Leo, Bishop of Vercelli

LEO, Bishop of Vercelli. - He lived between the 10th and 11th centuries. He is encountered for the first time at the court of Emperor Otto III. His place of birth is unknown, as is how he came to the court. The first reliable notice shows him in September 996 among the courtiers at Mainz, where he distinguished himself by his eloquence and explained to Adalbert of Prague a prophetic dream, foretelling his martyrdom (Brunonis vita Adalberti, 20, in MGH, Scriptores, XV, p. 605). In 997 he met the great scholar Gerbert of Reims, from whose relations he drew inspiration for his ideas on the universal dominion of the Empire; being on familiar terms both with the Emperor and with Gerbert, he worked in the autumn of 997 on the latter's behalf (Lettres de Gerbert, 183, ed. J. Havet, Paris 1869, p. 168). The Emperor's trusted man was elected bishop of Vercelli, where the Empire needed an energetic and loyal support against the violent attacks of Marquis Arduino of Ivrea. The title of episcopus palatii, which is found in the life of Adalbert written in 1004 by Bruno of Querfurt, is merely an epithet that L. received by reason of his frequent residence at court and his interest in the affairs of the Empire.

It is not known when he entered upon his see. According to Canetti (Della serie cronologica dei vescovi di Vercelli, Vercelli 1886, p. 24 ff.), L. could have become Adalbert's successor at the earliest in the summer of 998. In the spring of the same year L. was in Rome in the Emperor's and Pope Gregory V's retinue, taking an active part in the Council in which the antipope John Philagathus was deposed. On that occasion he composed a poem dedicated to Pope Gregory V, to celebrate his return and to praise the common universal dominion of the Emperor and the Pontiff.

In Vercelli L. restored order; he worked to ensure that Arduino should give an account of his policy hostile to the Emperor at the Roman Synod of 999. The title of logotheta that L. places in the signatures of two placita of 1001 seems to indicate that at that time he held the position of chancellor, in place of Heribert, promoted to the archiepiscopal see of Cologne. The most precious surviving monument of L.'s activity is the diploma by which Otto III donated eight counties to the Church of Rome, thus concluding peace with the Pontiff. According to this authentic document, drawn up by L. himself, and other capitularies and diplomas, for the Church of Rome he appears as the Emperor's familiar counsellor and a supporter of his policy.

An intimate friend of Emperor Otto III, he shared his ideas of Empire and universal supremacy. He did not, however, share his mysticism, which indeed presents him as too preoccupied with the affairs of this world (MGH, Scriptores, XV, p. 725). On the death of Otto, whom he sincerely mourned, he worked upon the successor, Henry II of Bavaria, to move him to descend into Italy against Arduino. From his letters and other notices it emerges that L. was in fact the soul of the party loyal to the Emperor in northern Italy.

In the following years L. occupied himself with setting in order the affairs of his bishopric, soon finding a way, however, to take part in the affairs of the Empire. He carried out his important activity at the Synod of Pavia of 1022, held by Emperor Henry II and Pope Benedict VIII. He is the author of the canons of Pavia, which he immediately sought to put into practice in his diocese. At Easter of 1026 he again received at Vercelli King Conrad II, on his journey to Rome. A few days later he died. His importance consists in having worked, as bishop of Vercelli, to sustain German dominion in Lombardy successfully for almost three decades. He signed himself episcopus Imperii. On this conception of the episcopal position and power was also based his opposition to the Cluniacs, to William of Dijon and Rodulfus Glaber, who saw their adversary in that courtly, presumptuous and overbearing bishop. While the monks of the "reform" found him too secular, the followers of the emperors, such as Benzo of Alba, exalted him as a champion of the imperial glory of the past.

Lucchesio Spitzling