Roman Catholic Diocese of Ascoli Piceno

Diocese of Ascoli Piceno
Dioecesis Asculanus in Piceno

Cathedral of Ascoli Piceno
Location
Country Italy
Ecclesiastical province Fermo
Statistics
Area 840 km2 (320 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2006)
107,433
107,096 (99.7%)
Parishes 70
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established 4th Century
Cathedral Basilica Cattedrale di S. Maria Madre di Dio, S. Emidio
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Giovanni D'Ercole
Map
Website
www.webdiocesi.chiesacattolica.it

The Italian Catholic Diocese of Ascoli Piceno (Latin: Dioecesis Asculanus in Piceno) in the Marche, has existed since the fourth century. Historically immediately dependent on the Holy See, it is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Fermo.[1]

History

The traces of this bishopric appear in the fourth century with St. Emidius, martyred under Diocletian and Claudius, present at the Synod of Rimini (Arian Controversy, 359). In the fifth century, Lusentius, who was present at the Synod of Milan which sent the famous letter to Pope Leo I (440-461), was bishop of Ascoli.

One of its bishops, Giulio de' Medici, afterwards became Pope Clement VII (1523-34).[2]

Notes

  1. Catholic Hierarchy page
  2. Catholic Encyclopedia article

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

Coordinates: 42°51′17″N 13°34′31″E / 42.8547°N 13.5753°E