Athala of Bobbio, St.
ATHALA OF BOBBIO, ST.
Abbot; b. Burgundy, c. 570; d. March 10, 627. His life was written by his contemporary jonas of bobbio. After having been educated at Lyons and having become a monk at Lérins, Athala (or Attalas) sought the stricter observance of Luxeuil. Though nominated to replace columban, who had been exiled by Brunhilde (610), he followed the Irish ascetic into northern Italy, where they established the monastery of Bobbio. Here he succeeded Columban as abbot (c. 615), combatted arianism among the lombards, and sided with the pope in the schism of Aquileia over the condemnation of the three chapters.
Feast: March 10.
Bibliography: b. krusch, Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 4:113–119. Bibliotheca hagiograpica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis (Brussels 1898–1901) 1:742–744. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienhereux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 1935–56) 3:232–233. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints, ed. h. thurston and d. attwater (New York 1956) 1:547–548. Bibliotheca Sanctorum 2:565–567.
[j. e. lynch]