Weedy
2023-06-12 08:20:37 UTC
The Holy Spirit in our lives:
"The Spirit restores paradise to us and the way to heaven and adoption
as children of God; he instills confidence that we may call God truly
Father and grants us the grace of Christ to be children of the light
and to enjoy eternal glory. In a word, he bestows the fullness of
blessings in this world and the next; for we may contemplate now in
the mirror of faith the promised things we shall someday enjoy. If
this is the foretaste, what must the reality be? If these are the
first fruits, what must be the harvest?"
(From the treatise by Basil on The Holy Spirit)
<<>><<>><<>>
12 June – St Pope Leo III
Bishop of Rome and Ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to
his death, Diplomat, financial administrator and Defender of the City
and peoples of Rome and of the Church. Peacemaker and restorer of
Churches and Monasteries, Patron of the Arts and apostle of the poor.
Known as “Charlemagne’s Pope” Born at Rome, Italy in c 750 and died on
12 June 816.
The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “At Rome, in the Vatican
Basilica, St Leo III, to whom God miraculously restored his eyes and
his tongue, after they had been torn out by impious men.”
Leo was of a modest family in southern Italy, the son of Atyuppius and
Elizabeth. He was made Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna by Pope Adrian
I, and also Vestiarius, or Chief of the Pontifical Treasury, or
wardrobe.
He was elected on 26 December 795, the day Adrian I was buried and
Consecrated on the following day. With the letter informing
Charlemagne that he had been unanimously elected Pope, Leo sent him
the keys of the confession of St Peter and the Standard of the City.
This he did, to show that he regarded the Frankish King as the
Protector of the Holy See. In return he received from Charlemagne,
letters of congratulation and a great part of the treasure which the
King had captured from the Avars. The acquisition of this wealth was
one of the causes which enabled Leo to be such a great benefactor to
the Churches and charitable institutions of Rome.
Prompted by jealousy or ambition, or by feelings of hatred and
revenge, a number of the relatives of Pope Adrian I formed a plot to
render Leo unfit to hold his sacred office. On the occasion of the
procession of the Greater Litanies (25 April, 799), when the Pope was
making his way towards the Flaminian Gate, he was suddenly attacked by
a body of armed men. He was dashed to the ground and an effort was
made to root out his tongue and tear out his eyes. After he had been
left for a time bleeding in the street, he was hurried off at night to
the Monastery of St Erasmus (remember St Elmo?)on the Cœlian. There,
in what seemed quite a miraculous manner, he recovered the full use of
his eyes and tongue. Escaping from the Monastery, he betook himself to
Charlemagne, accompanied by many of the Romans. He was received by the
Frankish King with the greatest honour at Paderborn, although his
enemies had filled the King’s ears with malicious accusations against
him. After a few months’ stay in Germany, the Frankish Monarch caused
him to be escorted back to Rome, where he was received with every
demonstration of joy by the whole populace, natives and foreigners.
The Pope’s enemies were then tried by Charlemagne’s envoys and, being
unable to establish either Leo’s guilt or their own innocence, were
sent as prisoners to France (Frankland). In the following year (800)
Charlemagne himself came to Rome and the Pope and his accusers were
brought face to face. The assembled Bishops declared that they had no
right to judge the Pope; but Leo of his own free will, in order, as he
said, to dissipate any suspicions in men’s minds, declared on oath,
that he was wholly guiltless of the charges which had been brought
against him. At his special request, the death sentence which had been
passed upon his principal enemies, was commuted into a sentence of
exile.
A few days later, Leo and Charlemagne met again. It was on Christmas
Day in St. Peter’s. After the Gospel had been sung, the Pope
approached Charlemagne,, who was kneeling before the Confession of St
Peter, and placed a Crown upon his head. The assembled multitude at
once made the Basilica ring with the shout: “To Charles, the most
pious Augustus, crowned by God, to our great and pacific Emperor life
and victory!” By this act was revived the Empire in the West and, in
theory, at least, the world was declared by the Church, subject to one
temporal head, as Christ had made it subject to one spiritual head.
It was understood that the first duty of the new Emperor was to be the
Protector of the Roman Church and of Christendom against the heathen.
