Roman Catholic Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica

Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica Dioecesis Fabrianensis-Mathelicensis
Fabriano Cathedral
Location
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical province	Ancona-Osimo
Statistics
Area	681 km2 (263 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2021) 52,900 (est.) 50,500 (guess)
Parishes	58
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	15 November 1728 (295 years ago)
Cathedral	Basilica Cattedrale di S. Venanzio Martire
Co-cathedral	Concattedrale di S. Maria Assunta
Secular priests	37 (diocesan) 15 (Religious Orders) 6 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Francesco Massara
Map

Cathedral of the Assumption, Matelica

The Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica (Latin : Dioecesis Fabrianensis-Mathelicensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the Marche has existed under this name since 1986. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Ancona-Osimo. ^{[1] [2]}

History

Fabriano belongs to the medieval March of Ancona, and the modern province of Ancona. It is located approximately 56 km (35 mi) southwest and inland of the Adriatic port of Ancona, the capital of the March of Ancona. Fabriano is about 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Camerino by road.

Silvestro Guzzoli, the founder of the Congregation of the Sylvestrines, of the Order of Saint Benedict, is buried in the church of S. Benedict in the monastery of S. Silvestro at Monte Fano, three km. southwest of Fabriano, which he established in 1231, where Giuseppe dei Conti Atti and Ugo Laico, both Silvestrines, are also buried. ^[3]

On 15 November 1728, Pope Benedict XIV established the town of Fabriano as the seat of a diocese, and the collegiate church of S. Venantius ^[4] in Fabriano was constituted the cathedral of Fabriano. ^[5] The new diocese of Fabriano was united aeque principaliter ^[6] with the diocese of Camerino, from which its territory had been taken. Bishop Cosimo Torelli of Camerino became bishop of Camerino e Fabriano. Both dioceses continued to be directly subject to the Holy See (papacy), both politically and ecclesiastically. ^[7]

The city of Fabriano in 1728 had a population of around 7,000 Catholics. Camerino's 18th century population was around 4,000. Fabriano had three parishes, twelve houses of male religious and nine houses of women religious. The diocese had fifteen towns (oppida) in its jurisdiction, and several country districts. ^[8]

Bishop Francesco Viviani (1746–1767) held a diocesan synod for the dioceses of Camerino and Fabriano in 1748. ^[9]

Matelica

In 487, Bishop Equitius of Matelica was at Rome; Basilius is recorded in 499; and in 551, Bishop Florentius accompanied Pope Vigilius to Constantinople. No other bishops of the ancient see are known. ^[10] Until 1785, the territory of Matelica also was under the jurisdiction of Camerino. ^[11] The town of Matelica was under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Camerino until 8 July 1785, when Pope Pius VI re-established the old Diocese of Matelica and united it aeque principaliter with Fabriano. ^[12]

In 1846, Bishop Francesco Faldi (1837–1858) held a synod for the diocese of Fabriano, and summoned the Chapter of the cathedral of Matelica to attend. They refused, and appealed to Rome, where the Sacred Congregation of the Council supported them against Fabriano. ^[13]

Bishop Macario Sorini (1883–1893) held a diocesan synod for the diocese of Fabriano in the cathedral in Fabriano on 23–25 October 1884; he held another for the diocese of Matelica on 12–14 April 1885. ^[14]

Reorganization of 1986

In a decree of the Second Vatican Council, it was recommended that dioceses be reorganized to take into account modern developments. ^[15] As part of the project begun on orders from Pope John XXIII, and continued under his successors, to reduce the number of dioceses in Italy and to rationalize their borders in terms of modern population changes and shortages of clergy, the diocese of Matelica was united to the diocese of Fabriano. The change was approved by Pope John Paul II in an audience of 27 September 1986, and by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops of the Papal Curia on 30 September 1986. Its name was to be Dioecesis Fabrianensis-Mathelicensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Fabriano. The former cathedral in Matelica was to have the honorary title of co-cathedral, and its chapter was to be the Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one episcopal curia, one seminary, one ecclesiastical tribunal; and all the clergy were to be incardinated in the diocese of Fabriano-Matelica. ^[16] The diocese of Matelica was completely suppressed.

