Roman Catholic Diocese of Alessandria

The Diocese of Alessandria (Latin: Dioecesis Alexandrina Statiellorum) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Piedmont, northern Italy. It is a suffragan of the diocese of Vercelli.[2] [3]

Diocese of Alessandria Dioecesis Alexandrina Statiellorum
Alessandria Cathedral
Location
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical province	Vercelli
Statistics
Area	740 km^2 (290 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2015) 159,822 149,506 (approx.) (93.5%)
Parishes	75
Information
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	1175
Cathedral	Cattedrale di S. Pietro Apostolo
Patron saint	Saint Baudolino [1]
Secular priests	64 (diocesan) 18 (Religious Orders) 9 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Guido Gallese
Map
Website
www.diocesialessandria.it

History

In 1168, in response to the aggression of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, the leaders of Milan, Cremona and Piacenza, established a new town in order to discomfit Frederick's ally Pavia. Seeking support for their undertaking, they sent ambassadors to Pope Alexander III (1159–1181) in 1170, announcing that they had named the new city in his honor and begging for his support. They offered the city to the Papacy to be forever the vassal of the Holy Roman Church.[4] Alessandria was made a see in 1175 by Pope Alexander III, with territory removed from the diocese of Acqui. The clergy of Acqui objected, of course, and, at a vacancy in the bishopric of Alessandria, they sometimes attempted to elect a bishop of their own; the Papacy was therefore faced with the need to sort out conflicts between the Chapter of Alessandria and the Chapter of Acqui.[5]

In a Brief of 30 January 1176, he declared that he had selected Alessandria's first bishop, though he did so without any prejudice to the rights of the Chapter for the future to elect their bishop, just as the other suffragans of Milan did.[6]

The diocese was suppressed in 1213 by Pope Innocent III, due to their support of the Emperor Otto IV.[7] It was restored in 1240 by Pope Gregory IX as part of his strategy to defeat Frederick II.[8] The territory of the diocese of Acqui was united with that of Alessandria until 1405, when Acqui again received its own bishop.[9] The diocese was suppressed in 1803, as part of the effort on the part of the Papacy to regularize the situation after the liquidation of the "Cisalpine Republic", which had been created in northern Italy by General Napoleon Bonaparte. Alessandria was re-established as independent in 1817. It was vacant from 1854 to 1867.[10]

List of Bishops

1175	Arduino[11]
1176–1180	Ottone
1180–1187	Uberto
1187–1213	Ugo Tornielli
1213	See vacant
1235–1280	Bonifacio
1280–1300	Ascherio
1300–1321	Bertolino or Bartolomeo dal Pozzo
1321–1347	Odone Guasco
1347–1351	Antonio Guasco
1351–1375	Francesco dal Pozzo
1375–1400	Franceschino dal Pozzo
1400–1405	Arpino Colli
1405–1416	Bertolino Beccari (appointed by Innocent VII of the Roman Obedience)[12]
1417–1432	Michele Mantegazza (appointed by Pope Martin V)
1443–1457	Marco Marinoni (Marco Marinone)
1458–1478	Marco de Capitaneis (also known as Marco Cattaneo)
1478–1509	Gian Carlo San Giorgio (also known as Giovanni Antonio Sangiorgio)
1509–1517	Alessandro Guasco
1518–1534	Pallavicino Visconti
1534–1565	Ottaviano Guasco
1565–1568	Girolamo Gallarati
1569–1571	Agostino Baglione
1571–1584	Guarnero Trotti
1584–1598	Ottavio Pallavicini[13]
1598–1610	Pietro Giorgio Odescalchi
1611–1640	Erasmo Paravicini
1641–1643	Francesco Visconti
1644–1659	Deodato Scaglia
1659–1680	Carlo Ciceri[14]
1680–1694	Alberto Mugiasca
1695–1704	Carlo Ottaviano Guasco
1704–1706	Filippo Maria Resta
1706–1727	Francesco Arborio di Gattinara
1727–1729	Carlo Vincenzo Ferreri (resigned on becoming a Cardinal)[15]
1730–1743	Gian Mercurino Antonio Gattinara (also known as Giovanni Mercurino Arborio di Gattinara)
1744–1755	Giuseppe Alfonso Miroglio[16]
1757–1786	Giuseppe Tomaso de Rossi[17]
1788–1794	Carlo Giuseppe Pistone[18]
1796–1803	Vincenzo Maria Mossi de Morano[19]
1805–1816	Gian Crisostomo Villaret (also known as Jean-Chrysostome de Villaret)[20]
1818–1832	Alessandro d'Angennes[21] (promoted Archbishop of Vercelli)
1833–1854	Dionigi Andrea Pasio (also known as Dionisio-Andrea Pasio)
1867–1872	Giacomo Antonio Colli[22]
1874–1897	Pietro Giocondo Salvaj (Salvai) di Govone
1897–1918	Giuseppe Capecci[23]
1918–1921	Giosuè Signori[24] (promoted Archbishop of Genoa)
1922–1945	Nicolao (Nicola) Milone
1945–1964	Giuseppe Pietro Gagnor, O.P.
1965–1980	Giuseppe Almici
1980–1989	Ferdinando Maggioni
1989–2007	Fernando Charrier
2007–2011	Giuseppe Versaldi
since 2012	Guido Gallese

