Leo IX received the given name of Bruno of Egisheim-Dagsburg. Born a member of an important aristocratic family, Bruno attended Toul for his education. On September 9th of 1027 A.D. the church consecrated him as a bishop at an unusually young age of 25.

According to the practice of his day, Bruno was not elected pope by the church in Rome but was instead appointed to the papacy while 47 years of age by Holy Roman Emperor Henry III. Bruno took the name of Leo IX and would not start his papacy until he attained election from the clergy and people of the Eternal City. Once he received their approval in Rome, Pope Leo IX took the throne of the papacy formally on February 12, 1049 A.D.

The primary goals of Leo IX were to eliminate the main evils that he saw in the church of his age. He wanted to do away with the selling and buying of church offices (simony), marriage among the clergy (concubinage), and secular ruler appointments of church offices (lay investiture).

To accomplish such major reforms to the Catholic Church, Leo understood that he would need to transform the church into the centrepiece of Christian life and society.

Leo recognized the scope of the challenges, and he summoned to his headquarters in Rome men he had worked with and knew well from his time as the bishop of Toul. Some of these men were Frederick of Lorraine (who became Pope Stephen IX), Humbert of Moyenmoutier, and Hugh of Remiremont. Each of these men he appointed as cardinals. Hildebrand a Cluny monk (who would one day become Pope Gregory VII) also came to help Pope Leo IX.

With the efforts of these lieutenants, Leo IX was able to radically change the papacy from being a more localized Italian organization into an international powerbroker.

After a fourth Easter synod in 1053, Leo IX set out against the Norman in the south with an army of Italians and Swabian mercenaries. As fervent Christians the Normans were reluctant to fight their spiritual leader and tried to sue for peace but the Swabians mocked them: battle was inevitable.

Leo IX led the army himself, but his forces suffered total defeat at the Battle of Civitate on 15 June 1053. Nonetheless, on going out from the city to meet the victorious enemy he was received with every token of submission, pleas for forgiveness and oaths of fidelity and homage.

From June 1053 to March 1054 the pope was nevertheless held hostage at Benevento, in honourable captivity, until he acknowledged the Normans conquests in Calabria and Apulia. He did not long survive his return to Rome, where he died on 19 April 1054.


Other Saints of the Day

1. Saint Victor of Carthage

2. Saint Fermo of Carthage

3. Saint Eremio of Cathage

4. Saint Venusto of Carthage

5. Saint Apollonious the Priest