Pope Leo I


Leo I
Bishop of Rome
Miniature which depicts Leo I, contained in the Menologion of Basil II (c. 1000 AD, Vatican Library)
ChurchCatholic Church
Papacy began29 September 440
Papacy ended10 November 461
PredecessorSixtus III
SuccessorHilarius
Personal details
Born
Leo

c. 400 AD
Died(461-11-10)10 November 461 (aged 60 – 61)
Rome, Western Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day
  • 10 November
  • 11 April (pre-1969 calendar)
  • 18 February (Eastern Orthodoxy)
Venerated in
Attributes
Theological work
EraPost-Nicene
LanguageLatin
Tradition or movementChalcedonism
Main interestsChristology
Notable ideasChalcedonian Definition
Other popes named Leo

Pope Leo I (c. 400 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great,[1] was Bishop of Rome[2] from 29 September 440 until his death. He is the first of the three Popes listed in the Annuario Pontificio with the title "the Great",[3] alongside Popes Gregory I and Nicholas I.

Leo was a Roman aristocrat. He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. He is also a Doctor of the Church, most remembered theologically for issuing the Tome of Leo, a document which was a major foundation to the debates of the Council of Chalcedon, the fourth ecumenical council. That meeting dealt primarily with Christology and elucidated the definition of Christ's being as the hypostatic union of two natures, divine and human, united in one person, "with neither confusion nor division". It was followed by a major schism associated with Monophysitism, Miaphysitism and Dyophysitism.[4] He also contributed significantly to developing ideas of papal authority.

  1. ^ Neil 2009, p. 50.
  2. ^ "Martyrologium Romanum - November". www.liturgialatina.org. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
  3. ^ Annuario Pontificio. Holy See.
  4. ^ Davis, SJ, Leo Donald (1990). The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325–787): Their History and Theology (Theology and Life Series 21). Collegeville, MN: Michael Glazier/Liturgical Press. pp. 342. ISBN 978-0-8146-5616-7.