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Our Venerable and God-bearing Father '''Luke of Sicily''', also '''Leo Luke of Corleone''', '''Leoluca''',  '''Leone Luca''' or '''Leo Luke''' (ca.815/818 - ca. 910/915)<ref name=ENRO>{{it icon}} ''[http://www.enrosadira.it/santi/l/leoluca.htm SAN LEOLUCA].'' Enrosadira.</ref><ref name=MORRIS>Rosemary Morris. ''Monks and Laymen in Byzantium, 843-1118.'' Cambridge University Press, 2003. p.173.</ref> was the [[Abbot]] and Wonderworker of the Monastery of Mount Mula in Calabria, and a founder of Italo-Greek [[monasticism]] in southern Italy.<ref group="note">"The term "Italo-Greek monasticism" refers to the implantation and history of Byzantine monasticism in Sicily and southern Italy. By the mid 9th c. Sicily was already reputed to be the home of numerous Greek hermits and small gatherings of monks famed for their ascetic experience. Substantial documentary evidence for the presence of Byzantine monks in southern Italy first appears in the 9th and 10th cc. and consists primarily in the lives of the great ascetic saints of this region."<br>
:* (Robert E. Sinkewicz. ''"Italo-Greek".'' In: Richard Barrie Dobson. '''Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, Volume 2 (K-Z)'''. Eds.: André Vauchez, Michael Lapidge. Transl: Adrian Walford. Routledge, 2000. p.974.)</ref> 

Born in the Sicilian town of [[w:Corleone|Corleone]], he died about a hundred years later a centenarian, after eighty years of monastic life,<ref name=LATIN>[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/stdmar.htm March 1]. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.</ref> in Monteleone Calabro, now [[w:Vibo Valentia|Vibo Valentia]], in Calabria. Today he is a patron saint of both towns, and his [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[March 1]].<ref name="LATIN"/><ref name=SYNAX>Great [[Synaxarium|Synaxaristes]]: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2300/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Λουκᾶς ὁ ἐκ Σικελίας].'' ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref> 

==Life==
===In Sicily===
Saint Luke was born in [[w:Corleone|Corleone]], Sicily in the 9th century AD (c.815 to 818 AD),<ref name="ENRO"/> on the eve of the Saracen invasion of Sicily.<ref group="note">The first Arab battle against Byzantine troops occurred on July 15, 827, near [[w:Mazara del Vallo|Mazara]], resulting in an Aghlabid victory. It took over a century for Byzantine Sicily to be conquered. Syracuse held out for a long time, and Taormina fell in 902. Eventually all of Sicily was conquered by the Arabs in 965, and the [[w:Emirate of Sicily|Emirate of Sicily]] was formed, an Islamic state on the island of Sicily which existed from 965 to 1072.</ref> His parents Leo and Theoktiste baptized him Leo. They were a pious and wealthy family who raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He was orphaned at an early age when his parents died, and devoted himself to managing the estate and supervising the herds. In the solitude of the fields he realized that he had a call to religious life, so he sold the estate, gave the money to the poor, and went to the monastery of St. Philip in [[w:Agira |Agira]], in the province of Enna, Sicily.<ref name="SYNAX"/> 

It is not known how long he stayed at the monastery at [[w:Agira |Agira]], but due to the raids of the Saracens, he left from there and went to Calabria.<ref group="note">With the Arab invasion of Sicily (from 827 AD through to 878 AD) many monks left the island and took refuge in Calabria.</ref> Before going to Calabria however, he made a special point of going on pilgrimage to visit the tombs of the Apostles [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] in Rome.

