Roman Catholic Diocese of Aosta

Diocese of Aosta
Dioecesis Augustana

Aosta Cathedral
Location
Country Italy
Ecclesiastical province Turin
Statistics
Area 3,262 km2 (1,259 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2006)
122,589
119,546 (97.5%)
Parishes 93
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established 4th century
Cathedral Our Lady of Assumption and St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Aosta
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Franco Lovignana
Emeritus Bishops Giuseppe Anfossi
Map
Website
www.diocesiaosta.it

The Italian Catholic Diocese of Aosta (Latin: Dioecesis Augustana) has existed in its modern form since 1817.[1] It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Turin.

History

Western Roman Emperor Honorius, depicted on the consular diptych of Anicius Petronius Probus (406, Museo del tesoro della cattedrale di Aosta, CIL V, 6836)

Although Ursus is sometimes said to have been the first bishop, this is controverted. The first certainly known bishop is St. Eustasius, whose name coupled with Aosta is signed to a letter sent to Pope Leo I by the second Synod of Milan in 451.[2] In the cathedral treasury is a consular diptych of Anicius Petronius Probus, Roman consul in 406, which shows the Emperor Honorius. (It was discovered in 1833.) From the ninth century the list of bishops is fairly complete. Bernard of Menthon (1008), Archdeacon of Aosta, founded the hospice on the Alps named after him, as a relief to pilgrims.[3]

In the 10th and early 11th centuries, the bishops of Aosta ruled the surrounding country as its secular counts. The two titles were separated at or following the death of Bishop Anselm in 1026, owing to Conrad II's desire to strengthen his position near the important Little St Bernard Pass and distrust of Burchard, Anselm's successor and a relative of various nobles opposed to Conrad's claims in Burgundy. (Burchard would subsequently rise in a failed revolt; he was later translated to Lyons.) Anselm (1033-1109), Archbishop of Canterbury, was a native of Aosta and probably related to its dynasty of bishops; rather than remain in local service, however, he travelled to Bec Abbey in Normandy and ultimately became primate over Norman England instead.

The see was suppressed in 1802 and reëstablished in 1817.

Territory and parishes

The diocese, which covers an area of 3,262 km² and has a population of 129,288, is divided into 93 parishes.[4] All are in the (civil) region of Aosta Valley. A list of parishes by commune follows; locations (villages or neighbourhoods) within a commune are shown in brackets.[5]

Aosta Valley

Allein
Saint Stephen
Antey-Saint-André
Saint Andrew
Aosta
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Anselm of Aosta
John the Baptist (the cathedral)
Saint Lawrence
Saint Stephen
Saint-Martin-de-Corléans
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges (Porossan)
Saint Nicholas and Saint Barbara (Excenex)
Saint Bernard of Mont-Joux (Signayes)
Arnad
Martin of Tours
Arvier
Saint Sulpice
Avise
Saint Brice
Ayas
Martin of Tours (Antagnod)
Saint Anne (Champoluc)
Aymavilles
Christ the King
Bard
Assumption of Mary
Bionaz
Saint Margaret
Brissogne
Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Brusson
Saint Maurice
Challand-Saint-Anselme
Anselm of Aosta
Challand-Saint-Victor
Saint Victor of Soleure
Chambave
Saint Lawrence
Chamois
Saint Pantaleon
Champdepraz
Saint François de Sales
Champorcher
Saint Nicholas
Charvensod
Columba of Sens
Châtillon
Saint Peter
Cogne
Saint Ursus
Courmayeur
Saint Pantaleon
Saint Margaret (Entrèves)
Donnas
Saint Peter
Nativity of the Theotokos (Vert)
Doues
Saint Blaise
Emarèse
Saint Pantaleon
Etroubles
Assumption of Mary
Fénis
Saint Maurice
Fontainemore
Anthony the Great
Gaby
Michael (archangel)
Gignod
Saint Hilary of Poitiers
Gressan
Saint Stephen
Gressoney-La-Trinité
Holy Trinity
Gressoney-Saint-Jean
John the Baptist
Hône
Saint George
Introd
Conversion of Saint Paul
Issime
Saint James
Issogne
Assumption of Mary
Jovençan
Saint Ursus
La Magdeleine
Saint Mary Magdalene
La Salle, Italy
Saint Cassian
Saint Ursus (Derby)
La Thuile
Saint Nicholas
Lillianes
Saint Roch
Montjovet
Nativity of the Theotokos
Saint Germain (Saint-Germain)
Morgex
Assumption of Mary
Nus
Hilary of Poitiers
Saint Bartholomew (Lignan)
Ollomont
Saint Augustine
Oyace
Michael (archangel)
Perloz
Jesus
Pollein
Saint George
Pontboset
Gratus of Aosta
Pontey
Martin of Tours
Pont-Saint-Martin
Saint Lawrence
Pré-Saint-Didier
Saint Lawrence
Quart
Saint Eusebius (Bas-Villair)
Saint Sebastian (Ville-Sur-Nus)
Rhêmes-Notre-Dame
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Rhêmes-Saint-Georges
Saint George
Roisan
Saint Victor
Saint-Christophe
Saint Christopher
Saint-Denis
Denis of Paris
Saint-Marcel
Pope Marcellus I
Saint-Nicolas
Saint Nicholas
Saint-Oyen
Saint Oyen
Saint-Pierre
Saint Peter
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
San Remigio
Leonard of Noblac
Saint-Vincent
Saint Vincent
Sarre
Saint Maurice
Saint Eustace (Chesallet)
Torgnon
Martin of Tours
Valgrisenche
St. Gratus
Valpelline
Saint Pantaleon
Valsavarenche
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Valtournenche
Anthony the Great
Maria Regina Vallis Augustanae (Breuil-Cervinia)
Verrayes
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours (Diémoz)
Verrès
Saint Giles
Villeneuve
Assumption of Mary

Bishops of Aosta

There follows a partial list of the bishops of the diocese.[6]

Notes

  1. Cheney 2007.
  2. A’Becket 1907 cites Savio 1899.
  3. A’Becket 1907
  4. Diocesi di Aosta n.d.a
  5. The list of parishes was derived from Diocesi di Aosta n.d.b and CCI n.d.
  6. The source for Paolo Giuseppe Solaro and his successors is http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/aost0.htm
  7. Agnellus and Gal, like Grat, the second bishop, are buried in the church of St. Laurence in Aosta. Diocesi di Aosta: Parrocchie di San Lorenzo in Aosta
  8. Sant' Orso di Aosta

References

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

External links

Coordinates: 45°44′00″N 7°19′00″E / 45.7333°N 7.3167°E / 45.7333; 7.3167

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