February 20 -- Feast of Saint Leo of Catania

Leo was a Thaumaturge, which is a Greek-based word meaning wonder-worker.  There's your word for the day: thaumaturge.

Leo putting the crozier to Heliodorus

He had been born up in Ravenna, but was selected to be the bishop in Catania, a city on the east coast of Sicily about half-way between Syracuse and Messina.  The selection of a non-Sicilian left some of the other candidates for the job somewhat miffed, but Leo's spiritual juju was undeniable.  Although it was the eighth century, there were still many folks in the countryside keeping faith with the old gods (thus pagan, meaning rural or rustic).  Leo had great success evangelizing these folks, even before he worked one of his wonders at an old Hellenic temple.  It's hard to guess to which god the temple might have been dedicated, maybe Persephone or Vulcan, who were both big in Sicily.  Leo knelt and prayed for God's assistance in defeating the ancient faith.  Not only was the temple and its idol reduced to ruin, but a large cross sprouted from the rubble.

Leo also has cred as a healer, having cured a woman who suffered an unceasing flux.

Catanian Basalt Elephant

But his most famous wonders involved an evil sorcerer named Heliodorus.  This unscrupulous fellow was a rival for the position of bishop who resented a non-Sicilian getting to mitre.  He struck a bargain with Satan for wonder-working abilities so he could undermine and overshadow (mixed imagery?) Leo.  They strove at every corner for the hearts, minds, and especially souls of the Catanian people.  In a classic showdown, Leo was interrupted in the middle of Mass by Heliodorus' invasion of the church.  It is unclear whether the diabolical sorcerer had transformed himself into a black elephant or simple led one (or more) into the church, but it was plainly to disruptive to continue the service.  The elephant, by the way, continues to be a symbol of the city.  Arabs knew the place as Medinat al-Fil -- City of the Elephant -- because of the ancient basalt elephant sculpture that guarded the city.

Whether Leo grappled with Heliodorus, wrapping him up in his robes and dragging him to the baths, or the two agreed to go there as a test is in dispute.  However, all the legends agreed that the two men went to the furnace that heated the public baths. Together they walked into the midst of the roaring fire.  Heliodorus, of course, was reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes while Leo walked back out unscathed.  Thaumaturge, indeed.