Saint Leo I
Saint Leo I, also known as Pope Leo the Great, served as the bishop of Rome from 440 to 461 CE and played a crucial role in shaping the authority of the papacy during a pivotal time in history. His tenure marked the transition from the Roman Empire to the emerging early Middle Ages and western Christendom, where the Christian Church began to fill the power vacuum left by Rome's decline. Educated in a Latin tradition, Leo's early career involved diplomatic efforts on behalf of previous popes, and he was elected as the forty-seventh bishop of Rome in 440 CE.
Leo is particularly noted for his strong defense of papal authority, especially in theological disputes, with his Tome of Leo becoming a key document at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE regarding Christ's nature. His writings, including sermons and over a hundred letters, provided direction on doctrine and liturgical practices. A notable episode during his papacy includes his intervention with Attila the Hun in 452 CE, which is traditionally credited with preventing the sacking of Rome. Upon his death in 461 CE, Leo was buried in St. Peter's Basilica, and many historians consider him a foundational figure in the development of the modern papacy.
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Subject Terms
Saint Leo I
Related civilization: Imperial Rome
Major role/position: Pope/Bishop of Rome, writer
Life
Leo I, bishop of Rome from 440 to 461 c.e., vigorously defined and expanded the power of the papacy. He was a bridge between the fading power of the Roman Empire and the emerging world of the early Middle Ages and western Christendom. Under Leo, the Christian Church filled the vacuum left by Rome. Consequently, the papacy gradually became the dominant spiritual and cultural force in Western Europe.
Little is known of his early life. His educational background was thoroughly Latin. During his early career, he became an ecclesiastical diplomat representing the theological and political interests of several popes.
In 440 c.e., Leo was elected the forty-seventh bishop of Rome. He firmly asserted papal authority in many controversies including various heretical disputes. His Tome (449 c.e.; English translation, 1923), adopted by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 c.e., remains the orthodox position regarding the nature of Jesus Christ. His surviving writings include numerous sermons and more than a hundred personal letters in which he offered guidance on matters of doctrine, liturgy, and personal behavior. Traditionally, his personal intervention with Attila in 452 c.e. is believed to have saved Rome from being sacked by the Huns. Leo died in 461 c.e. and was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Influence
Leo enhanced the power of the papacy, and many historians regard Leo as the founder of the modern papacy.
Bibliography
Scaff, Philip, and Henry Wace. Leo the Great and Gregory the Great. Volume 12, second series, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1994.