Saint Leo of Catania
Encyclopedia
Saint Leo of Catania, nicknamed the Thaumaturgus (May 709 – 20 February 789) was the fifteenth bishop of Catania, famed also for his love and care toward the poor. His feast day occurs on the day of his death in which he is venerated as a Saint both by Catholics
and the Orthodox Church
. He lived in the lapse of time between the reigns of the Emperors Justinian II
and Constantine IV
. He struggled especially against the paganism
and sorcery
still prevalent in the Byzantine
Sicily
.
He left the memory of prodigies and charitable deeds, an admirable apostolate that deserved him his Greek epithet.For the natives of Catania he was simply Leone " il Maraviglioso" (the Wonderworker or He who performs Miracles).
Catania dedicated to him a peripheral suburb built around the homonymous Catholic Parish but even the name of the sole Eastern Orthodox church of the city, harboured in a temple that still maintains
the primal name of Saint Michael
the Lesser, restored recently and consecrated again to the purpose.
He is, moreover, the patron saint of the Sicilian
localities of Rometta
, Longi
and Sinagra. The hamlet of Saracena
in Calabria
celebrates him twice a year in Spring and in late Summer.
and very young he became a Benedictine
, then he moved and betook himself to Reggio Calabria
in Southern Italy where the local bishop Cyril nominated him archdeacon. Thereat he stayed till his episcopal election for the vacant Diocese of Catania.
A local legend asserts that the Catanians, who needed a new Bishop, had a collective dream wherein an Angel suggested them to search for the selected person in the Calabria
n city of Reggio
where a man in odour of sanctity lived in an hermitage. That stranger would have become the right guide to fill suchlike post. At first Leo was reluctant as he considered himself not worthy for this ordeal so he did not accept and decided to refute politely such summary acclaim. Afterwards, when the umpteen solicitations from Catania became doubtless and heartfelt, he persuaded at last. In fact on 765 he was appointed to rule over that Community of Christians.
In the coming epoch, in every regions of the Byzantine Empire (of whom Catania with the entire Sicily was a dominion) began the fierce and unrestrainable destruction of the sacred icons, the so-called "iconoclasm
", which Leo openly opposed to.
Owing to his firmness, the Byzantine Governor of Sicily ordered his arrest, forcing him to leave Catania and find refuge on the Tyrrhenian territories of the island. He wandered for many years through the woody Nebrodian heights, in the whereabouts between Longi
and Sinagra, protected by the people that recognized him as a fervent opposer of the Imperial power.
He reached, during this long peregrination a place called Rometta
. Here, on the Monti Peloritani backing Messina, he lived in a cave he hollowed out all by himself with his very hands and fingernails. Shortly after, when his persecution seemed to calm down he was able to come back to Catania where he repossessed his bishopric to keep on fighting with more strength than ever against the iconoclast laws and the new and growing gurgles of heresy.
He died in Catania on 20 February 789.
. Catanian dignitary of noble birth, he probably denied his Christian belief because of envy and rage for a choice so sudden and unexplainable to him, bearing a malice towards the foreign-born nominee and his fellow-citizens.
For this reason, he began devoting himself to the occult and magic with the sole aim to grow into Leo's worst adversary and noisome disturber to fascinate and lead astray with any sort of wizardries his occasional spectators in order to acquire easily compliant followers.
On the other hand, Leo always tried peacefully to convince Heliodorus that his behavior and deviltries were thoroughly wrong.But in vain. They met each other for the last time on 778 AD and their final clash will have a large echo throughout Sicily, to rebound even to the Imperial court of Constantinople.
During a Mass officiated by the Saint Prelate in the whilom mother-church of Catania, Heliodorus noisily rushed into the nave, slinking away along the pews to spellbind and confound the believers engrossed in the Sunday rite. In further versions of the same tale, many story-tellers want him to clamour inside the temple in the likeness of a black elephant or with the retinue of a trumpeting pachyderm.