Parishes

The diocese has 75 parishes, all within the Piedmontese province of Alessandria.[25] In 2012, there was one priest for every 1,641 Catholics.

Alessandria

Cuore Immacolato di Maria

Madonna del Buon Consiglio

Madonna del Suffragio

Nostra Signora del Carmine

S. Alessandro

S. Baudolino

S. Giovanni Evangelista

S. Giuseppe Artigiano

S. Lorenzo

S. Maria della Sanità

S. Maria di Castello

S. Paolo

S. Pietro

S. Pio V

S. Rocco

S. Stefano

Santi Apostoli

SS. Annunziata

Natività di Maria (Cantalupo)

Beata Vergine Assunta (Casalbagliano)

S. Rocco (Cascinagrossa)

S. Giorgio (Castelceriolo)

Nostra Signora di Fatima (Litta Parodi)

S. Bartolomeo (Lobbi)

SS. Nome di Maria (Mandrogne)

Beata Vergine del Rosario (San Giuliano Nuovo)

Beata Vergine Assunta (San Giuliano Vecchio)

S. Michele (San Michele)

Beata Vergine Immacolata (Spinetta Marengo)

Natività di Maria (Spinetta Marengo)

S. Bartolomeo (Valle San Bartolomeo)

Beata Vergine Assunta (Valmadonna)

S. Varena (Villa del Foro)

Alluvioni Cambiò

S. Carlo

S. Anna (Grava)

Bassignana

S. Stefano

S. Maria della Neve (Fiondi)

Beata Vergine Assunta (Mugarone)

Borgoratto Alessandrino

Beata Vergine Assunta

Bosco Marengo

Santi Pietro e Pantaleone

S. Maria Maddalena (Levata)

S. Michele Arcangelo (Quattro Cascine)

Capriata d’Orba

S. Pietro

Carentino

Beata Vergine Assunta

Casal Cermelli

Beata Vergine Assunta

S. Antonio Da Padova

Castellazzo Bormida

S. Carlo

S. Maria

S. Martino

Castelspina

Beata Vergine Assunta

Felizzano

Santi Michele e Pietro

Frascaro

S. Nicolao

Frugarolo

S. Felice

Gamalero

S. Lorenzo

S. Rocco (San Rocco)

Isola Sant’Antonio

S. Antonio Da Padova

Montecastello

S. Maria di Ponzano

Oviglio

S. Felice

Pasturana

S. Martino

Pecetto di Valenza

S. Maria

Pietra Marazzi

S. Martino

S. Germano (Pavone d’Alessandria)

Piovera

S. Michele Arcangelo

Predosa

Natività di Maria

Beata Vergine Assunta (Castelferro)

