THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
1730), the most important of his works; Histoire du Concile de Pise et de ce qui s'est passe de plus memorable depuis ce Concile jusqu'au Concile dc Constance (2 vols., Amsterdam, 1724); and Histoire de la guerre des Hussites et du Concile de Basle (1731). With Beausobre he wrote Le Nouveau Testament de notre Seigneur Jesus Christ traduit en francois sur Voriginal grec, avec des notes literales (2 vols., 1718; Eng. transl., in part, London, 1726). Lenfant is the author of the first volume, which contains the four Gospels and a comprehensive introduction. Other writings are: the polemical Pn'servatif contre la reunion avec le siege de Rome (4 vols., Amsterdam, 1723); and Seize sermons sur divers textes (172S; Germ, transl., Halle, 1742). Lenfant was also one of the founders of the Bibliothcque Germanique. (C. Pfender.)
Bibliography: E. and E. Haag, La France protestante, ed. H. L. Bordier, vol. vi., Paris, 1889; Lichtenberger, ESR, viii. 130-138.
LE NOURRY, le nu"ri', DENIS NICOLAS: A member of the Benedictine congregation of Saint- Maur and a participant in their learned works; b. at Dieppe in 1647; d. at the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Paris, Mar. 24, 1724. He was educated by the French Oratorians, and entered the Benedictine order at Jumieges in 1665. He wrote the introduction to Garet's edition of Cassiodorus (2 vols., Rouen, 1679), and collaborated with Duchesne and Bellaise in the edition of Ambrose, which he completed with Du Friche (2 vols., Paris, 1686-90). He edited also the treatise De mortibus persecutorum (1710), attempting to prove that it was not written by Lactantius. His chief work, however, was his Apparatus ad bibliothecam veterum patrum (2 vols., 1694-97; 2d ed., enlarged, 2 vols., 1703-15), a historical and critical treatment, to the end of the fourth century, of the authors comprised in the Maxima bibliotheca veterum patrum (27 vols., Lyons, 1677). (C. Pfender.)
Bibliography: Niceron, Memoires, i. 275-278; J. C. F. Hoefer, Nouvelle biographie generate, xxxviii. 680, 46 vols., Paris, 1855-56.
LENT: The forty days' fast preparatory to the celebration of Easter. The name appears in Middle English as Lenten, which goes back to Anglo- Saxon lencten, "spring" (cf. German Lenz). The Latin name is Quadragesima, from the fortieth day before Easter, when it was approximately supposed to begin. By a similar loose calculation, the three preceding Sundays were known as Septuagesima (seventieth), Sexagesima (sixtieth), and Quinquagesima (fiftieth). Traces of the ancient variations in the length of the season still appear in the Roman Catholic practise of beginning from Septuagesima to wear vestments of violet, the Lenten color of mourning, and to omit from the services the Alleluia as an ejaculation of joy. For the history and observance of the fast, see Fasting, II.
Bibliography: Bingham, Origines, XXI., i (best); E. Martene, De antiquis ecclesim ritibus, iii., chaps. 18-19, Antwerp, 1737; H. Liemke, Die Quadragesimalfasten der Kirche, Paderborn, 1853; .1. H. Blunt, Dictionary of Doctrinal and Historical Theology, pp. 407-408, London, 1S70; W E. Addis and T. Arnold, Catholic Dictionary, pp. 55S- 560, ib. 1903; DCA, ii. 972-977 (gives early literature).
LENTULUS, EPISTLE OF. See Jesus Christ, Pictures and Images of, I., § 3.
LEO: The name of thirteen popes.
Leo I., called the Great: Pope 440-461. According to the Liber pontificalis he was a native of Tuscany. By 431, as a deacon, he occupied a sufficiently important position for Cyril of Alexandria to apply to him in order that Rome's influence should be thrown against the claims of Juvenal of Jerusalem (q.v.) to patriarchal jurisdiction over Palestine — unless this letter is addressed rather to Pope Celestine. About the same time Johannes Cassianus (q.v.) dedicated to him the treatise against Nestorius written at his request. But nothing shows more plainly the confidence felt in him than his being chosen by the emperor to settle the dispute between Aetius and Albinus, the two highest officials in Gaul. During his absence on this mission, Sixtus III. died (Aug. 11, 440), and Leo was unanimously elected by the people to succeed him. On Sept. 29 he entered upon a pontificate which was to be epoch-making for the centralization of the government of the Church.
An uncompromising foe of heresy, Leo found that in the diocese of Aquileia, Pelagians were received into church communion without formal repudiation of their errors; he wrote to rebuke this culpable negligence, and required a solemn abjuration before a synod. Manicheans fleeing before the Vandals had come to Rome in 439
Zeal for and secretly organized there; Leo be- Orthodoxy. came aware of this and proceeded against them (c. 443), holding a public debate with their representatives, burning their books, and warning the Roman Christians against them. The edict of Valentinian III. against them (June 19, 445) was brought about by his efforts. Nor was his attitude less decided against the Priscillianists. Bishop Turrubius of Astorga, astonished at the spread of this sect in Spain, had addressed the other Spanish bishops on the subject, sending a copy of his letter to Leo, who did not let slip the opportunity to exercise influence in Spain. He wrote an extended treatise (July 21, 447) against the sect, examining its false teaching in detail, and calling for a Spanish general council to investigate whether it had any adherents in the episcopate — but this was prevented by the political circumstances of Spain.
Leo enforced his authority in 445 against Dioscurus, Cyril's successor in the patriarchate of Alexandria, insisting that the ecclesiastical practise of his see should follow that of Rome, since Mark, the disciple of Peter and founder of the Alexandrian Church, could have had no other tradition than that of the prince of the apostles. The fact that the African province of Mauretania Canadensis had been preserved to the empire and thus to the Nicene faith in the Vandal invasion, and in its isolation was disposed to rest on outside support, gave Leo an opportunity to assert his authority there, which he did decisively in regard to a number of questions of discipline. In a letter to the bishops of Campania, Picenum, and Tuscany (443) he required the observance of all his precepts and those of his pre-