St Leo, Bishop of Catania (+c. 780)

Saint Leo, Bishop of the Sicilian city of Catania, was famous for his kindness, compassion and love for the poor and wanderers. The Lord granted him the gifts of healing illnesses and working miracles. During Saint Leo’s episcopate there lived in Catania a sorcerer, Heliodorus, who amazed people with his wonders. Heliodorus had at first been a Christian, but afterwards renounced the faith of the Saviour and became a servant of a demon. The hierarch Leo often urged the sorcerer to give up his evil deeds and, cleansed by repentance, to turn to the Lord, but in vain. The lawless man’s insolence went so far that he decided to mock the holy bishop himself. He came into the church during the hierarchical Liturgy and by his sorcery caused turmoil and uproar among the people: some began to stamp their feet, others to laugh senselessly, and others fell into a terrible rage. Heliodorus threatened to make the bishop himself with his clergy leap and dance. The Venerable Leo realised that the time for gentle exhortation was over; he knelt before the altar, prayed fervently, then came out of the sanctuary, tied his omophorion round the lawless man’s neck, led him out into the square and made him publicly confess all his sins. After this the chief shepherd had the people build a great fire and went into it together with the sorcerer, without letting go of the omophorion. The servant of the devil was soon charred and burned to ashes, while Saint Leo came out of the fire completely unharmed and calmly finished the Divine Liturgy. This miracle made the venerable father greatly renowned even in his lifetime.

The saint reposed in old age. To the glory of God fragrant myrrh began to flow from his incorrupt body.