S. Lorenzo (Mantovana)

Quargnento

S. Dalmazio

Rivarone

Natività di Maria

Solero

S. Perpetuo

Tassarolo

S. Nicolao

Valenza

Nostra Signora della Pietà

S. Antonio

S. Eusebio

S. Maria Maggiore

Sacro Cuore di Gesù

References

1. Saints.SQPN.com
2. "Diocese of Alessandria (della Paglia)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016
3. "Diocese of Alessandria " GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved September 25, 2016
4. Cappelletti, pp. 531-534. Ughelli, IV, pp. 312-313. Moriondo, Giovanni Battista (1790). Monumenta Aquensia (in Latin). Pars II. Torino: Typographia regia. p. 11.
5. Fedele, p. 68.
6. Ughelli, IV, pp. 314-315. Moriondo, II, pp. 12, 26.
7. Cappelletti, pp. 544-546.
8. Cappelletti, pp. 546-548.
9. Cappelletti, pp. 547-550.
10. John Joseph à Becket. "Alessandria della Paglia." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. Retrieved: 2016-10-4. (confused and confusing)
11. Arduin was a Roman and an Apostolic Subdeacon. Ughelli, IV, p. 321. Fedele, pp. 66-67.
12. Eubel, I, p. 83.
13. The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary - Consistory of March 6, 1591
14. The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary - Consistory of September 2, 1686
15. Ferreri was appointed by Pope Benedict XIII in consistory on 6 July 1729; his red biretta was sent to him on 16 July; he received the red hat on 22 December. Ritzler, V, p. 39, with note 3. He died on 9 December 1742. The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church - Biographical Dictionary - Consistory of July 6, 1729
16. Ritzler, VI, p. 75. Miroglio was Doctor in utroque iure ('Doctor of Canon and Civil Law') (Sapienza, 1744). He was appointed by Pope Benedict XIV on 16 March 1744, and consecrated by him on 22 March.
17. Ritzler, VI, p. 75. De Rossi was Doctor in utroque iure ('Doctor of Canon and Civil Law') (Turin, 1737). He was appointed by Pope Benedict XIV on 18 July 1757, and consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Guidoboni Cavalchini on 25 July.
18. Ritzler, VI, p. 75. Pistone was Doctor in utroque iure ('Doctor of Canon and Civil Law') (Turin, 1764). He was appointed by Pope Pius VI on 15 September 1788, and consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Hyacinthe Gerdil on 21 September.
19. Ritzler, VI, p. 75. Mossi was Doctor in utroque iure ('Doctor of Canon and Civil Law') (Turin, 1773). He was Eleemosynary to the King of Sardinia, and was nominated by him to the bishopric. He was appointed by Pope Pius VI on 27 June 1796 at the age of 44, and consecrated in Rome on 10 July by Cardinal Giulio Maria della Somaglia. He resigned the See of Alessandria on 29 May 1803, and was appointed titular Bishop of Side (Turkey) on 26 June 1805.
20. He had been nominated by the Emperor Napoleon I to be Commissary for Ecclesiastical Affairs in Piedmont.
21. Luigi Bignelli (1869). Biografia di Monsignor Alessandro Reminiac de'Marchesi d'Angennes, arcivescovo di Vercelli. Con notizie storiche di sua famiglia, etc (in Italian). Torino.
22. Colli had been Canon of the Cathedral of Novara.
23. Renato Lanzavecchia (1999). Storia della Diocesi di Alessandria (in Italian). Alessandria editrice. pp. 338–351.
24. Renato Lanzavecchia (1999). Storia della Diocesi di Alessandria (in Italian). Alessandria editrice. pp. 351 ff.
25. chiesacattolica.it (retrieved:2008-03-11 12:43:17 +0000)

Books

Reference works

• Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo. Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. p. 811. (Use with caution; obsolete)
• Eubel, Conradus (ed.) (1913). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 1 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) p. 83. (in Latin)
• Eubel, Conradus (ed.) (1914). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 2 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) p. 85.
• Eubel, Conradus (ed.); Gulik, Guilelmus (1923). Hierarchia catholica, Tomus 3 (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) pp. 102–103.
• Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica IV (1592-1667). Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p. 77.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p. 77.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06. p. 75.

Studies

• Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1858). Le chiese d'Italia: dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Volume decimoquarto (XIV). Venice: G. Antonelli. pp. 531–562.
• Chenna, Giuseppe Antonio (1785). Del vescovato, de'vescovi e delle chiese della città e diocesi d'Alessandria (in Italian). Alessandria: Ignazio Vimercati.
• Fedele, Savio (1898). Gli antichi Vescovi d'Italia: il Piemonte (in Italian). Torino: Bocca. pp. 66–68.
• Lanzavecchia, Renato (1999). Storia della Diocesi di Alessandria (in Italian). Alessandria editrice. pp. 351 ff.
• Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolò (1719). Italia sacra sive De episcopis Italiæ (in Latin). Tomus quartus (IV). Venice: apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 312–331.

Acknowledgment

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Alessandria della Paglia". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.