Leo XIII Quotes
These most crafty enemies [the devils] have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on Her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.
Leo XIII, Pope. Exorcismus in Satanam et angelos apostaticos. Vatican Polyglot Press, 18 May 1890.
He ordered his troops to attack the clerics first, and then they moved against the soldiers. Whenever there have been military conflicts with theocracies or cultures where religious leaders had a great deal of control or influence, the dilemma has always been whether to exempt the clerics from military attack. In modern times this has been a central problem in the War on Terror, the Iraq War, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In King Ethelfrid’s view “assailing us with their curses” is sufficient to make them a combatant and further, they should be the first military target because they are motivating the regular troops.
Pope Leo XIII was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in 1903. He was the oldest pope (reigning until the age of 93), with the exception of Pope Benedict XVI as emeritus pope, and had the third-longest confirmed pontificate, behind those of Pius IX (his immediate predecessor) and John Paul II.