With a view to combining the East and West under the effective rule of
Charlemagne, Leo strove to further the project of a marriage between
him and the Eastern Empress Irene. Her deposition, however (801),
prevented the realisation of this excellent plan. Some three years
after the departure of Charlemagne from Rome (801), Leo again crossed
the Alps to see him (804). According to some he went to discuss with
the Emperor the division of his territories between his sons. At any
rate, two years later, he was invited to give his assent to the
Emperor’s provisions for the said partition. Equally while acting in
harmony with the Pope, Charlemagne combatted the heresy of Adoptionism
which had arisen in Spain but he went somewhat further than his
spiritual guide when he wished to bring about the general insertion of
the Filioque in the Nicene Creed. The two were, however, acting
together when Salzburg was made the metropolitical City for Bavaria
and when Fortunatus of Grado was compensated for the loss of his See
of Grado by the gift of that of Pola. The joint action of the Pope and
the Emperor was felt even in England. Through it, Eardulf of
Northumbria recovered his Kingdom, and the dispute between Eanbald,
Archbishop of York and Wulfred, Archbishop of Canterbury, was
regulated.
Leo had, however, many relations with England solely on his own
account. By his command, the Synod of Beccanceld (or Clovesho, 803),
condemned the appointing of laymen as superiors of Monasteries. In
accordance with the wishes of Ethelheard, Archbishop of Canterbury,
Leo excommunicated Eadbert Praen for seizing the throne of Kent and
withdrew the pallium which had been granted to Litchfield, authorising
the restoration of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the See of
Canterbury “just as St. Gregory the Apostle and Master of the nation
of the English had arranged it”.
During the Pontificate of Leo, the Church of Constantinople was in a
state of unrest. In their distress, the Monks turned for help to Leo,
as they had done earlier. The Pope replied, not merely with words of
praise and encouragement but also, by the dispatch of rich presents
and, after Michael I came to the Byzantine throne, he ratified the
treaty between him and Charlemagne which was to secure peace for East
and West.
Not only in the last mentioned transaction but in all matters of
importance, did the Pope and Charlemagne act in concert. It was on
Charlemagne’s advice that, to ward off the savage raids of the
Saracens, Leo maintained a fleet, and caused his coastline to be
regularly patrolled by his ships of war. But because he did not feel
competent to keep the Moslem pirates out of Corsica, he entrusted the
guarding of it to the Emperor.
But when the great Emperor died (28 January 814), evil times once more
broke on Leo. A fresh conspiracy was formed against him but on this
occasion the Pope was apprised of it before it came to a head. He
caused the chief conspirators to be seized and executed. No sooner had
this plot been crushed than a number of nobles of the Campagna rose in
arms and plundered the country. They were preparing to march on Rome
itself, when they were overpowered by the Duke of Spoleto, acting
under the orders of the King of Italy (Langobardia).
The large sums of money which Charlemagne had given to the Papal
Treasury enabled Leo to become an efficient helper of the poor and a
patron of art, and to renovate the Churches, not only of Rome, but
even of Ravenna. He employed the imperishable art of mosaic not only
to portray the political relationship between Charlemagne and himself
but chiefly, to decorate the Churches, especially his titular Church
of St Susanna. Up to the end of the sixteenth century a figure of Leo
in mosaic was to be seen in that ancient church.
Leo III was buried in St Peter’s (12 June, 816), where his relics are
to be found along with those of Sts Leo I, Leo II and Leo IV. He was
Canonised in 1673 by Pope Clement X. The silver denarii of Leo III
still extant, bears the name of the Frankish Emperor upon them, as
well as that of Leo, showing thereby the Emperor as the Protector of
the Church and overlord of the City of Rome.
https://anastpaul.com/2021/06/12/
Saint Quote:
Christ, the Master of humility, manifests His Truth only to the humble
and hides Himself from the proud.
--St. Vincent Ferrer
Bible Quote:
But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of
God, to them that believe in his name. [13] Who are born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. [John 1:12-13] DRV
<><><><>
Prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit
O God, Send forth your Holy Spirit;
into my heart--that I may perceive,
into my mind--that I may remember,
and into my soul--that I may meditate.
Inspire me to speak with piety,
holiness, tenderness, and mercy.
Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts
and senses from the beginning to the end.
May your grace ever help and correct me,
and may I be strengthened now
with wisdom from on high,
for the sake of your infinite mercy.
