The parish church of S. Evasius in Casale, and its college of Canons Regular of S. Augustine,[6] is known from a grant made to them on 15 August 988. The Chapter was headed by a Provost, and the church was subject to the bishops of Vercelli.[7] The medieval church building was consecrated on 4 January 1107, by Pope Paschal II.[8]
Casale was created a diocese by the papal bull "In Eminenti" of 18 April 1474, by Sixtus IV; previously it belonged to the Diocese of Asti. The pope had been urged to action by Marchese Guglielmo Paleologo of Monferrat.[9] The diocese was a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Milan, and its bishops attended the provincial synods of Milan.[10] On 1 August 1474, Sixtus IV issued another bull, "Super Gregem," defining the boundaries of the new diocese.[11]
Its first bishop was Bernardino de Tebaldeschi, a Roman related to the Orsini, though he was too young to be consecrated a bishop at the time of his appointment.[12] His successor was Gian Giorgio Paleologo (1517–1525), who also governed the marquisate for his nephew, a minor.[13] Among its noteworthy bishops were: the Dominican Benedetto Erba (1570), most zealous for the Christian instruction of children and the introduction of the Tridentine reforms, in which he was associated with Archbishop Charles Borromeo of Milan; he was also the founder of the monti di pietà. Another was Tullio del Carretto (d. 1614), who imitated other contemporary bishops and founded an oratory for priests. Scipione Pasquali (1615–1624) was the author of a history of the campaign of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy against Montferrat in 1613.[14] When the plague was ravaging Casale (1630) during the struggle between the French and the Spanish,[15] the bishop is said to have nursed the sick himself[citation needed].
Napoleonic Piedmont
In 1796, and again in 1798, armies of the French Republic entered Italy, and conquered Savoy. On 10 September 1798, the French established the Piedmontese Republic. After a brief occupation by Austrian troops, the French, under the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte, reconquered the Piedmont, and established the Subalpine Republic, which lasted only from June to September 1802. Thereafter the territory was annexed to the French Republic, and divided into the départements of Doire, Marengo, Pô, Sesia, Stura, and Tanaro. Casale became the capital of Marengo, and French law became the law of the land.[16]
One of the policies of the Franch government was the reduction in the number of dioceses both in metropolitan France and in its annexed territories. The French pointed out that there were sixteen dioceses and one metropolitan (Turin) in the Piedmont, of which five were without bishops at the time and three whose bishops had just resigned. They demanded that the sixteen be reduced to eight with one metropolitan.[17] In the bull "Gravissimis Causis" of 1 June 1803, Pope Pius VII authorized the papal legate to First Consul Bonaparte, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Caprara, to suppress a number of dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Piedmont, including Casale.[18] Caprara carried out his instructions in a decree of 23 January 1805.[19] The assets of Casale, human and material, were transferred to the diocese of Alessandria, as were those of the dioceses of Tortona and Bobbio.
