Thus far there have been 267 popes in the history of the Catholic Church. If you know much about Church history, you know there have been some really good popes and some really bad popes.
One pope that has been consistently listed as one of the “great” popes is Pope St. Leo I, who led the Church from 440 to 461.
In our own times, Pope Benedict XVI viewed his distant predecessor as a remarkable example of leadership and featured him in one of his general audiences.
“One of the greatest”
He stated in his audience in 2008, “As the nickname soon attributed to him by tradition suggests, he was truly one of the greatest Pontiffs to have honored the Roman See” and his pontificate “was undoubtedly one of the most important in the Church’s history.”
That is a bold statement, especially in light of the 267 popes to have led the Church during the past 2,000 years.
Benedict XVI explained that Pope Leo I was “the first Pope whose preaching to the people who gathered round him during celebrations has come down to us.”
“We are familiar with Pope Leo’s action thanks to his most beautiful sermons – almost 100 in a splendid and clear Latin have been preserved – and thanks to his approximately 150 letters.”
Pope Leo I lived during a difficult time in the world and one of his most well-known encounters was with Attila the Hun, convincing him to turn back his invasion.
Benedict XVI highlighted how, “Aware of the historical period in which he lived and of the change that was taking place – from pagan Rome to Christian Rome – in a period of profound crisis, Leo the Great knew how to make himself close to the people and the faithful with his pastoral action and his preaching.”
He was a man of great courage, not afraid to confront an invading army, while at the same time remaining close to his people.
While our own Pope Leo XIV had in mind the most recent Leo (Pope Leo XIII) when choosing his name, he also knew the saint who first chose Leo as a pontifical name.
Pope Leo I remains a powerful intercessor and example for all popes and leaders of the Church, showing how to be a true bridge in the world.
