Diocese of Fossombrone

The Italian Catholic diocese of Fossombrone existed in the province of Pesaro and Urbino until 1986, when it was united into the diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola. It was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Urbino.^[1]

History

Fossombrone was included in the Donation of Pepin, but remained subject to the Duchy of Spoleto until 1198, when it passed under papal rule. It was then held in fief of the Holy See by different families: by the house of Este (1210-28), the Malatesta (1340-1445), the Montefeltro of Urbino, 1445-1631); from 1500 to 1503 it acknowledged the rule of Cesare Borgia.

Christianity was introduced there, according to Ferdinando Ughelli, by Felicianus of Foligno. The martyrologies mention several martyrs: Aquilinus, Geminus, Gelasius, Magnus and Donata, also a bishop, Timothy, and his daughter (4 February). The first bishop of certain date is Innocent, present at the synods of Pope Symmachus (504).

Other bishops were:

• Fulcuinus (1086), present at the Council of Salona as legate of Pope Gregory VII to receive the oath of fidelity to the Holy See from Demetrius, King of Dalmatia;
• St. Aldebrando Faberi (1119), who died at the age of 118 years;
• Blessed Riccardo (date uncertain);
• Addo Ravieri (1379), poet and littérateur;
• Paul of Middelburg (1494), of German origin, a skilful mathematician, and author of a work on the computation of Easter;
• Giacomo Guidiccioni (1524), poet and writer;
• Cardinal Nicolò Ardinghelli (1541);
• Giulio Aloisini (1808), internuncio in Russia.^[2]

Notes

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.