Saint Leo I the Great was born in 390 and came from Etruria. In his youth, he received an excellent education (he was a disciple of St. Celestine of Rome) and had the opportunity to make a good secular career, but, striving for a spiritual life, he chose a different path in life and became an archdeacon under Holy Pope Sixtus III (432-440), and after his death in August 440, he was elected to the papacy.
After becoming pope, the saint fought against the Eastern heresy of Manichaeism and remnants of paganism. In 452, the saint met with Attila, gave him the nickname "scourge of God" and persuaded him not to destroy Rome. In honor of this victory, Leo ordered the statue of the Capitoline Jupiter to be transformed into the figure of the Apostle St. Peter, which was installed in the Basilica of St. Peter. Peter is in the Vatican. Leo opened two monasteries next to St. Peter's Basilica. St. John and St. John the Baptist St. Paul's. It is believed that Saint Leo was able to combine pastoral gentleness and kindness with unshakeable firmness in matters of religion. In 455, Saint Leo met with the vandal Geiseric, but was unable to change his intention to capture the city, but managed to convince him not to destroy the city, not to burn buildings and not to shed innocent blood.
He was the main defender of Orthodoxy against the heresy of Eutychius and Dioscorus, who taught about the same nature in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the heresy of Nestorius.
He used all his influence to pacify the Church, which was embarrassed by heretics. Saint Leo lived to a very old age. He knew in advance about his death and prepared himself with warm prayer and good deeds for the transition from this world to eternity.
He died in 461 and was buried in Rome, in the Vatican Cathedral. Leo was the first pope to be buried in St. Peter's Basilica. Peter. His literary and theological legacy consists of 96 sermons and 143 epistles. The relics of St. Leo rest in the chapel of his name in the Vatican Cathedral in Rome. Saint Leo is prayed for healing from various ailments.