POPE LEO XIII (
1810-1903)
Pontificate from 1878 to
1903.
Born Vincenzo
Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci March 2, 1810 became
pope from 20 February 1878 to his death. He was the oldest pope,
reigning until the age of 93, and had the third-longest confirmed
pontificate, behind that of Pius IX who was his immediate
predecessor, and St. John Paul II.
Leo XIII is well known for his intellectualism. In
his famous 1891 encyclical Rerum novarum, Pope Leo outlined
the rights of workers to a fair wage, safe working conditions, and
the formation of labour unions, while affirming the rights of property
and free enterprise, opposing both socialism and laissez-faire
capitalism. He influenced Mariology of the Catholic Church and
promoted both the rosary and the scapular.
Leo XIII issued a record of eleven papal encyclicals
on the rosary earning him the title as the "Rosary Pope".
In addition, he approved two new Marian scapulars and was the first
pope to fully embrace the concept of Mary as Mediatrix. He was the
first pope to have never held any control over the Papal States after
they had been dissolved by 1870. He was briefly buried in the
grottos of Saint Peter's Basilica before his remains were later
transferred to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.
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The Famous Vision of
SATAN'S CENTURY
On October 13, 1884, Pope Leo XIII had a remarkable
vision 33 years before the Miracle of the Sun would take place at
Fatima.
When the aged Pontiff had finished celebrating Mass
in his private Vatican Chapel, attended by a few Cardinals and
members of the Vatican staff, he suddenly stopped at the foot of the
altar. He stood there for about ten minutes, as if in a trance, his
face white. Some accounts are more dramatic, saying he collapsed in
shock and looked as is he were dead. After this strange incident, he
immediately went from the Chapel to his office where he composed the
now famous prayer to St. Michael, with instructions it be said after
all Low Masses everywhere.
When asked what had happened, he explained that, as
he was about to leave the foot of the altar, he suddenly heard voices
- two voices, one kind and gentle, the other guttural and harsh. They
seemed to come from near the tabernacle. As he listened, he heard the
following conversation:
The
guttural voice, the voice of Satan in his pride, boasted to Our Lord:
"I can destroy your Church."
The
gentle voice of Our Lord: "You can? Then go ahead and do so."
Satan:
"To do so, I need more time and more power."
Our Lord:
"How much time? How much power?
Satan:
"75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give
themselves over to my service."
Our Lord:
"You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what
you will."
Some
accounts tell that Pope Leo also saw the 'demonic century', the wars,
the genocides and the schisms that would occur, the demons attacking
the Church, and finally, witnessing St. Michael casting them down.
In 1886, Pope Leo XIII decreed that this prayer to
St. Michael be said at the end of "low" Mass (not "high",
or sung Masses) throughout the universal Church, along with the Salve
Regina (Hail, Holy Queen); also three Hail Mary's and the prayer 'O
God, Our Refuge and Our Strength'.
Later, Pope Pius XI changed the intention of the prayers - that they now be recited for the conversion of Russia (allocution of June 30, 1930). In this allocution, after reminding all to pray for Russia, and of the religious persecution in Russia, he closed with the following sentence: “Let us proclaim the prayers that our great predecessor, Leo XIII, directed all priests and the faithful to pray at the end of the Mass, for the particular intention of the conversion of Russia. Let all bishops and clergy so inform everyone who is present at the Holy Sacrifice, and remind them often.” (Civiltà cattolica, 1930, vol. 3.)
The practise of the congregation praying these prayers at the end of Mass continued until about 1970, with the introduction of the new rite of the Mass.
Later, Pope Pius XI changed the intention of the prayers - that they now be recited for the conversion of Russia (allocution of June 30, 1930). In this allocution, after reminding all to pray for Russia, and of the religious persecution in Russia, he closed with the following sentence: “Let us proclaim the prayers that our great predecessor, Leo XIII, directed all priests and the faithful to pray at the end of the Mass, for the particular intention of the conversion of Russia. Let all bishops and clergy so inform everyone who is present at the Holy Sacrifice, and remind them often.” (Civiltà cattolica, 1930, vol. 3.)
The practise of the congregation praying these prayers at the end of Mass continued until about 1970, with the introduction of the new rite of the Mass.
Of interest, it would seem the mystic Marie-Julie
Jahenny not only foretold the general contents of his vision 5 years
and 10 months in advance on August 19, 1878, but apparently predicted
4 years in advance on July 7, 1880 that Hell would 'reduce to ashes'
the prayers Pope Leo had composed and ordered to be said at the foot
of the altars in conclusion of every Low Mass.
