LEONE di ACRIDA. – Byzantine bishop and supporter of the Eastern Schism. Under the influence Michele Cerulario (v.), L. sent a letter in 1053 to Bishop Giovanni of Trani (in Apulia). This document was drawn up while negotiations were still under way between the Byzantine court and Pope Leone IX for a joint expedition against the Normans, who were then invading southern Italy, still Byzantine, and for acceptance of the preliminary condition laid down by the Holy See, namely, the unity of the Byzantine Church with the Roman Church.
The agreement was obstructed by the Byzantine patriarch; although he wrote a peaceful letter to the Pope under the influence of his Emperor, he astutely induced L. to write an anti-Latin letter. In it four accusations were made against the Roman Church: 1) the azymes; 2) fasting on Saturday; 3) the consumption of meat from a strangled animal; 4) the omission of the Alleluja during Lent (Latin translation by Cardinal Umberto di Silva Candida: PL 143, 744–69). The version was delivered to Pope Leone IX, who had the aforementioned cardinal reject II.