Pope St. Leo II

 *** Happy All Saints Day ***

It is November again, and time to visit with some of our friends who have won the crown of Sainthood. Why do I love the Saints? I love them because they are my friends. They inspire me, they comfort me, they pray for me and they love me. They are my family. In the song "For All The Saints" that we sing every year on this feast, there is a line that says that while "we feebly struggle, they in glory shine." Yet, we are all one in Christ so they take a great interest in our struggle. 

This year, God gave us a new Pope who took the name Leo. There is a great history in that name. He is the fourteenth pope of that name, and five of them have been named Saints. I wrote a post about the first Pope Leo (St. Leo the Great) in 2014, so tonight I will tell you about Pope St. Leo II.

I could find very little on this Pope's early life. He was born in Sicily in 611 and his father's name was Paul. He was known as an eloquent preacher, was interested in music and was known for his charity to the poor.

St. Agatho, the previous pope, died on January 10, 681. Leo was elected to the papacy on April 16 of that year; however, he was not consecrated until August 17, 682. It is believed that the delay was due to a dispute with the Byzantine Emperor over a tax that the popes were expected to pay to the imperial treasury at the time of their consecration. St. Agatho had received a promise from the emperor that the tax would be eliminated or at least reduced. Negotiations were ongoing at the time of his death and delayed Leo's consecration as Pope.

Leo II was the 80th Pope and reigned for less than a year. In his brief papacy, he received, approved and published the acts that came out of the Sixth Ecumenical Council of Constantinople. He ordered the acts to be translated into Latin from the original Greek so that they could be understood throughout the Western Churches. Many of Pope Leo II's letters survive, explaining the impacts of the council and instructing bishops to follow the decrees. 

Pope Leo II died on June 28, 683, at the age of 72. His Feast Day was moved from June 28 to July 3 to open up June 28 for the vigil of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and to streamline th eliturgical calendar.

Pope St. Leo II, pray for us.