“An energetic and purposeful pontiff Leo infused all his policies and pronouncements, especially his anniversary sermons, with his conviction that the pope had universal authority in the church bestowed originally by Christ on Peter, had been transmitted to each subsequent bishop of Rome as the Apostle’s heir. As such, he assumed Peter’s functions, full authority and privileges; and just as the Lord bestowed more power on Peter than on the other apostles so the pope was ‘the primate of all the bishops’, the Apostle’s mystical embodiment.” REFERENCES: J. N. D. Kelly, Oxford Dictionary of Popes David Farmer, Oxford Dictionary of Saints Michael Lamothe, Vatican Notes, Volume 67, Number 381, p.52, 2019, Art of the Engraver – Artist Trento Cionini Anonymous, Vatican Notes, Volume 6, Number 4, pp. 4-5, 1958, The Council of Chalcedon