Pope Saint Leo III - June 12
Also known as
Charlemagne‘s Pope
Memorial
12 June
Profile
The son of Atyuppius and Elizabeth. Priest. Cardinal. Papal treasurer. Elected pope the day after his predecessor’s burial, probably so there would not be any outside interference with the decision of the cardinals.
Upon his election, he sent Charlemagne the keys of Saint Peter and the standard of the city of Rome, Italy indicating his choice of Charlemagne as protector of the city and the see. Charlemagne, with his letters of congratulations, sent a fortune which Leo used to build churches and found charitable institutions.
On 25 April 799, members of Pope Adrian I‘s family hired thugs to attack Leo in a procession. They scarred his face and tried to tear out his toungue and eyes to render him unfit for the papacy. He survived the attack, scarred but tongue and eyes miraculously healed. He fled to Charlemagne‘s protection at Paderborn, Germany where his enemies tried to turn the …

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Pope Saint Leo III - June 12
Pope Saint Leo III (Latin: Leo; fl. 12 June 816) was Pope from 26 December 795 to his death in 816. Protected by Charlemagne from his enemies in Rome, he subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position by crowning him Holy Roman Emperor and "Augustus of the Romans".
Leo was assaulted in Rome by partisans of the late Pope Adrian I, and fled to Charlemagne at Paderborn. The King of the Franks arbitrated the dispute, restoring Leo to his office. Leo subsequently crowned Charlemagne as Roman Emperor, which was not approved in Constantinople, although the Byzantines, occupied with their own defenses, were in no position to make much opposition.