St. Leo the Great
Pope and Doctor of the Church
Feast Day: November 10
Biography
St. Leo I (d. 461) was probably born in Tuscany or in Rome around the year 400. As a deacon of the Roman Church he was already an influential adviser to the popes, and in 440, while on a diplomatic mission in Gaul, he was elected pope. He governed the Church for twenty-one years during the decline of the Western Roman Empire. Leo is best known for his clear teaching on the Incarnation. In 449 he sent his Tome to Flavian, patriarch of Constantinople, explaining that Christ is one divine Person in two natures, fully God and fully man. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the bishops accepted this teaching, and according to the council's acts they exclaimed, 'Peter has spoken through Leo.' He strongly defended the authority of the See of Peter. In 452 he met Attila the Hun near Mantua and persuaded him to turn back from Italy, and in 455, when the Vandals under Genseric took Rome, he obtained a promise that the city would not be burned and its people massacred, though it was plundered. Nearly one hundred of his sermons and about 140 of his letters survive, including the Christmas sermon that urges, 'Christian, remember your dignity.' He died on November 10, 461. Pope Benedict XIV declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1754.
Patronages
Symbols
Prayer
St. Leo the Great, faithful successor of Peter, you proclaimed that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man and stood firm to protect your people in danger. Pray for our Holy Father and for all who teach the faith. Help me to remember my dignity as a child of God and to face every trial with courage and trust. Amen.
Asking for Intercession
Catholics ask saints to pray with us and for us, as we ask friends on earth. St. Leo the Great, who lives in God's presence, intercedes before His throne. Speak from your heart: “St. Leo the Great, please pray for me…” You may also pray the prayer above or include this intention in your Rosary.