--St. Anthony of Padua
"The Spirit restores paradise to us and the way to heaven and adoption
as children of God; he instills confidence that we may call God truly
Father and grants us the grace of Christ to be children of the light
and to enjoy eternal glory. In a word, he bestows the fullness of
blessings in this world and the next; for we may contemplate now in
the mirror of faith the promised things we shall someday enjoy. If
this is the foretaste, what must the reality be? If these are the
first fruits, what must be the harvest?"
(From the treatise by Basil on The Holy Spirit)
<<>><<>><<>>
12 June – St Pope Leo III
Bishop of Rome and Ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to
his death, Diplomat, financial administrator and Defender of the City
and peoples of Rome and of the Church. Peacemaker and restorer of
Churches and Monasteries, Patron of the Arts and apostle of the poor.
Known as “Charlemagne’s Pope” Born at Rome, Italy in c 750 and died on
12 June 816.
The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “At Rome, in the Vatican
Basilica, St Leo III, to whom God miraculously restored his eyes and
his tongue, after they had been torn out by impious men.”
Leo was of a modest family in southern Italy, the son of Atyuppius and
Elizabeth. He was made Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna by Pope Adrian
I, and also Vestiarius, or Chief of the Pontifical Treasury, or
wardrobe.
He was elected on 26 December 795, the day Adrian I was buried and
Consecrated on the following day. With the letter informing
Charlemagne that he had been unanimously elected Pope, Leo sent him
the keys of the confession of St Peter and the Standard of the City.
This he did, to show that he regarded the Frankish King as the
Protector of the Holy See. In return he received from Charlemagne,
letters of congratulation and a great part of the treasure which the
King had captured from the Avars. The acquisition of this wealth was
one of the causes which enabled Leo to be such a great benefactor to
the Churches and charitable institutions of Rome.
Prompted by jealousy or ambition, or by feelings of hatred and
revenge, a number of the relatives of Pope Adrian I formed a plot to
render Leo unfit to hold his sacred office. On the occasion of the
procession of the Greater Litanies (25 April, 799), when the Pope was
making his way towards the Flaminian Gate, he was suddenly attacked by
a body of armed men. He was dashed to the ground and an effort was
made to root out his tongue and tear out his eyes. After he had been
left for a time bleeding in the street, he was hurried off at night to
the Monastery of St Erasmus (remember St Elmo?)on the Cœlian. There,
in what seemed quite a miraculous manner, he recovered the full use of
his eyes and tongue. Escaping from the Monastery, he betook himself to
Charlemagne, accompanied by many of the Romans. He was received by the
Frankish King with the greatest honour at Paderborn, although his
enemies had filled the King’s ears with malicious accusations against
him. After a few months’ stay in Germany, the Frankish Monarch caused
him to be escorted back to Rome, where he was received with every
demonstration of joy by the whole populace, natives and foreigners.
The Pope’s enemies were then tried by Charlemagne’s envoys and, being
unable to establish either Leo’s guilt or their own innocence, were
sent as prisoners to France (Frankland). In the following year (800)
Charlemagne himself came to Rome and the Pope and his accusers were
brought face to face. The assembled Bishops declared that they had no
right to judge the Pope; but Leo of his own free will, in order, as he
said, to dissipate any suspicions in men’s minds, declared on oath,
that he was wholly guiltless of the charges which had been brought
against him. At his special request, the death sentence which had been
passed upon his principal enemies, was commuted into a sentence of
exile.
A few days later, Leo and Charlemagne met again. It was on Christmas
Day in St. Peter’s. After the Gospel had been sung, the Pope
approached Charlemagne,, who was kneeling before the Confession of St
Peter, and placed a Crown upon his head. The assembled multitude at
once made the Basilica ring with the shout: “To Charles, the most
pious Augustus, crowned by God, to our great and pacific Emperor life
and victory!” By this act was revived the Empire in the West and, in
theory, at least, the world was declared by the Church, subject to one
temporal head, as Christ had made it subject to one spiritual head.
It was understood that the first duty of the new Emperor was to be the
Protector of the Roman Church and of Christendom against the heathen.
