Leo I, a Tuscan by birth, governed the Church at the period
when Attila, the king of the Huns, (surnamed the Scourge of God), was invading
Italy. Attila pillaged and burned the city of Aquileia which he took after a
three years’ siege. This done, he rushed on towards Rome as a
wild firebrand. He had reached the place where the Mincio joins the Po, and was
on the point of ordering his troops to pass the river, when he was met by Leo
who was moved with compassion at the misfortunes that were threatening Italy.
Such was his superhuman eloquence that he induced Attila to retrace his steps.
When asked by his people how it was that contrary to his custom he had yielded
such ready obedience to the demands of the Roman Pontiff, the king answered
that he beheld, while Leo was speaking, a personage clad in priestly robes, who
stood near with a naked sword in his hand and threatened him with death unless
he obeyed the Pontiff. Attila then returned to Pannonia.
Leo was welcomed back to Rome amid the exceeding joy of all.
A short time after, when Rome was
invested by Genseric, the Pontiff’s eloquence and reputation for
sanctity had such influence on the barbarian that he abstained from setting
fire to the buildings, and forbade his troops to insult or massacre the
inhabitants. Seeing the Church attacked by several heresies, mainly by the
followers of Nestorius and Eutyches, Leo called the Council of Chalcedon to
remove error and vindicate the Catholic faith. Six hundred and thirty bishops
assisted at this Council in which Eutyches, Dioscorus and Nestorius were
condemned for the second and last time. The Decrees of the Council were
confirmed by the authority of Leo.
The holy Pontiff then turned his attention to the reparation
and building of churches. It was through his persuasion that a pious lady
called Demetria built the Church of Saint Stephen on her own land on the Via
Latina, three miles out of Rome. He himself built one on Via Appia and
dedicated it to Saint Cornelius. He repaired several others and refurnished
them with all the sacred vessels needed for the divine service. He built vaults
under the Basilicas of Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and Saint John Lateran. He
appointed guards, to whom he gave the name of Cubicularii, to watch at the
tombs of the Apostles. He ordered that these words should be added to the Canon
of the Mass: Holy Sacrifice, spotless Host. He decreed that a nun should
not receive the blessed veil unless she had observed virginity for forty years.
After these and other similar admirable acts, and after
writing much that was replete with piety and eloquence, Leo slept in the Lord
on the third of the Ides of April (April 11th). He reigned as Sovereign Pontiff
for 20 years, 10 months and 28 days.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
One of the grandest Saints in the Church’s
Calendar is brought before us today. Leo, the Pontiff and Doctor, rises on the
Paschal horizon and calls for our admiration and love. As his name implies, he
is the Lion of holy Church, thus representing, in his own person, one of the
most glorious of our Lord’s titles. There have been
twelve Popes who have had this name, and five of the number are enrolled in the
catalogue of Saints. But not one of them has so honoured the name as he whose
feast we keep today: hence, he is called “Leo the Great.” He deserved the
appellation by what he did for maintaining the faith regarding the sublime
mystery of the Incarnation. The Church had triumphed over the heresies that had
attacked the dogma of the Trinity, when the gates of Hell sought to prevail
against the dogma of God having been made Man. Nestorius, a Bishop of Constantinople,
impiously taught that there were two distinct Persons in Christ — the Person of
the Divine Word and the Person of Man. The Council of Ephesus condemned this
doctrine which, by denying the unity of Person in Christ, destroyed the true
notion of the Redemption.
A new heresy, the very opposite of that of
Nestorianism but equally subversive of Christianity, soon followed. The monk
Eutyches maintained that in the Incarnation the Human Nature was absorbed by
the Divine. The error was propagated with frightful rapidity. There was needed
a clear and authoritative exposition of the great dogma which is the foundation
of all our hopes. Leo arose and, from the Apostolic Chair on which the Holy
Ghost had placed him, proclaimed with matchless eloquence and precision the
formula of the ancient faith — ancient, indeed, and ever the same, yet ever
acquiring greater and fresher brightness. A cry of admiration was raised at the
General Council of Chalcedon which had been convened for the purpose of
condemning the errors of Eutyches. “Peter,” exclaimed the Fathers, “Peter has
spoken by the mouth of Leo!” As we will see further on, the Eastern Church has
kept up the enthusiasm thus excited by the magnificent teachings given by Leo
to the whole world.
The Barbarian hordes were invading the West. The
Empire was little more than a ruin, and Attila, “the Scourge of God,” was
marching on towards Rome. Leo’s majestic bearing repelled the
invasion, as his word had checked the ravages of heresy. The haughty king of
the Huns before whose armies the strongest citadels had fallen, granted an
audience to the Pontiff on the banks of the Mincio and promised to spare Rome.
