I am feeling uninspired today, so I am picking a Saint at random from Butler's Lives of the Saints. I opened up volume one and found Ss. Leo and Paregorius. It seems that we are once again venerating one of Pope Leo's name Saints.
The story of these two friends is largely legendary. It is believed that they lived sometime around the third century. Paregorius suffered martyrdom for the faith at Patara in Lycia (modern day Turkey). His close friend, Leo, while overjoyed at his friend's victory, was disconsolate at being deprived of the happiness of sharing that victory. But Leo was not to be deprived of the chance for long.
The governor of Lycia published an edict obliging all men to offer sacrifice on the festival of the pagan deity, Serapis. Leo, on the way to pray at his friend's tomb, had to pass the temple of the god. He was distressed to see among the crowds some whom he knew to be Christians who had been led by fear to join in the festival. That night he had a dream that he was being called to a conflict similar to what Paregorius had endured.
The next time he went to visit his friend's tomb, he saw that the Temple of Fortune was illuminated with lanterns and candles. Moved by the Spirit, he began to pull down as many of the lanterns as he could reach and trampled on the candles. A report of this reached the governor who ordered Leo brought before him. He was charged with impiety to the gods and to the emperors. Leo calmly professed his allegiance to the One God and refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. The governor had him scourged, but he still refused to say that the gods were great. Leo was sentenced to be tied by the feet, dragged to the place of execution and his body cast over the precipice. Christians recovered his body, unbruised and entire.
The feast of Ss. Leo and Paregorius is February 18.
Leo and Paregorius, pray for us.
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