July 17 | Pope Saint Leo IV

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine your city is under attack. The ancient, massive walls that are supposed to keep your family and friends safe are literally crumbling to the ground before your eyes. Enemies are at the gates, and the people are completely terrified. They need a strong leader.

They need a hero. But the man they choose for the job? He doesn't want it. He just wants to serve God quietly and in peace. But when destiny, and God's will, calls, he has to make a choice. Run away and hide, or step up, build a fortress, and protect the very heart of his faith. This is the story of Pope Saint Leo IV.

Let's rewind to the beginning. Our story starts in Rome, Italy, where Leo was born in the year 790. Growing up, he wasn't far from the center of the action. In fact, he received his education at a monastery right outside of St. Peter's Basilica. Leo was just doing his thing, being a faithful student and servant of the church, but the people in charge doubted him. So, he was a faithful student, but the people in charge doubted him. So, he was a Definitely started to notice his talents.

First, Pope Gregory IV saw how dedicated Leo was and made him a subdeacon. Then, the next pope, Sergius II, promoted him even further, making him both a cardinal and a priest. So, Leo was definitely a rising star in the church. But things in Rome were about to get incredibly dangerous.

The city of Rome was facing brutal, terrifying attacks by a group known as the Saracens. The city's defenses were an absolute mess. The ancient walls of Rome were crumbling under the pressure. The people were totally vulnerable. And right in the middle of this intense chaos, Pope Sergius II died. The city needed a new pope, and they needed one fast.

The people and the leaders of Rome looked around, and they all pointed at one guy, Leo. He was unanimously voted as the next pope. Everyone agreed he was the only man for the job. But Leo did not want to accept the role. Think about it. Who wants to be the leader of a city that is currently being attacked, with crumbling walls and panicked citizens? But Leo took a step back and prayed. He soon realized that this was actually God's will for him.

The situation with the attacks on Rome was so urgent and so dangerous that they couldn't even wait for the normal rules to apply. Usually, a new pope needed the approval of the emperor to be officially consecrated, but the danger was so great that they bypassed the emperor completely and consecrated Pope Leo IV immediately so he could Take charge. And take charge he did. Leo didn't just sit in a fancy chair and hide. He looked at those crumbling walls and said, we're going to fix this.

He set out to repair the damaged walls and went even further, building 15 brand new massive towers. He became the very first pope in history to completely enclose the Vatican in protective walls. Once this massive construction project was finally finished, Pope Leo IV didn't just admire the architecture. He officially blessed the walls of Vatican City, asking God for Ultimate protection over his people. He wasn't just a builder of physical walls, though. He was a builder of peace and order. During his time as pope, he also held a synod, which is a big, important meeting of church leaders, in Rome to discuss ecclesial discipline and get the church organized.

Throughout his papacy, he continued to successfully restore peace to a city that had been torn apart by conflict. By the time he died in the year 855, he had accomplished a massive amount of construction, and left the city far safer than he found it. You might not be asked to become the pope and build 15 towers to defend a city against invaders, but there are times in your life when you are asked to step up. This week, when you face a challenge that makes you want to say, nope, not me, I don't want to do this, remember Saint Leo.

Be the one who steps up. Build walls of protection around your friends by supporting them, and be a peacekeeper in your own community, just like Leo restored peace in Rome. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.