On 17 March 1805, Napoleon established the Kingdom of Italy, and on 23 May he had himself crowned King of Italy by Cardinal Caprara in the cathedral of Milan. During the rest of the year, he continued to adjust the political arrangements of Piedmont and Lombardy. Having decided that Alessandria needed to be strengthened as a military stronghold and arsenal for his control of the area, he announced on 17 May 1805, his decision to transfer the seat of the bishop of Alessandria to Casale. On 7 July 1805, Cardinal Caprara obligingly carried out a new circumscription, restored the cathedral in Casale to its cathedral status, and moved the bishop to Casale.[20] On 23 December 1805, Bishop Villaret was officially transferred to Casale, and the diocese of Alessandria was suppressed.[21]
After the defeat, abdication, and exile of Napoleon, the Congress of Vienna agreed to the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia. King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia invited Pope Pius VII to restore the good order of the Church in his kingdom, which had been disrupted by the French occupation. On 17 July 1817, the pope issued the bull "Beati Petri", which began by establishing de novo the ten dioceses which had been suppressed under the French, and delimiting the extent of each in detail,[22] including Casale.[23] In the same document, the pope also released the diocese of Vercelli from being a suffragan of the metropolitan of Turin,[24] and elevated the diocese to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese. The new metropolitan archdiocese had as suffragans the dioceses of Alessandria, Biella, and Casale.[25]
Cathedral
Among the churches of Casale are the cathedral, a monument of Lombard architecture, and the church of Sant’Ilario (Hilary of Poitiers).[26]
Synods
A diocesan synod was an irregularly held, but important, meeting of the bishop of a diocese and his clergy. Its purpose was (1) to proclaim generally the various decrees already issued by the bishop; (2) to discuss and ratify measures on which the bishop chose to consult with his clergy; (3) to publish statutes and decrees of the diocesan synod, of the provincial synod, and of the Holy See.[27]
On 23 April 1571, Bishop Benedetto Erba (1570–1576) held a diocesan synod; he held a second synod on 19 October 1574, and a third on 25 June 1576.[28] Bishop Ambrogio Aldegati presided over a diocesan synod on 28 April 1568.[29] Bishop Tullio Carretti held a diocesan synod on 4 September 1597.[30]
On 8 April 1622, Bishop Scipione Pasquali (12 Jan 1615 – 1624) presided over a diocesan synod and published its decrees and other materials.[31] On 9 December 1658, Bishop Francesco Mirolio held a diocesan synod.[32]
Bishop Ignazio della Chiesa de Rodi (1746–1758) held a diocesan synod in Casale on 5–7 September 1756.[33] On 27–29 August 1844, Bishop Francesco Icheri de Malabilia presided over a diocesan synod in the cathedral.[34] A diocesan synod was held in the cathedral by Bishop Pietro Maria Ferrè on 31 August, 1 September, and 2 September 1879.[35]
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The Diocese of Padua is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Veneto, northern Italy. It was erected in the 3rd century. The diocese of Padua was originally a suffragan (subordinate) of the Patriarchate of Aquileia. When the Patriarchate was suppressed permanently in 1752, it became a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Udine. In 1818, when the dioceses of northern Italy were reorganized by Pope Pius VII, it became a suffragan of the Patriarchate of Venice, and remains so today.
The Diocese of Asti is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Piedmont, northern Italy, centered in the city of Asti. It has been a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Turin since 1515. Previous to that, it was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Milan.
The Diocese of Nocera Umbra was a Catholic diocese in Umbria, Italy.
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The Diocese of Mondovì is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in the Ecclesiastical Region of Piedmont in Italy. Its 192 parishes are divided between the Province of Savona in the (civil) region Liguria and the Province of Cuneo in the (civil) region Piedmont. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Turin.
The Diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino, in Tuscany. The diocese of Sovana had originally been directly dependent upon the Holy See, and its bishops attended the pope's synods. When Pope Pius II, who was a Piccolomini of Siena, created the metropolitan archdiocese of Siena, he made Sovana one of its suffragan dioceses. The bishops of Sovana usually resided in the former palace of the Orsini in Pitigliano, which was given to Bishop Francesco Pio Santi (1776–1789) by the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
The Diocese of Orvieto-Todi is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in central Italy. It was created in 1986 when the historical Diocese of Orvieto was united to the Diocese of Todi. The Diocese of Orvieto-Todi is immediately exempt to the Holy See and not part of any ecclesiastical province.
The Diocese of Pistoia is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church located in the Province of Florence. It has existed since the third century. From 1653 to 1954, the historic diocese was the diocese of Pistoia and Prato. The Diocese of Prato has been separate from 1954. The diocese is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Florence.
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The Diocese of Pozzuoli is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Campania, southern Italy. It is a suffragan of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples, like its other neighboring dioceses, Aversa and Ischia.
