Leo was born in Tuscany perhaps in 391.
By the late 430s, he was consecrated as deacon. As deacon, he had responsibilities for managing the money and property of the church, and for caring for the poor. Leo was well known in the wider church to the extent that in 431 John Cassian dedicated his letter on the Nestorian controversy to Leo.
In 440, shortly before becoming bishop of Rome, Leo was sent to Gaul by the Emperor on a diplomatic mission. This demonstrates his skill in mediation, and also the new secular role of the church at this time of the decline of the Roman Empire.
That same year, in 440, on the death of the previous bishop of Rome, Sixtus III, Leo was elected to take his place. Prosper of Aquitane served as his secretary.
Leo fought against the Pelagian heresy, and dealt with the issue of clergy ordained without a clear abjuration of that false teaching.
In 443, he also conducted examinations into the community of Manicheans which had been formed at Rome by those fleeing from the Vandals in North Africa.
In 449, Leo delivered his Tome at a council of Ephesus. This became the standard for an orthodox understanding of Christology. It was read out and acclaimed at the later 451 Council of Chalcedon: “Behold, this is the Faith of the Fathers. This is the Faith of the apostles. This we believe. Peter has spoken through Leo.”
In 452, Leo persuaded Attila the Hun, who was occupying parts of Italy, not to invade the city of Rome.
In 455, Rome faced another threat from the Vandals, who landed from North Africa, and sacked Rome. While he could not prevent the sack, he pleaded for mercy and was able to mitigate it, and spared many lives.
He died in 461.
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