Saint of the Day – 10 March – St Attalas of Bobbio (Died c627) Abbot

Saint of the Day – 10 March – St Attalas of Bobbio (Died c627) Abbot, Disciple of, Assistant and Successor to St Columban (543-615). A legendary leader of great wisdom and scholarly abilities, a loving father to his Monks and a generous and kindly Apostle to the poor and the ill, Miracle-worker. His Monks included Saint Valery, Saint Blitmund and St Bertulf, all Abbots at various times. Born in Burgundy, France and died in c627 of natural causes in Bobbio, Italy. Patronages – of Bobbio and of Luxeuil-les-Bains, France. Also known as – Attal, Attala, Attale.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In the Monastery of Bobbio, the Abbot, St Attalas, renowned for miracles.”

Attalas was originally from Burgundy, where he was born into a noble family. For his suitable education he was entrusted to Aredius, the Bishop of Gap, City of the Dauphiné.

However, desiring a more rigid lifestyle, Attalas fled and took refuge for some time in the Monastery of Lérins. But even this renowned Monastery did not satisfy him and he decided to move to Luxeuil, the Monastery founded by Saint Columban. Here he was finally able to find the austerity he desired and place himself under the guidance of the great Irish Saint.

When Colomban was banished from France for having accused the vices of King Theodoric of Austrasia, he took some companions with him to Lombardy, including Attalas. They settled in Bobbio, on land donated by the Lombard King.

Colomban was now in his seventies, a venerable age and he survived only a year after the foundation of the new Monastery. Much of the credit for the foundation of this Monastery of Bobbio is, in fact, due toour Saint, who succeeded him as Abbot in 615.

When charismatic authority of the holy founder died and his place was taken by Attalas, various objections to the austerity of community life were raised by the Monks but Attalas did not allow himself to be influenced and let those who were dissatisfied leave. However, some of these later returned and he welcomed them with affection and benevolence.

Jonah of Susa, his Hagiographer, remembers him as “a man loved by all, of great fervour and charity for the poor and pilgrims. He knew how to resist the proud but he was humble with the humblest, he did not allow himself to be silenced in conversations with intelligent people but with simple people, he knew how to talk about the secrets of God. Wise when he came across thorny problems, firm when challenged by heretics, he was strong in adversity, disciplined in favourable times, always temperate and discreet. He showed love and respect towards his subordinates and wisdom towards his disciples. In his presence, no-one could be excessively sad or display undisciplined gaiety.”

Like St Colomban, Attalas also found himself having to fight Arianism which was widespread in the surroundings of Milan.

Having become seriously ill, Attalas asked to be laid outside his cell, near which there was a Crucifix which he touched everytime he entered or left his cell and to be left alone there on the ground. As a Monk, who remained nearby testified, the now dying Saint prayed fervently and had a vision of Paradise for several hours. Finally taken back to his cell, he died the following day. It was the year c627. Saint Attalas was buried next to Saint Colomban and a few years later Saint Bertulf, their successor, also joined them in the same tomb and shared the cult with them.