With a view to combining the East and West under the effective rule of
Charlemagne, Leo strove to further the project of a marriage between
him and the Eastern Empress Irene. Her deposition, however (801),
prevented the realisation of this excellent plan. Some three years
after the departure of Charlemagne from Rome (801), Leo again crossed
the Alps to see him (804). According to some he went to discuss with
the Emperor the division of his territories between his sons. At any
rate, two years later, he was invited to give his assent to the
Emperor’s provisions for the said partition. Equally while acting in
harmony with the Pope, Charlemagne combatted the heresy of Adoptionism
which had arisen in Spain but he went somewhat further than his
spiritual guide when he wished to bring about the general insertion of
the Filioque in the Nicene Creed. The two were, however, acting
together when Salzburg was made the metropolitical City for Bavaria
and when Fortunatus of Grado was compensated for the loss of his See
of Grado by the gift of that of Pola. The joint action of the Pope and
the Emperor was felt even in England. Through it, Eardulf of
Northumbria recovered his Kingdom, and the dispute between Eanbald,
Archbishop of York and Wulfred, Archbishop of Canterbury, was
regulated.
Leo had, however, many relations with England solely on his own
account. By his command, the Synod of Beccanceld (or Clovesho, 803),
condemned the appointing of laymen as superiors of Monasteries. In
accordance with the wishes of Ethelheard, Archbishop of Canterbury,
Leo excommunicated Eadbert Praen for seizing the throne of Kent and
withdrew the pallium which had been granted to Litchfield, authorising
the restoration of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the See of
Canterbury “just as St. Gregory the Apostle and Master of the nation
of the English had arranged it”.
During the Pontificate of Leo, the Church of Constantinople was in a
state of unrest. In their distress, the Monks turned for help to Leo,
as they had done earlier. The Pope replied, not merely with words of
praise and encouragement but also, by the dispatch of rich presents
and, after Michael I came to the Byzantine throne, he ratified the
treaty between him and Charlemagne which was to secure peace for East
and West.
Not only in the last mentioned transaction but in all matters of
importance, did the Pope and Charlemagne act in concert. It was on
Charlemagne’s advice that, to ward off the savage raids of the
Saracens, Leo maintained a fleet, and caused his coastline to be
regularly patrolled by his ships of war. But because he did not feel
competent to keep the Moslem pirates out of Corsica, he entrusted the
guarding of it to the Emperor.
But when the great Emperor died (28 January 814), evil times once more
broke on Leo. A fresh conspiracy was formed against him but on this
occasion the Pope was apprised of it before it came to a head. He
caused the chief conspirators to be seized and executed. No sooner had
this plot been crushed than a number of nobles of the Campagna rose in
arms and plundered the country. They were preparing to march on Rome
itself, when they were overpowered by the Duke of Spoleto, acting
under the orders of the King of Italy (Langobardia).
The large sums of money which Charlemagne had given to the Papal
Treasury enabled Leo to become an efficient helper of the poor and a
patron of art, and to renovate the Churches, not only of Rome, but
even of Ravenna. He employed the imperishable art of mosaic not only
to portray the political relationship between Charlemagne and himself
but chiefly, to decorate the Churches, especially his titular Church
of St Susanna. Up to the end of the sixteenth century a figure of Leo
in mosaic was to be seen in that ancient church.
Leo III was buried in St Peter’s (12 June, 816), where his relics are
to be found along with those of Sts Leo I, Leo II and Leo IV. He was
Canonised in 1673 by Pope Clement X. The silver denarii of Leo III
still extant, bears the name of the Frankish Emperor upon them, as
well as that of Leo, showing thereby the Emperor as the Protector of
the Church and overlord of the City of Rome.
https://anastpaul.com/2021/06/12/
Saint Quote:
Christ, the Master of humility, manifests His Truth only to the humble
and hides Himself from the proud.
--St. Vincent Ferrer
Bible Quote:
But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of
God, to them that believe in his name. [13] Who are born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. [John 1:12-13] DRV
<><><><>
Prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit
O God, Send forth your Holy Spirit;
into my heart--that I may perceive,
into my mind--that I may remember,
and into my soul--that I may meditate.
Inspire me to speak with piety,
holiness, tenderness, and mercy.
Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts
and senses from the beginning to the end.
May your grace ever help and correct me,
and may I be strengthened now
with wisdom from on high,
for the sake of your infinite mercy.
--St. Anthony of Padua