![[Pope Saint Leo IX]](saintl13.jpg "Pope Saint Leo IX, artist unknown, date unknown; if you have information on this image, please email me; please do not write to ask about the image")
Apostolic Pilgrim Bruno of Egisheim Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg Pilgrim Pope
Leo brought his reforming, disciplinary ways to the Church as a whole, reforming houses and parishes, fighting simony, enforcing clerical celibacy, encouraging liturgical development and the use of chant. He brought Hildebrand, later Pope Saint Gregory VII, to Rome as his spiritual advisor. Fought the coming Great Schism between the Eastern and Western churches. He received the nickname of Pilgrim Pope due to his travels through Europe, enforcing his reforms, insisting that his bishops, clergy, and councils follow suit. Held synods at Pavia, Rheims, Mainz and Vercelli where he condemned the heresy of Berengarius of Tours. Authorized the consecration of the first native bishop of Iceland. Peacemaker in Hungary. Proposed that Popes be elected only by cardinals.
Leo's papacy was marred by his military action. He added new Italian regions to the papal states, and when Normans invaded these areas in 1053, he personally led an army to throw them out. This resulted in wide-spread criticism, defeat in the field, his capture at Civitella, and several months imprisonment at Benevento. He spent his time there well, learning Greek to better understand the writings of the Eastern Church, but his health suffered badly, and died soon after his release.
Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate Catholic Encyclopedia, by Horace K Mann Columbia Encyclopedia Ecole Glossary, by Karen Rae Keck For All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein Google Directory New Catholic Dictionary Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson Popes Through the Ages, by Father Joseph Brusher Wikipedia