Bishops

Diocese of Camerino and Fabriano

Erected: 15 November 1728
Latin Name: Camerinus et Fabrianensis

• Cosma Torelli (1728–1736 Died) ^[17]
• Ippolito de Rossi (1736–1746) ^[18]
• Francesco Viviani (1746–1767) ^[19]
• Luigi Amici (1768–1785 Resigned) ^[20]

Diocese of Fabriano e Matelica

United: 8 July 1785 with the Diocese of Matelica
Latin Name: Fabrianensis et Mathelicensis
Immediately Subject to the Holy See

• Nicola Pietro Andrea Zoppetti, O.E.S.A. (1785–1796) ^[21]

Sede Vacante (1796–1800) ^[22]

• Giovanni Francesco Capelletti (1800–1806) ^[23]
• Domenico Buttaoni (1806–1822) ^[24]
• Pietro Balducci, C.M. (1822–1837) ^[25]
• Francesco Faldi (1837–1858) ^[26]
• Antonio Maria Valenziani (1858–1876) ^[27]
• Leopoldo Angelo Santanché, O.F.M. (1876–1883) ^[28]
• Macario Sorini (1883–1893 Resigned) ^[29]
• Aristide Golfieri (1895) ^[30]
• Luciano Gentilucci (1895–1909)
• Pietro Zanolini (1910–1913 Appointed, Bishop of Lodi)
• Andrea Cassulo (1914–1921) ^[31]
• Luigi Ermini (1921–1945)
• Lucio Crescenzi (1945–1960)
• Macario Tinti (1960–1978 Retired)
• Luigi Scuppa (1978–2001)

Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica

Combined: 30 September 1986 into one diocese
Latin Name: Fabrianensis-Mathelicensis

• Giancarlo Vecerrica (2002–2016 Retired)
• Stefano Russo (2016–2019) ^[32]

Stefano Russo (2019–2020) Administrator

Francesco Massara (2019–2020) Administrator

• Francesco Massara (2020– )

