Saint of the Day: St. Leo the Great

Pope and Doctor of the Church (336-461)

His life

+ Leo was born in Tuscany and was ordained a deacon while still a young man. He made a name for himself by serving as an advisor to Pope Saint Celestine I and Pope Sixtus III. He was elected pope in 440, while on a peace-keeping mission to Gaul.

+ Described as a man of boundless energy and a large heart, he had a strong sense of duty and worked to increase the prestige and influence of the Church of Rome. He was anxious to ensure that Christians throughout the world believed and practiced the same ways.

+ Pope Leo is celebrated for his devotion to the Incarnation of Jesus, which he staunchly defended in his writings against certain heretical groups.

+ He was influential in secular politics and showed great courage when he faced the armies of Attila the Hun, ultimately helping to save the city of Rome from destruction.

+ Saint Leo the Great died on November 10, 461, and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1754 and is honored as the “Doctor of the Church’s Unity.”

For prayer and reflection

As the nickname soon attributed to him by tradition suggests, he was truly one of the greatest Pontiffs to have honored the Roman See and made a very important contribution to strengthening its authority and prestige. He was the first Bishop of Rome to have been called Leo, a name used subsequently by another 12 Supreme Pontiffs, and was also the first Pope whose preaching to the people who gathered round him during celebrations has come down to us.”—Pope Benedict XVI

Spiritual bonus

On November 10 we also remember Saint Probus of Ravenna. Honored as a miracle worker during his life, this holy bishop died around the year 175.

Vocations

To learn about the life and ministry of the Benedictine monks of St. Leo Abbey (St. Leo, Florida), visit: https://saintleoabbey.org/

Prayer

O God, who never allow the gates of hell
to prevail against your Church,
firmly founded on the apostolic rock,
grant her, we pray,
that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo,
she may stand firm in your truth
and know the protection of lasting peace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.