ATTONE, bishop of Vercelli. — Few are the reliable details known about his life. Of noble Lombard stock, we know that in 924 he was elected bishop of Vercelli, a see which he long governed. He maintained multiple relations with the sovereigns of his time, Berengar II, Hugh and Lothar II, from whom he received privileges and donations for his Church: it is, however, uncertain whether he was archchancellor to the latter king. Despite such ties and his principles of obedience to authority, since it is established by God (see for this the letter to Valdone, bishop of Como, where a dependence on Carolingian writers of the 9th century is manifest), A. courageously opposed Berengar II, who did not respect the freedom of the Church.
Noteworthy is his literary activity: we possess from him a lengthy Expositio in epistulas Pauli, certainly authentic, numerous letters (some of interest for their prosaic rhythm) and pastoral sermons; disputed is the authenticity of the Polyptychum, a compendium of moral philosophy containing interesting polemical points against the Germans and Burgundians who were in Italy. Even more significant is A. in the history of the Church of the 10th century for his work of great pastoral zeal in reforming and improving the clergy and religious life of his diocese. A document of this reforming activity is his Capitulare, namely a collection of one hundred canons concerning the duties of ecclesiastics, the administration of the sacraments, the observance of the liturgy, etc.; these are all ancient conciliar provisions which are repeated: much insistence is placed against the spreading Nicolaism and simony, which A. is the first to call heresy. In the Libellus de pressuris ecclesiasticis, a true canonical treatise in three books, written between 940 and 943, A. combats the abuse of referring ecclesiastics to lay tribunals, the ordination of unworthy or incapable persons, and the squandering of Church goods by laymen.
The date of A.’s death is unknown, but it certainly occurred before 964, the year in which his successor Ingone is already bishop of Vercelli.