Leo I | |
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Bishop of Rome | |
Church | Catholic Church |
Papacy began | 29 September 440 |
Papacy ended | 10 November 461 |
Predecessor | Sixtus III |
Successor | Hilarius |
Personal details | |
Born | Leo c. 400 AD |
Died | Rome, Western Roman Empire | 10 November 461 (aged 60 – 61)
Sainthood | |
Feast day |
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Venerated in | |
Attributes |
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Theological work | |
Era | Post-Nicene |
Language | Latin |
Tradition or movement | Chalcedonism |
Main interests | Christology |
Notable ideas | Chalcedonian 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.