===In Calabria===
In Calabria, he went to the Monastery of Mula, at Mount Mula (''Monte La Mula ''), one of the highest peaks of the Orsomarso mountains (1935 m), near [[w:Cassano allo Ionio|Cassano]]. Here he became a [[monk]], excelling in the [[virtues]] and in obedience, remaining there for six years.<ref name="SYNAX"/> 

Afterwards he departed together with the [[Igumen|Hegoumen]] of the monastery Christopher, and they made their way to the mountainous region of Merkourion<ref group="note">See: ''[http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercurion Mercurion].'' Italian Wikipedia.</ref> in northern Calabria, in the [[w:Pollino|Pollino]] area of the Southern Appenines, an important center of monastic settlement which is referred to in several of the ''Vitae'' as the "New Thebaid".<ref>Robert E. Sinkewicz. ''"Italo-Greek".'' In: Richard Barrie Dobson. '''Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, Volume 2 (K-Z)'''. Eds.: André Vauchez, Michael Lapidge. Transl: Adrian Walford. Routledge, 2000. pp.974-975.</ref> Here they founded a new monastery, living there in [[asceticism]] for another seven years. 

Once more they left and moved on to Vena (modern Avena, Calabria) to continue the spiritual struggle for another ten years. Here they built another monastery, which by the time of Hegoumenos Christopher's death had more than one-hundred monks in it. Saint Luke himself lived the [[Hermit|solitary life]] nearby at [[w:Mormanno|Mormanno]], Calabria.<ref name="MORRIS"/> 

A little later, after the death of Abbot Christopher, Saint Luke became Abbot of the Monastery of Mount Mula. Here he began new ascetic struggles, and Holy [[God]] granted to him the gift of Wonderworking, and many faithful flocked to the holy ascetic to receive his blessing and be healed.<ref name="SYNAX"/> The Venerable Luke healed the sick, [[Exorcism|exorcized]] demons, raised paralytics, and guided the lost towards the path of [[salvation]]. He [[Prayer|prayed]] without ceasing, and remained out in the cold up to twenty days, in order to intensify his ascetic struggle.<ref name="SYNAX"/> 

===Departure===
It is said that he lived the last days of his life in meditation, [[fasting]] and ecstatic raptures. In old age, he called the monks to come to him, and foretold his end. He delegated the responsibility of the position of [[Igumen|Hegoumen]] to the monk Theodore, and assigned the priest Euthymios as his assistant.<ref name="SYNAX"/> Having received [[Holy Communion]], the Venerable Luke fell asleep in peace and was buried in the church of the Blessed [[Theotokos]].<ref name="SYNAX"/>

==Veneration among Roman Catholics==
[[File:Santa Maria Maggiore and San Leoluca.jpg|right|thumb|The cathedral of ''Santa Maria Maggiore and San Leoluca'', in [[w:Vibo Valentia|Vibo Valentia]].<ref group="note">The current church lies on the spot of a former Byzantine cathedral, probably of the ninth century, which was heavily damaged during the earthquakes of 1638 and 1659. In 1680, construction on the new church was begun, based on the designs of Francesco Antonio Curatoli.</ref>]]
News of Saint Luke's death spread slowly to Corleone, and it is only in the 13th century that there is evidence of a church dedicated to him in his birthplace. In 1420 there are also references to a ''Brotherhood of San Leoluca''.<ref name="IT-WIKI"/>

Saint Luke's intercession is credited with saving the city of Corleone during an outbreak of the plague of 1575, and he was made the [[patron saint]] of that town. In 1624 he was made the patron saint of [[w:Vibo Valentia|Vibo Valentia]] as well.<ref>{{it icon}} Giorgio Leone. ''I BENI CULTURALI DEL VIBONESE. SITUAZIONE ATTUALE – PROSPETTIVE FUTURE.'' 27 – 28 – 29 DICEMBRE 1995.</ref>

In addition, the apparition of Saint Leo Luke and Saint Anthony is credited with preventing a Bourbon invasion of Corleone on 27 May 1860.<ref>''[http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-leolucas-of-corleone/ Saint Leolucas of Corleone].'' Saints.SPQN.com. 25 February 2010.</ref>
 
In Vibo Valentia in Calabria, during his feast day on [[March 1]], the local fire brigade pay him homage by placing a crown of flowers at the feet of his statue which is located high on the façade of the Cathedral Church of ''Santa Maria Maggiore e San Leoluca''.

