Nov. 10... Saints Aedh and Leo the Great

Today the Church remembers St. Aedh MacBricc, who is shown below in the Icon of All Saints of Britain and Ireland. St. Aedh established a religious community in Westmeath, after having became a monk when his brother stole his inheritance. He is known as a miracle worker and for curing St Brigid from a headache.






We also remember the great doctor of the Church, St. Leo the great. He first served as a deacon, but was raised to Bishop of Rome. He fought against the Pelagian heresy, and proclaimed the necessity of grace for salvation. He was a thoughtful preacher and theologian, and his Tome was the basis for the Chalcedonian Definition which affirmed the two natures of Jesus Christ- fully divine and fully human.

The image above is by New Orleans folk artist Jan Keels. You can see more of her work at
heart and soul art

I conclude with a favorite poem in honor of St Leo's contributions to the Church's Christological musings and theology.


As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying, What I do is me: for that I came.

I say more: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is —
Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.

Gerard Manley Hopkins