Leo was constrained to conclude the Liturgy and determined on ending those roaring witcheries he drew away from the altar and forced his way through the parishioners to face that "demonic jester". Deranged by sorrow, he drew the conclusion that all his mild approaches and patient argumentations would have not been efficient any more. So, he decided to dare that impious enchanter to show publicly and prove baldly he who professed the rightest creed.
After ordering to heap up wood for a pyre in a furnace inside the close Achillean Thermal Baths, Leo suddenly enwrapped his omophorion round the abashed miscreant dragging him towards the chosen place where the balefire was already crackling. Both were immediately enfolded by highest flames that transformed their lineations and clothes in embers.
Only Leo will survive to this test of faith.He came out of the stake with undamaged vestments that kept shining about his unscathed body.The other unwilling contestant was fated to succumb instead. The only traces of his funeral pile were, as a matter of fact, a mass of smoking and glittering ashes.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. He lived in the lapse of time between the reigns of the Emperors Justinian II
Justinian II
Justinian II , surnamed the Rhinotmetos or Rhinotmetus , was the last Byzantine Emperor of the Heraclian Dynasty, reigning from 685 to 695 and again from 705 to 711...
and Constantine IV
Constantine IV
Constantine IV , , sometimes incorrectly called Pogonatos, "the Bearded", by confusion with his father; was Byzantine emperor from 668 to 685...
. He struggled especially against the paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
and sorcery
Maleficium (sorcery)
Maleficium is a Latin term meaning "wrongdoing" or "mischief" and is used to describe malevolent, dangerous, or harmful magic, "evildoing" or "malevolent sorcery"...
still prevalent in the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
He left the memory of prodigies and charitable deeds, an admirable apostolate that deserved him his Greek epithet.For the natives of Catania he was simply Leone " il Maraviglioso" (the Wonderworker or He who performs Miracles).
Catania dedicated to him a peripheral suburb built around the homonymous Catholic Parish but even the name of the sole Eastern Orthodox church of the city, harboured in a temple that still maintains
the primal name of Saint Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
the Lesser, restored recently and consecrated again to the purpose.
He is, moreover, the patron saint of the Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
localities of Rometta
Rometta
Rometta is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 180 km east of Palermo and about 12 km west of Messina...
, Longi
Longi
Longi is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 120 km east of Palermo and about 70 km west of Messina...
and Sinagra. The hamlet of Saracena
Saracena
Saracena is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The town is bordered by Altomonte, Castrovillari, Firmo, Lungro, Morano Calabro, Mormanno, Orsomarso and San Basile. The town's patron is San Leone di Catania, who is celebrated twice a year, once in...
in Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
celebrates him twice a year in Spring and in late Summer.
Life
Leo was born at RavennaRavenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
and very young he became a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
, then he moved and betook himself to Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
in Southern Italy where the local bishop Cyril nominated him archdeacon. Thereat he stayed till his episcopal election for the vacant Diocese of Catania.
A local legend asserts that the Catanians, who needed a new Bishop, had a collective dream wherein an Angel suggested them to search for the selected person in the Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
n city of Reggio
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
where a man in odour of sanctity lived in an hermitage. That stranger would have become the right guide to fill suchlike post. At first Leo was reluctant as he considered himself not worthy for this ordeal so he did not accept and decided to refute politely such summary acclaim. Afterwards, when the umpteen solicitations from Catania became doubtless and heartfelt, he persuaded at last. In fact on 765 he was appointed to rule over that Community of Christians.
In the coming epoch, in every regions of the Byzantine Empire (of whom Catania with the entire Sicily was a dominion) began the fierce and unrestrainable destruction of the sacred icons, the so-called "iconoclasm
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
", which Leo openly opposed to.
Owing to his firmness, the Byzantine Governor of Sicily ordered his arrest, forcing him to leave Catania and find refuge on the Tyrrhenian territories of the island. He wandered for many years through the woody Nebrodian heights, in the whereabouts between Longi
Longi
Longi is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 120 km east of Palermo and about 70 km west of Messina...
and Sinagra, protected by the people that recognized him as a fervent opposer of the Imperial power.
