Daily Gospel

The Sicilian Leo II was the successor of Saint Agatho to the pontificate. Though he was elected for the position on January 10, 681, a few days after the pope s death, Leo II was consecrated only after a year and seven months. The possible reason for it was the continued discussion regarding the tax the new pope needed to pay to the imperial treasury on his consecration. This had been a custom for more than a century, but under Pope Agatho, negotiations between the pontificate and the Byzantine court of Emperor Constantine Pogonatus regarding its abolition or reduction had already taken place. In the short pontificate of Leo II (682-683), his greatest contribution to the Catholic Church was the confirmation of the acts of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. The council was in opposition to the heretical Monothelites. As a result, Leo II notified the rulers and bishops of the West about the decree and its implementation.This, however, led to the condemnation of Pope Honorius I. Honorius I was condemned not because of teaching heresy, but because he remained passive and inactive in fighting against it.

During this period, the archbishops of Ravenna wanted to be autocephalous, meaning they desired to be free from the direct jurisdiction of the pope. They were not able to get the consent of the popes. So instead, Leo II did the following for them — he obtained from the emperor the abolition of tax the archbishops must pay when they receive the pallium; since the elected archbishop did not want to stay long in Rome, he was still required to visit the city for his consecration but he was not obliged to stay longer than eight days; and, since they were bound to pay homage to the pope every year, the bishops may only send for a delegate instead on their behalf.

The good and just pope died of natural causes on June 28, 683 in Rome, Italy.