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The Diocese of Acqui is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church that straddles the (civil) regions of Piedmont and Liguria, in northwest Italy. The ancient Roman name of the place was Aquae Statiellae, which was sometimes confused with Aquae Sentiae (Aix-en-Provence), and Aquae Augustae (Dax), where there were also bishops. Acqui had always been subordinate to the Province of Milan, down until 1817, when Pope Pius VII assigned it to the Province of Turin. As a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Turin, it falls within the ecclesiastical region of Piedmont.
The Diocese of Anagni-Alatri is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Lazio, Italy. It has existed in its current form since 1986. In that year the Diocese of Alatri was united to the historical Diocese of Anagni. The diocese is immediately exempt to the Holy See.
The Diocese of Alessandria is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Piedmont, northern Italy. Originally a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Milan, since 1817 it has been a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Vercelli.
The former Italian Catholic Diocese of Chiusi-Pienza, in Tuscany, existed until 1986. In that year it was united into the Diocese of Montepulciano-Chiusi-Pienza. The Diocese of Chiusi (Clusinus) was at first immediately subject to the Holy See, but was made a suffragan of archdiocese of Siena by Pope Pius II. From 1459 to 1986, it was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Siena.
↑ Paul Fridolin Kehr, (1914), Italia pontificia: sive, Repertorium privilegiorum et litterarum a romanis pontificibus ante annum 1598 Italiae ecclesiis, monasteriis, civitatibus singulisque personis concessorum.(in Latin) Vol. VI. pars ii ( Berolini: Weidmann), p. 43, no. 5.
↑ Nicomede Bianchi, Storia della monarchia piemontese dal 1773 sino al 1861, Volume 4 (Torino: Bocca 1885), "Capitolo Sesto: Lo stato e la chiesa, ridornamento diocesano del Piemonte, L'Imperatore Napoleone, Pio VII, l'episcopato piemontese," (in Italian), pp. 270-340.
↑ "Gravissimis Causis' § 1: "ab eodem gubernio postulari, ut Nos in hoc rerum statu apostolica auctoritate Nostra praefatas sexdecim ecclesias episcopales, atque unam metropolitanam ad octo redigere dignemur, nimirum a dunam metropolitanam et septem ejus suffraganeas...."
↑ Bulletin des lois de l'Empire français 4<super>e</super> Série, Tome troisième (Paris: Imprimerie impériale, An. XIV [1804]), pp. 69-92, at p. 70: "supprimimus, annullamus, ac perpetuo extiguimus, titulum, denominationem, totumque statum præsentem, supradictarum ecclesiarum Secusina, Pineroliensis, Fossanensis, Albensis, Derthonensis, Bobiensis, Casalensis, Bugellensis et Augustana...."
↑ Notizie per l'anno 1806 (Roma: Cracas 1806), p. 6. Fulvio Vditullo, "Monsignor Villaret vescovo “napoleeonico” di Casale," in: La Provincia di Alessandria 21 (1974), pp. 8-12.
↑ Bullarii Romani Continuatio XIV, pp. 345-351 § 4-22.
↑ Bullarii Romani Continuatio XIV, p. 349 § 16 and 18.
↑ "...praevia illius omnimoda solutione et exemptione a quocumque metropolitico jure, dependentia ac subjectione archiepiscopali ecclesiae Taurinensi, cui ad praesens suffragatur...."
↑ Bullarii Romani Continuatio XIV, pp. 351-352 § 16 and 18.
↑ History section taken originally from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article on Casale Monferrato which is unfortunately strewn with errors.
↑ Biblioteca storica italiana, Volume 4 (Torino: Reale deputazione di storia patria/Bocca 1892), p. 88.
↑ Constitutiones synodales reverendissimi domini Ambrosii Aldegati, episcopi Casalensis de anno 1568, die 28 aprilis. Cappelletti XIV, p. 584.
↑ Constitutiones Tullii Carretti, episcopi Casalen. In prima dioecesana Synodo promulgatae anno Domini 1597, iiij septembris. (Casale: Bernardus Grassi 1597). Biblioteca storica italiana, 4 (1892) p. 88.
