Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Vol. 12 (Leo the Great, Gregory the Great)

In these letters, he restated the doctrine of the Incarnation, endeavoring to clear up any misconceptions that the inaccuracy of the Greek version of the "Tome" may have caused. Eventually, he was able to congratulate the Emperor on the restoration of peace and order in that part of the empire.

Similar riots were reported in Cappadocia, where the monks were led by one of their own named George, and in Constantinople, where the ringleaders were Carosus and Dorotheus, as well as in Egypt.

Before we narrate the final victory of the orthodox cause throughout Christendom against the Eutychians, there are two political events—one in 452 and one in 455—to which reference must be made. These show the remarkable prestige Leo’s character had gained among all classes of society. When he was made pope, we found him in Gaul mediating between rival generals. We now find him employed on even more difficult missions. Leo himself makes only the slightest indirect allusion to these later incidents, which is characteristic of a man who showed no trace of vain-boasting and who consistently prioritized the principles and causes he served over his own personality. There seems no reason to doubt the truth of what Prosper and others have recorded. In 452, Attila and the Huns, despite their defeat by Aetius at Chalons, continued their devastating invasion of Italy. The entire city of Rome was paralyzed with terror, and finally sent Leo, along with the Consul Avienus and the Prefect Tregetius, to intercede with them. The meeting took place on Lake Benacus, and Leo’s arguments—aided, it is believed, by rumors of a threatened invasion of Attila's home territory—persuaded Attila to retreat beyond the Danube, on the condition that he receive Honoria with a rich dowry as his wife. This was the last time Attila troubled the Romans, for he died the following year.

Less than three years after this successful encounter with the barbarian, in 455, Leo’s influence was again brought to bear by the State. That year, the licentious Valentinian was murdered at the instigation of an aggrieved husband, Maximus, who subsequently compelled the widow, Eudoxia, to marry him. Eudoxia, however, discovered the part Maximus had played in Valentinian’s death and invited the Vandals under Genseric to invade Italy. Maximus was put to death before the invaders reached Rome, but when they did arrive, the panic-stricken citizens once again threw themselves into the hands of Leo. He led the clergy out to meet the foe outside the city. His intercessions prevailed to some extent, though not enough to prevent the city from being pillaged for fourteen days.

We now return to purely religious matters. In 457, Marcian died (his wife had predeceased him four years earlier) and was succeeded by a Thracian named Leo Styled "the Great," like his famous namesake, though with far less justification.. Fresh outbreaks occurred both in Constantinople and Alexandria. In the former, they were quickly suppressed, but in Alexandria, they were more serious and prolonged. The disaffected monks set up one of their number, Timothy Ælurus (or "the Cat"), in opposition to Proterius, who was soon after brutally murdered in the baptistery to which he had fled. This flagrant outrage spurred the bishop of Rome to renewed energy. Through his promptness, the new Emperor was stirred to action; among other means, a restatement of the Faith was issued in a long epistle containing a catena A series of excerpts from early church fathers used to support a doctrinal position. of patristic authority, sometimes called "the Second Tome." Ælurus was deposed and banished, and another Timothy, surnamed Solophaciolus, of well-approved orthodoxy, was elected in his place. This was achieved in 460, while a similarly orthodox successor, Gennadius, had been found two years earlier for the See of Constantinople upon the death of Anatolius.