Roman Catholic Diocese of Montalto

The Diocese of Montalto (Latin: Dioecesis Montis Alti) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Montalto delle Marche in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Le Marche. The diocese was erected in 1586 by Pope Sixtus V (Felice Peretti di Montalto), a native of the town. The diocese was suppressed in 1986, and its territory was assigned to a new entity, called the Diocese of San Benedetto del Tronto–Ripatransone–Montalto.[1][2]

The cathedral of Montalto, dedicated to the Virgin Mary

Ecclesiastical history

On 24 November 1586, the Latin rite Diocese of Montalto was established, on territory split off from the then Diocese of Fermo (now an Archdiocese).[3]

In a bull of 18 December 1924, Pope Pius XI united the Diocese of Ripatransone with the diocese of Montalto ad personam episcopi. He appointed Luigi Ferri as Bishop of Ripatransone with Montalto, and ordered a change in the title of the bishop to Episcopus Montis alti et Ripanus.[4] In 1980, the diocese of Montalto had a population of only 31,500 persons.[5]

Restructuring

The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), in order to ensure that all Catholics received proper spiritual attention, decreed the reorganization of the diocesan structure of Italy and the consolidation of small and struggling dioceses. It also recommended the abolition of anomalous units such as exempt territorial prelatures.[6] These considerations applied to Montalto and to Ripatransone as the population migrated in the post-war period to jobs on the coast at San Benedetto.

On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat. Based on the revisions, a set of Normae was issued on 15 November 1984, which was accompanied in the next year, on 3 June 1985, by enabling legislation. According to the agreement, the practice of having one bishop govern two separate dioceses at the same time, aeque personaliter, was abolished. Instead, the Vatican continued consultations which had begun under Pope John XXIII for the merging of small dioceses, especially those with personnel and financial problems, into one combined diocese. On 30 September 1986, Pope John Paul II ordered that the dioceses of Ripatransone and Montalto be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Dioecesis Sancti Benedicti ad Truentum-Ripana-Montis Alti. The seat of the diocese was to be in San Benedetto del Tronto, and the church of S. Maria della Marina was to serve as the cathedral of the merged dioceses. The cathedrals in Ripatransone and Montalto were to become co-cathedrals, and the cathedral Chapters were each to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in San Benedetto del Tronto, and likewise one seminary, one College of Consultors, and one Priests' Council. The territory of the new diocese was to include the territory of the former dioceses of Montalto and Ripatransone.[7]

The town is the site of the cathedral of Montalto delle Marche, dedicated to the taking up of the body of the Virgin Mary into heaven (Assumption).

Bishops of Montalto

• Paolo Emilio Giovannini (1586–1606)[8]
• Tiberio Mandosi (1606–1607)[9]
• Paolo Orsini, O.P. (1608–1640)[10]
• Orazio Giustiniani, C.O. (1640–1645)[11]
• Girolamo Codebò (1645–1661)[12]
• Cesare Cancellotti, C.O. (1662–1673)[13]
• Ascanio Paganelli (1673–1710)[14]
• Lucantonio Accoramboni (1711–1735)[15]
• Pietro Bonaventura Savini (1735–1748 retired)[16]
• Leonardo Cecconi (1748–1760)[17]
• Giuseppe Maria Centini (1760–1770)[18]
• Francesco Antonio Marucci (1770–1798)[19]
• Francesco Saverio Castiglioni (1800–1816)[20]
• Pietro Paolo Mazzichi (1817–1823)[21]
• Filippo Ambrosi (1823–1825)[22]
• Luigi Canestrari, O.M. (1825-1846)[23]
• Eleonoro Aronne (1846–1887)[24]
• Luigi Bonetti (1887–1911)[25]
• Luigi Ferri (1911–1946)[26]
• Pietro Ossola (1946–1951)[27]
• Vincenzo Radicioni (1951–1983)[28]
• Giuseppe Chiaretti (1983–1986)[29]