He reached, during this long peregrination a place called Rometta
Rometta
Rometta is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 180 km east of Palermo and about 12 km west of Messina...
. Here, on the Monti Peloritani backing Messina, he lived in a cave he hollowed out all by himself with his very hands and fingernails. Shortly after, when his persecution seemed to calm down he was able to come back to Catania where he repossessed his bishopric to keep on fighting with more strength than ever against the iconoclast laws and the new and growing gurgles of heresy.
He died in Catania on 20 February 789.
A Catanian legend: the Thaumaturge and the Charmer
According to a local account, among the candidates who were excluded from being vested with the episcopate, there was a character called HeliodorusHeliodorus of Catania
Heliodorus of Catania is a demi-legendary personage accused by his coevals of being a necromancer addicted to witchcraft.Son of a noble Sicilian family, he at first professed his Christianity, and he was even a candidate to assume the Episcopal Diocese of Catania...
. Catanian dignitary of noble birth, he probably denied his Christian belief because of envy and rage for a choice so sudden and unexplainable to him, bearing a malice towards the foreign-born nominee and his fellow-citizens.
For this reason, he began devoting himself to the occult and magic with the sole aim to grow into Leo's worst adversary and noisome disturber to fascinate and lead astray with any sort of wizardries his occasional spectators in order to acquire easily compliant followers.
On the other hand, Leo always tried peacefully to convince Heliodorus that his behavior and deviltries were thoroughly wrong.But in vain. They met each other for the last time on 778 AD and their final clash will have a large echo throughout Sicily, to rebound even to the Imperial court of Constantinople.
During a Mass officiated by the Saint Prelate in the whilom mother-church of Catania, Heliodorus noisily rushed into the nave, slinking away along the pews to spellbind and confound the believers engrossed in the Sunday rite. In further versions of the same tale, many story-tellers want him to clamour inside the temple in the likeness of a black elephant or with the retinue of a trumpeting pachyderm.
Leo was constrained to conclude the Liturgy and determined on ending those roaring witcheries he drew away from the altar and forced his way through the parishioners to face that "demonic jester". Deranged by sorrow, he drew the conclusion that all his mild approaches and patient argumentations would have not been efficient any more. So, he decided to dare that impious enchanter to show publicly and prove baldly he who professed the rightest creed.
After ordering to heap up wood for a pyre in a furnace inside the close Achillean Thermal Baths, Leo suddenly enwrapped his omophorion round the abashed miscreant dragging him towards the chosen place where the balefire was already crackling. Both were immediately enfolded by highest flames that transformed their lineations and clothes in embers.
Only Leo will survive to this test of faith.He came out of the stake with undamaged vestments that kept shining about his unscathed body.The other unwilling contestant was fated to succumb instead. The only traces of his funeral pile were, as a matter of fact, a mass of smoking and glittering ashes.
External links
Pictures and art
- Byzantine Icon of Saint Leo of Catania
- Sacred Image of Saint Leo
- Giuseppe Platania (Palermo 1780-1852) - Saint Leo and the burning Heliodorus (Museum of Castello Ursino - Catania)
- Matteo Desiderato (XVIII-XIX) - Saint Leo overcomes Heliodorus (Mother Church of Santa Maria di Licodìa - Province of Catania)
- Matteo Desiderato (XVIII-XIX) - Particular of Saint Leo's Portrayal (Mother Church of Santa Maria di Licodìa - Province of Catania)
- Statue of Saint Leo inside the Parishional Church of Saint Leo (Saracena - Province of Cosenza)
- Painting with Saint Leo and Heliodorus (Parishional Church of Saint Leo - Saracena - Province of Cosenza)
- Mural artistic creation - Saint Leo, Heliodorus and the pyre & the Unscathed Saint Leo (Parishional Church of Saint Leo - Saracena - Province of Cosenza)
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