The Gathering Storm: The Pontificate of Pope Leo IV (847–55)

Pope Leo IV's (847–855) unprecedented building activities, particularly the construction of fortifications enclosing Saint Peter’s—known as the 'Leonine city'—marked a significant extension to Rome’s Aurelian walls. This response to the Arab sack of 846 also included substantial restoration efforts for lost liturgical vessels and textiles, along with new church projects like Santi Quattro Coronati and Santa Maria Nova. The study suggests a shift in papal patronage during his reign, exemplified by a subsidiary chapel in San Clemente’s lower church featuring Leo IV’s portrait, possibly housing a relic from Christ’s Ascension. The research combines historical analysis with architectural and liturgical evidence to contextualize these developments within Rome’s ninth-century landscape.

(Ed.). (2023). The Gathering Storm: The Pontificate of Pope Leo IV (847–55). Rome in the Ninth Century, 131–160. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009415422.006