APRIL 11, 2025 – LENT DAY 38 – ST. LEO THE GREAT.

• St. Stanislaus of Crakow (1079). Bishop, Martyr. Patron of Poland. (Current)
• St. Leo the Great (461). Pope, Doctor of the Church. (Traditional)
• St. Gemma Galgani (1903). Virgin. (Current) stigmatist

LEO was born at Rome. He embraced the sacred ministry, was made archdeacon of the Roman Church by St. Celestine, and under him and Sixtus III. had a large share in governing the Church. On the death of Sixtus, Leo was chosen Pope, and consecrated on St. Michael’s day, 440, amid great joy. It was a time of terrible trial. Vandals and Huns were wasting the provinces of the empire, and Nestorians, Pelagians, and other heretics wrought more grievous havoc among souls. Whilst Leo’s zeal made head against these perils, there arose the new heresy of Eutyches, who confounded the two natures of Christ. At once the vigilant pastor proclaimed the true doctrine of the Incarnation in his famous “tome;” but fostered by the Byzantine court, the heresy gained a strong hold amongst the Eastern monks and bishops. After three years of unceasing toil, Leo brought about its solemn condemnation by the Council of Chalcedon, the Fathers all signing his tome, and exclaiming, “Peter hath spoken by Leo.” Soon after, Attila with his Huns broke into Italy, and marched through its burning cities upon Rome. Leo went out boldly to meet him, and prevailed on him to turn back. Astonished to see the terrible Attila, the “Scourge of God,” fresh from the sack of Aquileia, Milan, Pavia, with the rich prize of Rome within his grasp, turn his great host back to the Danube at the Saint’s word, his chiefs asked him why he had acted so strangely. He answered that he saw two venerable personages, supposed to be SS. Peter and Paul, standing behind Leo, and impressed by this vision he withdrew. If the perils of the Church are as great now as in St. Leo’s day, St. Peter’s solicitude is not less. Two years later the city fell a prey to the Vandals; but even then Leo saved it from destruction. He died A.D. 461, having ruled the Church twenty years.

REFLECTION: Leo loved to ascribe all the fruits of his unsparing labors to the glorious chief of the Apostles, who, he often declared, lives and governs in his successors.

WORD OF THE DAY

CLOSED TIMES. Seasons of the ecclesiastical year during which there are restrictions concerning the celebration of marriage. Formerly a marriage at Mass was not allowed from the beginning of Advent until after the Epiphany, and during Lent and the octave of Easter. The present legislation does not forbid a Mass at the marriage during these times but does prohibit the distinctive Missa pro Sponsis (Mass for the Spouses) on the Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, on the last three days of Holy Week, on solemn feasts, and during the octave of Easter. Moreover, “if matrimony is celebrated during Advent, or Lent, or other days that have a penitential character, the pastor should admonish the spouses to take into account the distinctive nature of these liturgical seasons” (Rituale Romanum, Ordo Celebrandi Matrimonium, Praenotanda).

Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)

LENT MEDITATION DAY 38

Enjoy daily meditations this lent from Fr. Richard Clarke, SJ. Short and powerful, written in 1880 for busy lay people to reap rewards through lent. (includes audio): Lent Day 38: Friday after the Fifth Sunday in Lent— The Deriding of Jesus.

This article, APRIL 11, 2025 – LENT DAY 38 – ST. LEO THE GREAT. is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/april-11-2025-lent-day-38-st-leo-the-great/
Do not repost the entire article without written permission. Reasonable excerpts may be reposted so long as it is linked to this page.