The calm and dignity of Leo who, thus unarmed confronted the most formidable
enemy of the Empire and exposed his life for his flock, awed the barbarian, who
afterwards told his people that during the interview he saw a venerable person
standing, in an attitude of defence, by the side of Rome’s
intercessor: it was the Apostle Saint Peter. Attila not only admired, he feared
the Pontiff. It was truly a sublime spectacle, and one that was full of meaning
— a priest, with no arms save those of his character and virtues, forcing a
king, such as Attila was, to do homage to a devotedness which he could ill
understand and recognise, by submission, the influence of a power which had
Heaven on its side. Leo, single-handed and at once, did what it took the whole
of Europe several ages to accomplish later on.
That the aureola of Leo’s glory might
be complete, the Holy Ghost gifted him with an eloquence which, on account of
its majesty and richness, might deservedly be called Papal. The Latin language
had, at that time, lost its ancient vigour. But we frequently come across
passages in the writings of our Saint which remind us of the golden age. In
exposing the dogmas of our holy Faith he uses a style so dignified and so
impregnated with the savour of sacred antiquity that it seems made for the
subject. He has several admirable Sermons on the Resurrection, and speaking of
the present Season of the Liturgical Year, he says: “The days that intervened
between our Lord’s Resurrection and Ascension,
were not days on which nothing was done: on the contrary, great were the
Sacraments then confirmed, and great were the mysteries that were revealed.”
* * * * *
Glory be to you, Jesus, Lion of the Tribe of Judah,
that has raised up in your Church a Lion to defend her in those dark times when
holy Faith was most exposed to danger. You charged Peter to confirm his
Brethren (Luke xxii. 32), and we have seen Leo, in whom Peter lived, fulfil
this office with sovereign authority. We have heard the acclamation of the holy
Council which, in admiration at the heavenly teachings of Leo, proclaimed the
signal favour you conferred on your flock when you bade Peter to feed both
Sheep and Lambs. O holy Pontiff Leo! You worthily represented Peter in his
Chair from which your apostolic teaching ceased not to flow, ever beautiful in
its truth and majesty. The Church of your
own day honoured you as the great Teacher of Faith, and the Church of
every succeeding age has recognised you as one of the most learned Doctors and
preachers of the divine Word. From your throne in Heaven where now you reign,
pour forth upon us the understanding of the great Mystery which you were called
on to defend. Under your inspired pen
this mystery grows clear. We see how sublimely it harmonises with all other
mysteries, and Faith delights at gaining so close a view of the divine object
of its belief. Oh strengthen this Faith within us. The Incarnate Word is
blasphemed in these our own times. Avenge His glory by sending us men of your
zeal and learning. You triumphed over barbarian invaders: Attila acknowledged
the influence of your sanctity and eloquence by withdrawing his troops from the
Christian land they infested. In these our days there have risen up new
barbarians — civilised barbarians who would persuade us that religion should be
eliminated from education, and that the State, in its laws and institutions,
should simply ignore our Lord Jesus Christ, the King to whom all power has been
given, not only in Heaven but on Earth also (Matthew xxviii. 18). Oh help us by
your powerful intercession, for our danger is extreme. Many are seduced, and
are apostates while flattering themselves that they are still Christians. Pray
that the light that is left within us, may not be extinguished, and that the
public scandals which now exist may be brought to an end. Attila was but a
pagan. Our modern statesmen and governments are, or, at least call themselves,
Christians: have pity on them, and gain for them light to see the precipice to
which they are hurrying society.
These days of Paschal Time must remind you, holy
Pontiff, of the Easters you once spent here on Earth when, surrounded by the
Neophytes, you gave them the nourishment of your magnificent discourses: pray
for the faithful who have this Easter risen to a new life with Christ. What
they most stand in need of is a fuller and better knowledge of this their
Saviour, in order that they may cling more closely to Him, and persevere in His
holy service. Your prayers must get them this knowledge. By your prayers you
must teach them what He is both in His Divine and Human Nature: that, as God,
He is their Last End and their Judge after death: as Man, their Brother, their
Redeemer, their Model. Bless, O Leo, and
help the Pontiff who is now your successor on the Chair of Peter. Show now your
love for that Rome whose sacred and eternal destinies were so frequently the
subject of your glowing and heavenly eloquence.
Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Pergamus in Asia, St. Antipas, a faithful witness of
whom St. John speaks in the Apocalypse. Under the emperor Domitian, he was shut
up in a red-hot brazen ox and thus consummated his martyrdom.
At Salona in Dalmatia, the holy martyrs Domnion, a bishop
and eight soldiers.
At Gortina in Crete, in the time of Marcus Antoninus Verus
and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, St. Philip, a bishop most renowned for merit and
doctrine, who defended the church entrusted to his care against the fury of the
Gentiles and the wiles of the heretics.
At Nicomedia, St. Eustorgius, a priest.
At Spoleto, St. Isaac, monk and confessor, whose virtues
are recorded by Pope St. Gregory.
At Gaza in Palestine, St. Barsanuphius, an anchoret, in
the time of the emperor Justinian.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors
and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