==Relics==
Some historians assert that Saint Luke was buried in Monteleone Calabro, now [[w:Vibo Valentia|Vibo Valentia]], in Calabria, in the church of ''Santa Maria Maggiore'' (i.e. Cathedral Church of ''Santa Maria Maggiore e San Leoluca'').<ref name=IT-WIKI>{{it icon}} ''[http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Leoluca San Leoluca].'' Italian Wikipedia.)</ref> 

However on Sunday December 10, 2006, the Italian daily newspaper ''[[w:La Sicilia|La Sicilia]]'', based in Catania, Sicily, ran a full page story stating that the [[relics]] of Saint Leoluca had been found in the municipality of [[w:San Gregorio d'Ippona|San Gregorio d'Ippona]], about 2 km southeast of the city of [[w:Vibo Valentia|Vibo Valentia]]. It stated that they were located in the grotto of the Church of Santa Ruba (''La Chiesa di Santa Ruba''), and that they were confirmed by paleontological analysis.<ref>{{it icon}} ''[http://www.cittanuove-corleone.it/La%20Sicilia,%20Trovate%20le%20spoglie%20di%20S.%20Leoluca,%2010.12.2006.pdf Trovate le spoglie di San Leoluca].'' '''LA SICILIA.''' DOMENICA 10 DICEMBRE 2006.</ref> According to professor Gregorio Vaianella, the church of Santa Ruba was dedicated to 'Our Lady of Health' (''Madonna della Sanità'').<ref>''[http://www.sangregoriodippona.com/santa_ruba.html Santa Ruba].'' San Gregorio D'ippona.</ref><ref group="note">Confirming the hagiographical account in the ''Great Synaxaristes'' that he was buried in a church of the Blessed [[Theotokos]].</ref>

==See also==
* [[Byzantine Rite]]
'''Wikipedia'''
* [[w:Leoluca|Leoluca]]
* [[w:Eastern_Christian_monasticism#Byzantine_monasticism|Byzantine monasticism]]
* [[w:Basilian monk|Basilian monk]]

==Notes==
<references group="note" />

==References== 
<div><references/></div>

==Sources==
* ''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/stdmar.htm March 1].'' Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
* Rosemary Morris. ''Monks and Laymen in Byzantium, 843-1118.'' Cambridge University Press, 2003. 356pp. ISBN 9780521319508
* Robert E. Sinkewicz. ''"Italo-Greek".'' In: Richard Barrie Dobson. '''Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, Volume 2: K-Z'''. Eds.: André Vauchez, Michael Lapidge. Transl: Adrian Walford. Routledge, 2000. pp.974-975. ISBN 9781579582821
* Alban Butler. ''Butler's Lives of the Saints: March.'' Volume 3. Revised Ed.. Continuum International Publishing Group, 1999. 256pp. (see: p.11).
* ''[http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-leolucas-of-corleone/ Saint Leolucas of Corleone].'' Saints.SPQN.com. 25 February 2010.
* [[w:Leoluca|Leoluca]]. Wikipedia.
'''Other Languages'''
* Great [[Synaxarium|Synaxaristes]]: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2300/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Λουκᾶς ὁ ἐκ Σικελίας].'' ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
* {{it icon}} ''[http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Leoluca San Leoluca].'' Italian Wikipedia.
* {{it icon}} ''[http://www.enrosadira.it/santi/l/leoluca.htm SAN LEOLUCA].'' Enrosadira. 
* {{it icon}} ''[http://www.cittanuove-corleone.it/La%20Sicilia,%20Trovate%20le%20spoglie%20di%20S.%20Leoluca,%2010.12.2006.pdf Trovate le spoglie di San Leoluca].'' '''LA SICILIA.''' DOMENICA 10 DICEMBRE 2006.
* {{it icon}} Francesco Albanese. ''San Leoluca protettore di Vibo Valentia.'' '''Il Duomo di S. Maria Maggiore e San Leoluca'''. Tip. Grafica sud, Vibo V. s.d. (ma 1979), pp.7-39.

==External Links==
* ''[http://atlantaserbs.com/learnmore/history/SouthernItaly.htm Orthodox Christianity in Southern Italy].'' Saints Peter and Paul Serbian Orthodox Church.

[[Category:Asceticism]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Italian Saints]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]