ATTALO di PETOVIO (Pettau). — In the 4th century, he was a disciple of the Arian Giuliano Valente, intruded bishop of that city. After accepting the Nicene Creed,
he suddenly returned to Arianism. Condemned several times, he attended the Council of Aquileia (Aug.–Sept. 381) in the retinue of the Arian bishops Palladio and Secondiano. S. Ambrogio, who presided over it, asked A. whether or not he had subscribed to the Nicene Creed; he replied rudely: «You have already condemned me several times; I will not answer you». Because of his obstinacy, A. was anathematized once again.
BIBL.: Hefele-Leclercq, II, pp. 40-52; G. R. Palanque, in Storia della Chiesa, directed by A. Fliche and V. Martin, Italian translation by A. P. Frutaz, III, Torino [1940], pp. 300-301. Ireneo Daniele