↑ Promptuarium ecclesiasticum casalensis dioecesis in partem septem distributum: quarum prima continet secundae dioecesanae synodi constitutiones anno 1622. VIII idus aprilis promulgatas, Scipione Pascalio episcopo (Casale: apud Pantaleonem Goffium 1622. Biblioteca storica italiana, 4 (1892) p. 89.
↑ Speculum Ecclesiasticum dioecesis Casalensis propositum ab illustr . et reverendissimo D. D. HIERONYMO FRANCISCO MIROLIO, Episcopo Casalen ., et Comite etc., in Synodo Dioecesana habita Casali anno MDCLVIII. (Casale: Franciscum Martam 1658). Biblioteca storica italiana, 4 (1892) p. 89.
↑ Synodus Casalensis ab Ill. et Rev. D. Ignatio Ab Ecclesia, habita diebus 5, 6 et 7 septembris 1756.(in Latin). Augustae Taurinorum 1756.
↑ Synodus dioecesana Casalensis quam Illustrissimus ac Reverendissimus d.d. Franciscus Icheri de Malabilia, Episcopus Casalensis, habuit VI, V, IV kalendas Septembris anno MDCCCXLIV(in Latin). (Casali: Corrado 1844).
↑ Petrus Maria Ferrè, Acta et decreta Synodi Dioecesanae quam habuit die ultima Augusti et 1 et ii Septembris, anni M.DCCC.LXXIX in sua cathedrali (Casali: typis P. Bertero 1879).
↑ Tebaldeschi was appointed on 21 May 1474, but was not consecrated a bishop due to his youth until c. 1484. He became incapable of carrying out his episcopal functions, and was assigned a coadjutor-bishop on 11 January 1509. He died at the age of 62, on 12 February 1517. Cappelletti XIV, p. 582. Eubel III, p. 155.
↑ Paleologo was the son of Bonifacio Paleologo, 5th Marquis of Monferrato, and brother of Marquis Guglielmo of Monferrato. He was appointed coadjutor for Bishop Tebaldeschi on 11 January 1509 by Pope Julius II. He resigned in January 1525, and was laicized by Pope Clement VII so that he could become Marquis, marry, and carry on the Paleologo family. He died in 1533 without having succeeded. Cappelletti XIV, pp. 582-583. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 2.
↑ Castellari resigned, reserving the right to return at the next vacancy. Cappelletti XIV, p. 583. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 3.
↑ Medici had been named a cardinal by Pope Clement VII, his cousin, on 5 January 1529. He never received episcopal consecration. He was only 18 at the time of his appointment. Cappelletti XIV, p. 583. Eubel III, pp. 20 with notes 5 and 6; 155.
↑ Castellari: Cappelletti XIV, p. 583. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 5.
↑ Bernardino was a papal chamberlain and secretary. In 1540 he was appointed a canon of the Basilica of S. Peter. On 8 June 1546 he was granted the privilege of taking possession of the diocese without the necessary bulls having been issued. On 27 April 1547, Bishop-elect della Croce was appointed Bishop of Asti by Pope Paul III. He was transferred to the diocese of Como on 24 September 1548. He died in Rome on 15 August 1568. Cappelletti XIV, p. 583. Eubel III, pp. 121, 155 with note 6, 182 with note 7.
↑ Micheli was appointed Governor of the city of Rome and Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church in 1541. He was Bishop of Marsi (1546–1548). He was transferred to Casale on 13 July 1548. He became secretary of Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara in 1555. He died in Ferrara in the same year. Cappelletti XIV, p. 583. Eubel III, p. 155 with notes 8 and 9.
↑ D'Este had been a canon of the cathedral of Ferrara. Cappelletti XIV, p. 584. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 10.
