Saint Leo II

Pope and Confessor
(died 683)

Saint Leo II was a Sicilian by birth who rose through the ranks of the Roman clergy and was elected Pope in 681, succeeding Agatho. His pontificate, though brief, lasting only from his consecration in August 682 until his death in July 683, was of considerable importance for the doctrinal life of the Church. He is principally remembered for his confirmation and promulgation in the Latin West of the decrees of the Third Council of Constantinople, the Sixth Ecumenical Council, which had condemned the Monothelite heresy.

Monothelitism had maintained that Christ, though possessing two natures, had only one will. This heresy had been supported and propagated by several emperors and patriarchs of Constantinople, and it had brought a period of deep confusion and even conflict between Rome and the East. The Council of Constantinople, held from 680 to 681 during the pontificate of Leo's predecessor Agatho, had definitively affirmed that Christ has two wills, divine and human, corresponding to His two natures, and that His human will is perfectly conformed to and never opposed to His divine will.

Among those condemned by the Council was Pope Honorius I, who had written letters to the Patriarch of Constantinople that were deemed to have lent support to the heresy, though not through a formal definition of faith. Leo II confirmed the council's condemnation of Honorius, while carefully nuancing his language to make clear that Honorius had not formally taught heresy but had, through negligence and failure of pastoral vigilance, allowed the flame of heresy to spread when he should have extinguished it. This careful handling of a difficult case of papal responsibility has been studied by theologians ever since.

Leo was also known for his love of sacred music. He is said to have taken great care over the Roman chant, making improvements to the schola cantorum and himself composing or editing hymns and chants for the liturgy. He died on July 3, 683, having served the Church briefly but faithfully in a period when the resolution of a great doctrinal crisis was of paramount importance. His feast is observed on July 3rd.