St. Leo the Great

Troparion (Tone 3)
You were the Church's instrument
in strengthening the teaching of true doctrine;
you shone forth from the West like a sun dispelling the errors of the heretics.
Righteous Leo, entreat Christ God to grant us His great mercy

Troparion (Tone 8)

O Champion of Orthodoxy, and teacher of holiness,
The enlightenment of the universe and the inspired glory of true believers.
O most wise Father Leo, your teachings are as music of the Holy Spirit for us!
Pray that Christ our God may save our souls!

Kontakion (Tone 3)

Seated upon the throne of the priesthood, glorious Leo,
you shut the mouths of the spiritual lions.
With divinely inspired teachings of the honored Trinity,
you shed the light of the knowledge of God up-on your flock.
Therefore, you are glorified as a divine initiate of the grace of God.

In his letter Porta Fidei, Pope Benedict XVI mentions, among the various projects he wishes all members of the Church to take up for the Year of Faith, that we should study Church History. Pope Leo the Great, whose feast we celebrate today is certainly on of those important times of Church History that we should all know. He is celebrated in both the West and East because of the great work he did in safeguarding the Church from heresy. Indeed, he had to fight quite a few heresies amont them Nestorianism and Palagianism. while he was Pope another heresy began to spread - by Eutyches, which confused the two natures in Christ. This was called the Monophysite heresy. Several Councils were held to establish the truth, one of them which came to be called the Robber Council of Ephesus, because it was illegal in many ways. One being it was controlled by the Emperor and his delegates. Reading about the terrible things that went on makes you really tremble, since most of those present were priests and Bishops. (E.g. Pope Leo's delegate to the Council, who brought the Pope's contribution on the subject, called the Tome of Leo, cried out Contradicitur! in protest to decisions being made in obedience to secular authority. He was then beaten almost to death - in Church, no less!)

The Council of Chalcedon was held a few years later and the Tome of Leo was read declaring that there were indeed two natures in Christ, and one Person. On hearing this the Council Fathers, who were almost exclusively from the Eastern part of the Empire (due to the fact that Europe was in great turmoil from invasions of pagan Goths, Huns, etc. and they couldn't travel), cried out: This is the faith of the fathers, this is the faith of the Apostles. So we all believe, thus the orthodox believe. Anathema to him who does not thus believe. Peter has spoken thus through Leo. So taught the Apostles.

After this great victory, the Pope had to turn his attention to Italy, where Attila the Hun and his armies were destroying all civilization. He went out to meet him, and was able to convince Attila to leave Rome unharmed. According to the tradition, it was because Attila saw behind St. Leo two heavenly protectors - St. Peter and St. Paul.

We certainly have need of the prayers of St. Leo for our Church today!