↑ A native of Mantua, the Dominican Aldegati had been Inquisitor in Mantua from 1553 to 1567. He became Prior of the convent of S. Dominic in Mantua. He was appointed bishop of Casale by Pope Pius V on 3 September 1567. He died on 18 April 1570. During his brief tenure, he held a diocesan synod on 28 April 1568. Cappelletti XIV, p. 584. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 11.
↑ Bishop Erba attended the Fourth Provincial Synod of Milan in 1576, and signed the decrees: Acta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis,(in Latin), Volume 1 (Milan: P. Pagnonio, 1843), p. 206. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 10.
↑ Zimbramonti had been Bishop of Alba Pompea. Cappelletti XIV, p. 585. Eubel III, p. 155 with note 14.
↑ Borsari (Bursenus) had been a priest of Mantua, and held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was bishop of Alessano in southern Italy from 20 November 1591 to 12 June 1592. Cappelletti XIV, pp. 585-586. Eubel III, pp. 103, 155. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 137 with note 2. David M. Cheney, "Bishop Settimio Borsari"Catholic-Hierarchy.org; Retrieved March 21, 2016.[self-published source]
↑ Tullius del Carretto (according to his tomb inscription) died on 13 October 1614. Antonio Bosio, Cenni biografici sopra il venerabile servo di Dio Tullio del Carretto di Millesimo, vescovo di Casale (Savona: tip. Vescovile di Miralta 1863). Cappelletti XIV, p. 586 (with funeral inscription). Eubel III, p. 155. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 137 with note 3. David M. Cheney, "Bishop Jullio del Carretto"Catholic-Hierarchy.org; Retrieved March 21, 2016.[self-published source]
↑ Agnelli was a native of Mantua, and was a canon of the cathedral of Mantua. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was appointed bishop of Casale on 12 February 1624, by Pope Urban VIII. He died on 1 October 1653. Cappelletti XIV, p. 587. Gauchat IV, p. 137 with note 5.
↑ Ardizzone: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 146 with note 3.
↑ On 12 April 1728, Radicati was appointed Bishop of Osimo e Cingoli Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 146 with note 4.
↑ Caravadossi: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 146 with note 5.
↑ Della Chiesa: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 151 with note 2.
↑ Avogadro: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 151 with note 3.
↑ Ferrero: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 151 with note 4.
↑ Villaret resigned at the abdication of Napoleon, and returned to Paris. C. F. Zundeler. Par occasion de l'avénement au siége épiscopal de Casal, de monseigneur Jean Chrysostome de Villaret, déjà évêque d'Amiens, l'an 1805 de l'ère chrétienne, XIII de la République française. (Turin: J. Giossi). Société bibliographique (France) (1907). L'épiscopat français depuis le Concordat jusqu'à la Séparation (1802-1905). Paris: Librairie des Saints-Pères. p.40. Ritzler-Sefrin, VII, p. 66, 70, 137.
↑ Alciati was born in Vercelli in 1762. He was appointed bishop of Casale by Pope Pius VII on 1 October 1817. He died on 26 (or 28) October 1828. Annuario Pontificio. Notizie per l'anno 1823 (Roma Cracas 1823), p. 292. Cappelletti XIV, p. 590.
↑ Giampaolo Cassano (1999). Mons. Pietro Maria Ferrè, vescovo di Casale Monferrato: magistero e azione ecclesiale di un padre del Vaticano. Magognino: Edizioni Rosminiane sodalitas, 1999.
↑ Biography of Bishop-emeritus Catella: Diocesi di Casale Monferrato, "Vescovo emerito"; retrieved: 28 February 2023.
↑ Biography of Bishop Sacchi: Diocesi di Casale Monferrato, "Vescovo di Casale"; retrieved: 28 February 2023.
La Vita Casalese(in Italian) Weekly newspaper with web supplement offering news and comment on the Diocese of Casale Monferrato, published by Editrice Fondazione Sant'Evasio - Casale Monf. (AL)
MonferratoArte(in Italian) A historical and bibliographical directory of artists active in the extra-urban churches of the Diocese of Casale Monferrato.
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