From Pope Leo I and his purported exchange with Attila the Hun to Pope Leo IX's role in the Great Schism of A.D. 1054, the pontifical name holds great importance within the Roman Catholic Church.

In 452, Leo I risked his life by traveling hundreds of miles from Rome to meet Attila the Hun, who was in the midst of a murderous campaign across continental Europe.

From challenging Attila the Hun to putting the papacy on film, previous Pope Leos have played a surprising role in world history.

The current Pope Leo undoubtedly knows the story: Raphael’s fresco depicting Leo and Attila can be seen in the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican, near the Sistine Chapel.