Religion Catholic Church

Pope Leo I reined the Roman Catholic Church from 440 until his death in 461 . Next to Saint Gregory I , Pope Leo 's pontificate is the most noteworthy and vital in the Christian antiquity (New Advent , 2006 During a time where the Church was experiencing great obstacles to it 's progression in consequence of the disintegration of the Western Empire Pope Leo I guided the destiny of the Roman and Universal Church with his powerful hand and far-seeing prudence (New Advent , 2006

Pope Leo I was a native of Tuscany , Italy , according to

Liber Pntificalis (New Advent , 2006 ' Historical information claims that Pope Leo I was a deacon of the Roman Church under Pope Celestine I (422-432 . During this time , Pope Leo I had relations with Gaul (New Advent , 2006 . Throughout the pontificate of Sixtus III (422-440 , Pope Leo I was sent to Gaul by Emperor Valentinian II to settle disputes and bring about a reconciliation between the chief military commander and the chief magistrate of the province (New Advent , 2006 . This is evidence of the confidence that was placed on the Great Pope , then deacon , by the Imperial Court . Upon the death of Sixtus III on August 19 , 440 , a letter was sent to Deacon Leo , which later became his successor . Pope Leo I was consecrated on 29 September 440 and he governed the Roman Catholic Church for the next twenty-one years (New Advent , 2006

The chief objective was to sustain the unity of the Church . He saw himself obligated to combat energetically the heresies , which gravely threatened the unity of the Church , especially in the West (New Advent 2006 . Pope Leo I ed the faithful to point out heretics to the priests and conducted an investigation , in the

course of which the leaders of community were closely examined . Pope Leo 's sermons emphatically warned the Christians of Rome to be on their guard against heresy (New Advent , 2006

In Rome , a number of Manichaeans were converted and admitted to confession . Whoever remained inflexible were in obedience to Imperial decrees and banished from Rome by civil magistrates (New Advent , 2006 Emperor Valentinian II issued a strict diktat that established several punishments for the Manichaeans

Many countries were greatly unsystematic due to national migration , yet demanded tighter bonds between their episcopate and Rome for better promotion of ecclesiastical life (New Advent , 2006 . Pope Leo I , and his objective view , determined to make use of the papal vicariate of the bishops of Arles for the province of Gaul for the creation of a center for the Gallican episcopate in direct union with Rome (NNDB , 2006 . In the beginning , Pope Leo 's efforts were greatly hindered by his conflict with Saint Hilary and Bishop of Arles (New Advent , 2006

Conflicts had occurred to the vicariate of the Bishops of Arles and its privileges Hilary made unwarranted use of his authority over other ecclesiastical provinces , and claimed that he would sanctify all bishops (New Advent , 2006 . However , Pope Leo I stripped Hilary of...