native of the place, was once Abbot of St. Stephen’s at Vercelli, and died in the odour of sanctity. A spot connected with his boyhood is pointed out. The Gersen family has survived in Cavaglià to this day.
The Benedictine Abbey of St. Stephen’s at Vercelli was founded at the beginning of the ninth century, and after some vicissitudes of fortune became very magnificent, and the feudal jurisdiction of its Abbot, who was among the three representatives of the republic of Vercelli, was greatly extended. In 1581 the monastery was suppressed by Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy, who was Lord of Vercelli.
In the great struggle between the Italians and the House of Hohenstaufen, the abbey, as was natural, played a conspicuous part. In the Second Lombard League, formed in 1225 against Frederic II , the republic of Vercelli was represented by the Bishop, the Abbot of St. Stephen’s, and a lay representative of the citizens; and the Abbot of St. Stephen’s who signed his name was an Abbot John . The time, and the absence of any other Johns among the Abbots, as far as the lists exist, led the advocates of the Gersen authorship to give this Abbot John the honour.