Roman Catholic Diocese of Avezzano
| Diocese of Avezzano Dioecesis Marsorum | |
|---|---|
 Avezzano Cathedral | |
| Location | |
| Country | Italy |
| Ecclesiastical province | L'Aquila |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 1,700 km2 (660 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2006) 115,137 109,000 (94.7%) |
| Parishes | 95 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 9th Century |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of St. Bartholomew the Apostle (Avezzano) |
| Co-cathedral | Cocathedral of St. Mary of Grace (Pescina) |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Pietro Santoro |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| www.diocesidiavezzano.it | |
The Diocese of Avezzano (Latin: Dioecesis Marsorum) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in central Italy, carrying this name since 1986. Before it was known as the Diocese of Marsi. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of L'Aquila.[1]
History
The diocese of Marsi had its original seat at Pescina.
According to legend, the Gospel was preached to the Marsican region in Apostolic times by Saint Mark, and Saint Rufinus, their bishop, was martyred about 240. The episcopal see was originally at Santa Savina, but, as this place was isolated and therefore insecure, Pope Gregory XIII permitted, in 1580, the removal of the bishop's residence to Pescina, where the cathedral was completed in 1596.
Among the bishops of the diocese was Saint Berardo of the family of the Counts of the Marsi. He was educated at Montecassino, and became pontifical governor of the Campagna. On account of his justice and of his severity in that office, he was imprisoned by Pietro Colonna, but Pope Paschal II made him a cardinal, and bishop of his native town.
Ordinaries
- Pierre Ferri (20 March 1327 – 10 May 1336) appointed Bishop of Chieti
- Francesco Maccafani (1 October 1470 – 1471) resigned
- Gabriele Maccafani (11 October 1471 – 1511) died
- Giacomo Maccafani (1511–1530) died
- Giovanni Dionisio Maccafani (1530–1533) died
- Marcello Crescenzi (19 January 1534 – 5 May 1546) appointed Administrator of Conza
- Francesco (Franzino) Micheli (17 May 1546 – 13 July 1548) appointed Bishop of Casale Monferrato
- Nicola de Virgiliis (27 July 1548 – 20 May 1562) resigned
- Giambattista Milanese (27 May 1562 – 14 December 1577) died
- Matteo Colli (13 February 1579 – 1596) died
- Bartolomeo Peretti (14 Apr 1597–2 January 1628) died
- Baglione Carradoli (5 June 1628 – 3 May 1629) died
- Muzio Colonna (17 September 1629 – 5 September 1632) died
- Lorenzo Massimo (24 November 1632 – 28 October 1647) died
- Giovanni Paolo Caccia (18 May 1648 – 6 September 1649) died
- Ascanio de Gasparis (14 February 1650 – 16 August 1664) died
- Diego Petra (15 September 1664 – 29 April 1680) appointed Archbishop of Sorrento
- Francesco Berardino Corradini (27 May 1680 – 26 December 1718) died
- Muzio de’ Vecchi (29 March 1719 – 25 August 1724) died
- Giacinto Dragonetti, C.O. (11 September 1724 – 20 December 1730) died
- Giuseppe Barone (5 March 1731 – 29 May 1741) appointed Bishop of Calvi Risorta
- Domenico Antonio Brizi (29 May 1741 – 6 September 1760) died
- Benedetto Mattei (15 December 1760 – 23 June 1776) died
- Francesco Vincenzo Lajezza (16 December 1776 – 31 October 1792) died
- Giuseppe Bolognese (18 December 1797 – 1802) resigned
- Camillo Giovanni Rossi † (26 June 1805 – 26 June 1818) confirmed Bishop of San Severo
- Francesco Saverio Durini, O.S.B. (21 Dec 1818 Confirmed - 17 November 1823) confirmed Bishop of Aversa
- Giuseppe Segna (3 May 1824 Confirmed - 8 March 1840) died
- Michel’ Angelo Sorrentino (19 Jun 1843 Confirmed - 17 April 1863) died
- Federico de Giacomo (22 December 1871 – 6 August 1884) died
- Enrico de Dominis (Dominicis) (10 November 1884 – 21 May 1894) appointed Archbishop of Amalfi
- Marino Russo (29 November 1895 – 15 August 1903) died
- Francesco Giacci (13 July 1904 – 29 April 1909) resigned
- Nicola Cola (15 April 1910 – 14 August 1910) resigned
- Pio Marcello Bagnoli, O.C.D. (14 December 1910 – 17 January 1945) died
- Domenico Valerii (9 August 1945 – 10 November 1973) retired
- Vittorio Ottaviani (10 November 1973 – 22 April 1977) resigned
- Biagio Vittorio Terrinoni, O.F.M. Cap. (22 April 1977 – 23 June 1990) retired
- Armando Dini (23 June 1990 – 21 November 1998) appointed Archbishop of Campobasso-Boiano
- Lucio Angelo Renna, O. Carm. (9 June 1999–2 Sep 2006) appointed Bishop of San Severo
- Pietro Santoro (28 Jun 2007–present)
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.
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Coordinates: 42°02′28″N 13°26′22″E / 42.0411°N 13.4394°E