Immediately upon his election, Leo wrote to Charlemagne and sent him the keys to the Confession of Saint Peter and the standard of the city, thus placing the Roman Church under the protection of the King of the Franks.
Newsroom, June 12, 2025, Gaudium Press – Saint Leo III was the 96th Pope of the Catholic Church, reigning from 795 to 816. Although his exact birth date is unknown, it is known that he was Roman and, at the time of his election, was Cardinal of the Church of Santa Susanna and head of the papal treasury.
He was elected the day after the death of his predecessor. Immediately upon his election, Leo wrote to Charlemagne and sent him the keys to the Confession of Saint Peter and the standard of the city, thus placing the Roman Church under the protection of the King of the Franks.
An Attack Against the Pope
However, relatives of the previous pope, Adrian I, opposed the new pontiff’s government and began conspiring against Leo. One day, while heading toward the Flaminian Gate, the Pope was attacked by a group of men who tried to tear out his tongue and gouge out his eyes. He was seriously wounded but recovered in what many considered a miraculous healing. He found refuge at the Monastery of Saint Erasmus on the Caelian Hill.
As soon as he could, he fled to meet Charlemagne in Paderborn. Leo’s enemies had accused him of adultery before the Frankish king, but Charlemagne did not believe the accusations and refused to depose him, continuing to recognize him as the legitimate pope.
Saint Leo Returns to Rome in Triumph
After spending several months in Germany, Saint Leo III returned to Rome, where he was welcomed with great public celebration. His enemies were justly punished and sent as prisoners to France. In the year 800, Charlemagne himself traveled to Rome and witnessed a public confrontation between Leo and his remaining accusers. Although the bishops declared that no one had authority to judge the pope, Leo chose to submit himself to a trial, which proved his innocence. Out of his own kindness, the Pope commuted the death sentences of his accusers to exile.
Charlemagne Crowned Emperor
On Christmas Day of that same year, Leo and Charlemagne met once again. The Pope saw Charlemagne kneeling at the Confession of Saint Peter and placed the imperial crown on his head. The crowd present hailed the momentous event, shouting: “To Charles, the most pious Augustus, crowned by God, our great and peaceful emperor, long life and victory!” Thus, the Western Roman Empire was restored.
Saint Leo sought to unify the Eastern and Western empires by proposing the marriage of the new emperor to the Eastern Empress Irene. However, Irene was deposed, and the ambitious and beneficial plan could not be realized.
In 804, Leo again crossed the Alps to meet with Charlemagne. The harmony between Pope and Emperor was exceptional. They discussed matters concerning Spain, Germany, England, and all of Christendom, addressing both religious and civil issues.
Saint Leo also defended monks from Constantinople who were persecuted by Emperor Constantine IV. These monks had condemned the emperor’s illegitimate second marriage and were harshly harassed for it.
Together with Charlemagne, Leo helped repel Saracen invasions by maintaining a papal fleet.
Charlemagne Dies; New Conspiracy Arises
Following Charlemagne’s death, another conspiracy formed against the Pope, but this time Leo was able to suppress it before it broke out. He also had to confront a rebellion by nobles from Campania, which was suppressed by the Duke of Spoleto.
With funds donated by Charlemagne, Leo became a generous protector of the poor and a patron of the arts.
Saint Leo III died on June 12, 816, and was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica. He was canonized in 1673.
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj with information from the Catholic Encyclopedia.
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