November 10 marks the Feast Day of Saint Leo the Great, Patron Saint of Popes and Confessors
The current Pope, Leo XIV (elected in May 2025, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost), was primarily inspired by his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, known for his work on Catholic social teaching, and to honor Saint "Leo the Great" or Saint Leo I (Leo the Great), a highly influential early pope (440-461 AD) known for his doctrinal work at the Council of Chalcedon and, according to legend, for persuading Attila the Hun not to invade Rome.
Pope Saint Leo I, was born into a Roman aristocratic family. His response to the call of the Lord transformed him into one of the greatest popes of Christian history. He was the first pope to be given the title "the Great." Details pertaining to Leo's place of birth are not known, but it is believed his ancestors come from Tuscany.
Pope Leo I, (reigned 440–461 AD) was a pivotal and influential leader of the early Church, the first pope to be given the title "the Great," and is recognized as a Doctor of the Church. He is most known for his defense of orthodox Christian doctrine, his efforts to centralize papal authority, and his diplomatic interventions against barbarian invasions.
Leo the Great's strong leadership and doctrinal clarity left an indelible mark on Church history, helping to define the authority of the papacy and orthodox Christology for centuries to come.
St. Leo the Great became a very well-known deacon of the Church by 431, serving the church under the pontificate of Pope Celestine I. Leo was widely respected for his love for the Lord, intelligence and persuasive nature. He was also gifted in bringing reconciliation between disputing groups of Christians.
That is why he was often sent out to settle disputes, both secular and theological. Following the pontificate of Pope Celestine, the next Pope was Pope Sixtus III.
Pope Sixtus III passed away while Leo was visiting Gaul at the request of Emperor Valentinian III. His task was to bring peace between one of Gaul's chief military commanders and the chief magistrate. Leo was then unanimously elected as the next pope to succeed Pope Sixtus III in 440. His swift election reflected the respect he had garnered among the people from his service to the Lord and the affection the faithful had this pastoral and wise servant of the Lord.
Saint Leo the Great confronted several major heresies that threatened the unity and doctrine of the early Church. His primary focus was on heresies relating to the nature of Christ (Christological controversies) in the East, as well as moral and theological errors prevalent in the West.
Christological Heresies (East) Monophysitism (Eutychianism): This was the most significant heresy Pope Leo challenged. Promoted by the monk Eutyches and supported at the "Robber Council" of Ephesus in 449 AD, Monophysitism argued that Christ had only a single, divine nature, or that his human nature was absorbed into his divine nature. This contradicted the orthodox belief that Christ is both fully human and fully divine. Pope Leo's Response: Pope Lep wrote his famous dogmatic letter, the "Tome of Leo" (or Tome to Flavian), which provided the classic orthodox explanation of the doctrine of the Incarnation, affirming the hypostatic union: that Christ is one person with two distinct natures, human and divine, without confusion or separation. This letter was accepted as the official teaching of the Church at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, where the bishops famously declared, "Peter has spoken through Leo".
Nestorianism: While Monophysitism was the primary contemporary threat, Leo also opposed Nestorianism, which he viewed as the opposite extreme. Nestorianism, previously condemned at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), taught that Christ was two separate persons (one divine, one human) rather than a single person with two natures. Leo argued that both Nestorianism and Monophysitism shared a "spirit of falsity" in their misunderstanding of Christ's nature.
Western Heresies Pelagianism: This heresy denied the existence of original sin and emphasized human free will to achieve salvation without the necessity of God's grace. Leo worked to ensure that former adherents were readmitted into the Church only after explicitly abjuring their heresy and accepting the need for divine grace.
Manichaeism: A dualistic heresy that viewed all material creation, including the human body, as inherently evil and the spirit as good. Leo took sharp measures against the spread of Manichaeism in Italy, demanding an explicit abjuration from its followers.
Through his extensive writings, sermons, and councils, Pope Leo the Great defended the purity of the Church's doctrine and worked tirelessly to maintain Christian unity against these false teachings.
Pastoral Care and Writings: Beyond his administrative and diplomatic roles, Pope Leo was a dedicated pastor who preached vigorously and wrote extensively. Nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters have been preserved, which are noted for their spiritual depth and clear explanation of the faith. He also energized charitable works to aid the poor, refugees, and sick in Rome.
Papal Authority: He was a strong advocate for the primacy of the Bishop of Rome as the successor of the Apostle Peter, asserting the universal authority of the papacy as a means of maintaining unity throughout the Church during a time of political and social upheaval.
Diplomatic Interventions: Leo I is historically celebrated for meeting the Hun leader Attila in 452 near the Mincio River and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy, thus saving Rome from destruction. He also negotiated with the Vandal king Genseric in 455, convincing him to spare the city from burning and general slaughter, though a two-week pillage still occurred.
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