Vatican City, Mar 5, 2008 / 09:01 am
Pope St. Leo the Great was the latest Church Father that Pope Benedict XVI focused on as he held his weekly general audience on Wednesday. Leo the Great, according to Pope Benedict, was one of the greatest pontiffs of all time because of his work as a pastor and his strength during difficulty.
Before beginning his audience with the 6,000 pilgrims gathered in Paul VI Halla, the Holy Father briefly visited with the pilgrims in St. Peter’s Basilica.
As he began his talk on St. Leo the Great, Pope Benedict reflected on the fact that he is referred to as “the Great,” a title which is rarely given and only done so by the popular acclaim of the people.
Pope St. Leo “was one of the greatest incumbents of the See of Rome, the authority and prestige of which he strengthened. He is also the earliest Pope whose sermons have come down to us, sermons he would address to the people who gathered around him during celebrations", the Holy Father explained.