By defending against invaders, challenging heresies, and leading his flock as the Bishop of Rome, my patron saint, Leo, rightly deserves the honor of being the first Pope to be called, “The Great.”

Leo was born in Tuscany, Italy, part of the Western Roman Empire, around 400 AD. By 431, he had been tonsured as a deacon in Rome and his zealousness for the Church was known outside the city. About the same time, Western Roman Emperor Valentinian III sent Leo to settle a dispute between Aetius, a military commander of Roman forces in Gaul, and Albinus, a consul. 

While in Gaul in 440, Pope Sixtus III died and Leo was elected to succeed him. During his reign, Leo defended against Dioscorus of Alexandria and Eutyches who believed in the Monophysite heresy that Christ was fully divine, but not fully man. In 451, the Great Bishop called the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon to condemn the heretics. The council concluded with the anathematization and excommunication of the heretical Dioscorus, Bishop of Alexandria, and the monk Eutyches. The next year, Leo persuaded Attila the Hun and his army to refrain from attacking the ancient city of Rome. In 455, Gaiseric, leader of the Vandal tribe, agreed to Leo’s requests not to kill civilians or raze the city. While Gaiseric kept mostly to the agreement, he did take some citizens as slaves during the sack. In addition to these diplomatic feats, Leo also wrote 96 sermons and 143 letters, of which the best known is his “Epistle to Saint Flavin.” 

Leo reposed in peace in 461 after serving his flock for 21 years. He is venerated in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican Churches, with his Orthodox Feast Day being celebrated on February 18. 

Without the guidance of Saint Leo, the Huns and Vandals could have destroyed the entire city of Rome and the Monophysite heresy could have continued to corrupt the Church for many years. Pope Leo was a truly deserving diplomatic defender of the Christian faith. As he said, “Virtue is nothing without temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.”