The Pope who stopped an attack on Rome

[Pancakes]

Hi all .

I seem to remember reading that some time before the fall of the Western Roman Empire, there was a Pope who walked out of Rome and met the leader of an invading army, and spoke to them, managing somehow to convince them to not attack Rome (but the words of the conversation are lost to us).

I’ve done some reading and it seems to indicate that the Pope in question was Leo 1 (Leo The Great). However, it seems like he was part of an envoy of 3 people to Attila the Hun, and went to a different city to dissuade Attila from attacking Rome, rather than meeting Attila directly outside the gates of the city.

Does anyone have an idea who it might be?

Thanks .

 

[Dale_M]

hmmm… I don’t have any knowledge, but a Catholic newspaper article, a few years back, mentioned this:

Leo’s strength of personality was also evident in his confrontations with secular power. In 452 he encountered Attila the Hun near Mantua, and persuaded him not to proceed to the sack of Rome. Again, in 455, he met the Vandal Gaiseric outside the walls of Rome and succeeded in preventing the city’s wholesale destruction.

catholicherald.co.uk/spirituallife/saintoftheweek/2011/11/10/the-pope-who-persuaded-attila-the-hun-to-spare-rome/

Perhaps that might provide some information for further investigation?

 

[Pancakes]

hmmm… I don’t have any knowledge, but a Catholic newspaper article, a few years back, mentioned this:

catholicherald.co.uk/spirituallife/saintoftheweek/2011/11/10/the-pope-who-persuaded-attila-the-hun-to-spare-rome/

Perhaps that might provide some information for further investigation?

Thanks - that’s about as far as I’ve gotten. I know that Attila didn’t sack Rome (he planned to but died before doing it), and Genseric did sack Rome soon after.

I get the feeling that I may have confused things a little bit lol.

 

[dshix]

I BELIEVE it was Pope Leo the First, but I can’t be sure on that. I do know I have read something on this, however, and the Pope did successfully stop the attack on Rome.

 

[thistle]

Hi all .

I seem to remember reading that some time before the fall of the Western Roman Empire, there was a Pope who walked out of Rome and met the leader of an invading army, and spoke to them, managing somehow to convince them to not attack Rome (but the words of the conversation are lost to us).

I’ve done some reading and it seems to indicate that the Pope in question was Leo 1 (Leo The Great). However, it seems like he was part of an envoy of 3 people to Attila the Hun, and went to a different city to dissuade Attila from attacking Rome, rather than meeting Attila directly outside the gates of the city.

Does anyone have an idea who it might be?

Thanks .

It was Pope Leo I.

thehistoryprofessor.us/bin/histprof/misc/italy.html

 

[Pancakes]

It must’ve been him, then. Thank you for the help - much appreciated

 

[Zekariya]

You learn something new about Pope St Leo I everyday.