Leo VII

Leo · 936 – 939

Encouraged the Cluniac reform movement and promoted Benedictine monasticism across Europe during a brief but constructive papacy.

Leo was a Roman who became pope in 936 with the support of Alberic II, the ruler of Rome. Unlike some of his predecessors who were mere puppets, Leo used his limited freedom to promote genuine reform. He supported the growing Cluniac movement and invited Odo of Cluny to Rome to reform several monasteries. He also encouraged missionary work among the Jews, though he insisted on persuasion rather than force. He died in 939 after a quiet three-year reign.

A Quiet Reformer

Leo VII did not have much room to maneuver politically, but he used what space he had for something worthwhile. By inviting the Cluniac reformers to Rome, he helped plant seeds that would eventually transform Western monasticism and, through it, the entire Church. Good decisions sometimes outlast the people who make them.