Leo the Great

Paper Summary:

This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the life of Pope Saint Leo the First (Leo the Great). It includes a short biography of his life, which centers on his achievements and accomplishments. These accomplishments highlight why Leo the Great is considered one of the greatest Pope's of all times. He was known as a unifier, a great writer and a strategist who helped repel invasions of Rome by warring armies.

From the Paper:

"Little is known about Pope Leo's early life. One early biographer writes, "As to Leo's birth and early years, apart from the notice supplied by the Liber Pontificalis to the effect that he was of Etruscan origin and that his father's name was Quintianus, we are admittedly dependent largely on conjecture" (Jalland, 1941, p. 33). Many historians believe he was born around 400 in Tuscany, Italy, but his family moved to Rome when he was young, and he called Rome his home. He rose in the ranks of the Catholic Church until he served as a deacon. He was influential enough as a deacon for the Roman Emperor, Valentinian II, to send him to Gaul as a mediator to help settle a dispute between two high-ranking officials in the country. When Pope Sixtus III died, Leo was elected to succeed him. He was consecrated when he returned to Rome on September 29, 440. Leo reigned until his death in 461, and accomplished a great many important achievements during his reign as Pope."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Daniel-Rops, H. (1959). The Church in the Dark Ages (Butler, A., Trans.). London: J. M. Dent & Sons.
• Dunn, G. D. (2001). Divine impassibility and Christology in the Christmas homilies of Leo the Great. Theological Studies, 62(1), 71.
• Jalland, T. (1941). The life and times of St. Leo the Great. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
• McGinn, B., Meyendorff, J., & Ledercq, J. (Eds.). (1985). Christian spirituality: Origins to the Twelfth Century. New York: Crossroad.
• O'Collins, G., & Farrugia, M. (2003). Catholicism: The story of Catholic Christianity. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

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