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Matelica

Notes

1. Cheney, David M. "Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . Retrieved June 16, 2018. ^{self-published}
2. Chow, Gabriel. "Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica". GCatholic.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. ^{self-published}
3. Claudio Leonardi, Andrea Riccardi, Gabriella Zarri (edd.), Diccionario de los santos, Volume 2 (Madrid: San Pablo 2000), p. 2059. Cappelletti VII, pp. 635-636.
4. Venatius is recorded as a martyr, and connected with Camerino; he was not a bishop. His connection, however, is with Dalmatia, according to his hagiography. Lanzoni, pp. 488-489.
5. Cappelletti VII, pp. 639-640.
6. One and the same bishop governed two dioceses at the same time, though each diocese retained a separate character and administrative system.
7. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 198, note 1.
8. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 198, note 1; VI, p. 143, note 1.
9. J.B. Martin & L. Petit (edd.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus 38 (Paris: Hubert Welter 1907), p. 536.
10. Lanzoni, p. 489.
11. Umberto Benigni, "Fabriano and Matelica." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. Retrieved: 25 May 2023.
12. Bullarii Romani continuatio. Tomus septimus (in Latin). Vol. 7 (Tomus septimus). Roma: Typographia Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae. 1843. pp. 406–413.
13. Angelo Lucidi, De visitatione sacrorum liminum instructio S.C. Concilii, (in Latin), editio secunda, Tomus I. 1 (Roma: Typographia Polyglotta S.C. de propaganda Fide 1878), p. 198.
14. J.B. Martin & L. Petit (edd.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus 38 (Paris: Hubert Welter 1907), p. 535-536.
15. Directoriae normae clare a Concilio impertitae de dioecesium recognitione; indicia atque elementa apta ad actionem pastoralem aestimandam ab episcopis suppeditata quibus plurium dioecesium regimen commissum est.
16. Acta Apostolicae Sedis An. et Vol. LXXIX (Città del Vaticano: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis 1987), pp. 699-700.
17. Torelli was a native of Forlì, and held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Bologna, 1694). He was appointed bishop of Camerino on 15 May 1719 by Pope Clement XI, and consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Lorenzo Casoni. He also became bishop of Fabriano on 15 November 1728. He died on 27 August 1736. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 139.
18. De Rossi was born in Parma in 1691, of the family of the Marchesi di San Secondo. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (Sapienza, Rome, 1722), and was named an honorary papal chamberlain. He was named bishop of Camerino e Fabriano on 26 September 1736, and consecrated a bishop in Rome on 7 October by Cardinal Antonio Gentili. He held a diocesan synod in Camerino. On 17 January 1746, De Rossi was appointed Bishop of Senigallia. Cappelletti VII, pp. 640-641. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 143 with note 3.
19. Viviani had been Bishop of Nepi and Sutri. He was transferred to the dioceses of Camerino e Fabriano on 18 April 1746. He died in Camerino on 30 December 1767. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 143 with note 4.
20. Born in Camerino in 1735, Amici was a canon and prebend of the cathedral of Camerino. He was a doctor of theology and Doctor in utroque iure (University of Camerino, 1765). He was appointed bishop of Camerino e Fabriano on 20 June 1768, and lost the diocese of Fabriano when it was combined with Matelica on 8 July 1785. He continued on as Bishop of Camerino until his death on 5 July 1795. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 143 with note 5.
21. Zoppetti was born in Fabriano in 1735. He became a Master of theology in 1771 at the age of thirty-six. He lectured on philosophy and theology in the houses of his Order in their province of Umbria, and became director of studies of the province. He was appointed Bishop of Fabriano e Matelica on 26 September 1785 by Pope Pius VI, and was consecrated in Rome on 29 September by Cardinal Giovanni Archinto. He died on 12 July 1796. Cappelletti, p. 654. Calendario ecclesiastico per l'anno 1882 (in Italian). Vol. II. Roma: Tip. sociale. 1881. pp. 156–157. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 212 with note 2.
22. Pope Pius VI was under control of French invasion forces, then a prisoner, deported to France, where he died in August 1799. A successor was not elected until 14 March 1800. J.N.D. Kelly & M.J. Walsh, Oxford Dictionary of Popes, 2nd ed. (OUP 2010), pp. 306-307.
23. A native of Rieti, Capelletti was appointed Bishop of Fabriano e Matelica on 11 August 1800 by Pope Pius VII. He was transferred to the diocese of Ascoli Piceno on 26 August 1806. Gams, p. 704 column 2. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, pp. 91, 191.
24. Buttaoni: Gams, p. 704 column 2.
25. Balducci: Gams, p. 704 column 2.
26. Faldi: Gams, p. 704 column 2.
27. Valenziani: Gams, p. 704 column 2.
28. Santanché was born in Acquasanta (diocese of Ascoli Piceno) in 1818. He was a member of the Reformed Franciscans. In 1871 he was named Vicar Apostolic of the Dominican Republic, and made titular archbishop of Achrida. In 1874, he became Vicar Apostolic of Constantinople. On 3 April 1876, he was named bishop of Fabriano e Matelica, and allowed to retain the title of archbishop. He died on 10 February 1883. La Civiltà cattolica, (in Italian), Vol. 22 [8th series, vol. 3] (Florence: La Civiltà cattolica, 1871), p. 242. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, pp. 73, 267.
29. Sorini was a native of Recanati. He was named bishop of Fabriano e Matelica by Pope Leo XIII on 15 March 1883. He resigned the diocese on 12 June 1893, and was appointed titular archbishop of Philippopolis (Plovdiv, Bulgaria). In 1895, he became bishop of Gubbio. He died on 31 December 1900. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, pp. 264, 267, 366, 453.
30. A native of Lugo (diocese of Imola), Golfieri was a canon and prebendary of the cathedral of Imola, and archpriest of Mordano. He appointed bishop of Fabiano e Matelica on 18 March 1895, and consecrated in Rome on 24 March. On 29 November 1895, Pope Leo XIII transferred Bishop Golfieri to the diocese of Città di Castello. He died in 1909. Ritzler & Sefrin VIII, pp. 207, 267.
31. Cassulo was appointed bishop of Fabriano e Matelica by Pope Pius X on 15 April 1914. On 24 January 1921, Cassulo was named titular Archbishop of Leontopolis in Augustamnica (Egypt) by Pope Benedict XV, and appointed Apostolic Delegate to Egypt and Arabia. Charles George Herbermann (ed.), [Unnamed author], "Egypt," in: The Catholic Encyclopedia: Supplement I, Vol. 17 (New York: Encyclopedia Press 1922), p. 278.
32. Russo, who had been elected Secretary General of the Italian Bishops' Conference in September 2018, found the duties of the office such that he could not serve as Bishop of Foligno at the same time. Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 27 April 2019, and appointed him Apostolic Administrator. Notizie. Città e territorio, "Fabriano / Monsignor Russo rinuncia all' episcopato, attesa per il nuovo vescovo"; retrieved: 27 April 2019. (in Italian)

Bibliography

Reference works for bishops

• Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo (in Latin). Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. p. 704.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi. Vol. Tomus V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi. Vol. Tomus VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1968). Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Vol. VII (1800–1846). Monasterii: Libreria Regensburgiana.
• Remigius Ritzler; Pirminus Sefrin (1978). Hierarchia catholica Medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Vol. VIII (1846–1903). Il Messaggero di S. Antonio.
• Pięta, Zenon (2002). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Vol. IX (1903–1922). Padua: Messagero di San Antonio. ISBN   978-88-250-1000-8.

Studies

• Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1848). Le chiese d'Italia: dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. Tomo settimo. Venezia: G. Antonelli. pp. 635–658.
• Lanzoni, Francesco (1927). Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604) . Faenza: F. Lega. (in Italian)

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