JOHN OF VERCELLI, BL.

Dominican master general; b. Mosso Santa-Maria, Biella (prov. Vercelli), c. 1200; d. Montpellier, Nov. 30, 1283. As a secular priest, he studied and taught civil and Canon Law at Paris, and later at Vercelli. Received into the order by jordan of saxony (c. 1230), he became prior of Vercelli (1245), vicar-general for Hungary (1255), prior of San Nicolo at Bologna (1256), provincial of Lombardy (1257–64), and finally sixth master general (1264–83). As general he visited personally, and on foot, almost all the houses of the order, except those of Spain, urging perfect observance of the constitutions and traditions of the order; presided at 20 general charters and sent many encyclical letters [ed. Monumenta Ordinis Fratrum Praedicatorum historica 5 (1900) 63–129]; and built the famous Arca into which he translated the body of St. dominic. Among the eminent Dominicans whom he consulted were Peter de Tarantaise (innocent v), albert the great, and thomas aquinas. He declined the patriarchate of Jerusalem (1278). Pius X approved his cult Sept. 7, 1803.

Feast: Dec. 1.

Bibliography: j. p. mothon, Vita del b. Giovanni da Vercelli, Ital. tr. l. china (Vercelli 1903). d. a. mortier, Histoire des maîtres généraux de l'ordre des Frères Prêcheurs, 8 v. (Paris 1903–20) 2:1–170, g. d. d'oldenico, "Dei rapporti tra Giovanni Garbella da Vercelli sesto Maestro Generale dei Domenicani con Giovanni Gersen Abate di S. Stefano di Vercelli nei riguardi della Imitazione di Cristo," Memorie Domenicane 68 (1951) 201–211; "B. Giovanni Garbella da Vercelli sesto Maestro Generale Domenicano," ibid. 69 (1952) 259–265. a. p. frutaz, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 5:1094. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheueux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes, ed. by The Benedictines of Paris, 12 v. (Paris 1935–56) 12:48–51.

[s. l. forte]