s title of Theotokos.
In Leo's conception of his duties as supreme pastor, the maintenance of strict ecclesiastical discipline occupied a prominent place. This was particularly important at a time when the rules of morality were being seriously violated. The pope, confirmed with a dogmatic letter the doctrine of the Incarnation, and the union of the Divine and human natures in the one Person of Christ against the heresy of Monophysitism. This general council held in Chalcedon in 451 solemnly accepted Leo's dogmatical epistle as an expression of the Catholic Faith concerning the Person of Christ.
Attila the Hun and Pope Leo
When Northern Italy had been devastated by Attila the Hun, Leo met the King of the Huns and prevented him from marching upon Rome. Pope Leo said; "Thou hast subdued, O Attila, the whole circle of the lands which it was granted to the Romans, victors over all peoples, to conquer. Now we pray that thou, who hast conquered others, should conquer thyself. The people have felt thy scourge; now as suppliants they would feel thy mercy.”
As Leo said these things Attila was silent, as if thinking deeply. And, suddenly there was a miraculous vision of the apostles Peter and Paul, like bishops, standing by Leo, the one on the right hand, the other on the left. They held swords stretched out over his head, and threatened Attila with death if he did not obey the pope’s command. Then Attila was appeased, by Leo’s intercession, and promised a lasting peace. He obtained from him the promise that he would withdraw from Italy and negotiate peace with the emperor.
Leo was also active in building and restoring churches. Leo also restored St. Peter's on the Vatican. Of his letters, which are of great importance for church history, 143 have come down to us. Leo died on the 10th of November, 461, and was buried in the vestibule of St. Peter's on the Vatican. In 688 Pope Sergius had his remains transferred to the basilica itself. They rest today in St. Peter's, beneath the altar specially dedicated to Saint Leo. In 1754 Benedict XIV exalted him to the dignity of Doctor of the Church. Leo, one of only three pontiffs who’ve been given the title ‘Great;’ the others being St. Gregory and St. John Paul the second.
Comments