See also

• Catholic Church in Italy

Notes and references

1. "Diocese of Montalto (delle Marche)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 17, 2017
2. "Diocese of Montalto " GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved May 17, 2017
3. Cappelletti, pp. 721-724.
4. "Cathedrali Ecclesiae Ripanae, cum Ecclesia Montis alti in personam unitae, R. P. D. Aloisium Ferri, Episcopum Montis alti, qui posthac Episcopus Montis alti et Ripanus appellabitur." Acta Apostolicae Sedis 16 (1924), p. 498. Diocesi di San Benedetto del Tronto-Ripatransone-Montalto, "Storia della diocesi"; retrieved: 1 April 2020.
5. Annuario pontificio 1981.
6. In its decree Christus Dominus, section 22, it stated: "Concerning diocesan boundaries, therefore, this sacred synod decrees that, to the extent required by the good of souls, a fitting revision of diocesan boundaries be undertaken prudently and as soon as possible. This can be done by dividing dismembering or uniting them, or by changing their boundaries, or by determining a better place for the episcopal see or, finally, especially in the case of dioceses having larger cities, by providing them with a new internal organization.... At the same time the natural population units of people, together with the civil jurisdictions and social institutions that compose their organic structure, should be preserved as far as possible as units. For this reason, obviously, the territory of each diocese should be continuous."
7. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 747-749.
8. A native of the village of Porchia in the Marche, Giovannini held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure, and was Provost of the parish church of San Lorenzo di Gatteo. He was sent as a junior member on papal legations to France (he was there in May 1555), to Spain, and to Poland (1563–1565). He became a Canon of the cathedral of Ravenna, and served as Vicar General of the diocese of Cesena. He was named Bishop of Montalto by Pope Sixtus V on 26 November 1586. He died on 6 August 1606. Ughelli II, p. 751. Cappelletti III, p. 724. Polska Akademia Umiejętności. Komisja Historyczna (1894). Joseph Korzeniowski (ed.). Scriptores rerum polonicarum (in Latin). Vol. 15. Cracoviae. pp. 178–179. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica III, p. 248 with note 3.
9. Mandosi, of a noble family of Amerino, was born in Rome. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure, and was a Canon of the Vatican Basilica. He received his appointment as Bishop of Montalto on 11 December 1606 from Pope Paul V, on the recommendation of Cardinal Alessandro Peretti, his patron. He died in Rome on 3 November 1607 in his 53rd year, after less than a year as bishop. Ughelli II, p. 752. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 246 with note 2.
10. Orsini was a Roman noble, belonging to the Bracciano branch of the Orsini family; his father was Giordano Orsini, son of Paolo, and Laura Carducci, a patrician of Florence. His eldest brother, Ottavio, was Bishop of Venafro and then of Segni (1632–1640); his brother Sforza Orsini was a Knight of the Order of Malta. Six of his sisters were nuns. Paolo was a monk at Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. He was named Bishop of Montalto on 14 July 1608. He died on 12 April 1640. Ughelli II, p. 753. Gauchat, p. 246 with note 3.
11. A native of Genoa of a family originally from Chios in the Aegean, Giustiniani was appointed Bishop of Montalto by Pope Urban VIII on 13 February 1640. He was named Bishop of Nocera Umbra (Italy) on 16 January 1645. He served there until 16 February 1646, when he was appointed Cardinal-Priest of S. Onofrio (1645–1649) by Pope Innocent X. He served as Librarian of Vatican Apostolic Library from 25 September 1646 to his death on 25 July 1649. He was also Major Penitentiary of Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary (1647–1649). Ughelli II, p. 753-754. Gauchat, pp. 28, no. 8, with notes 4 and 5; 246 with note 4; 262 with note 4.
12. Count Girolamo Codebò belonged to a noble family of Modena. He was Provost of the collegiate church of Carpi, and Archpriest of the cathedral of Carpi (1625–1629). He was a Referendary of the Two Signatures (judge) in the Roman Curia, and served successively as papal Governor of the cities of Tivoli (1622, 1624), Terni (1634), Rieti (1636), Benevento (1636), Ascoli Piceno (1639), Spoleto (1640–1643), and Camerino (1643). Codebò was appointed Bishop of Montalto on 10 February 1645 by Pope Innocent X. He was transferred to the diocese of Reggio Emilia on 24 January 1661. He died on 3 October 1661. Girolamo Tiraboschi (1895). Policarpo Guaitoli (ed.). Carteggio fra L'Ab. Girolamo Tiraboschi e L'Avv. Eustachio Cabassi (in Italian). Carpi: G. Rossi. p. 409. Achille Sansi (1884). Storia del comune di Spoleto dal secolo XII al XVII (in Italian). Parte II. Foligno: P. Sgariglia. p. 276. Giacinto Cantalamessa Carboni (1830). Memorie intorno i letterati e gli artisti della città di Ascoli nel Piceno (in Italian). Ascoli: Luigi Cardi. p. 219. C. Weber (1994). Legati e governatori dello Stato pontificio: 1550-1809 (in Italian). Roma: Ministero per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali. Ufficio Centrale per i Beni Archivistici. p. 586. ISBN 978-88-7125-070-0. Ughelli II, p. 754. Cappelletti, p. 725. Gauchat, p. 246 with note 5; 294 with note 6.
13. Cancellotti was a native of San Severino, born in 1604. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure, and had been Archdeacon of the cathedral of San Severino, and Vicar General of the bishop. He was named Bishop of Bisceglie (April 1658 – 16 June 1662) by Pope Alexander VII. He was transferred to the diocese of Montalto by Alexander VII on 16 June 1662. He died on 27 June 1673. Pompeo Sarnelli (1693). Memorie de vescovi di Bisegliae della Stessa citta (in Italian). Napoli: Roselli. pp. 91–92. Cappelletti, p. 725. Gauchat, pp. 246 with note 6; 369 with note 7.
14. Born in Camerino, Paganelli held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure, and was a privy chamberlain of Pope Clement X. He was appointed Bishop of Montalto on 11 September 1673, by Pope Clement X. He died in April 1710, according to Ughelli and Ritzler-Sefrin. Others report 30 June 1710. Ughelli II, p. 754. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 273 with note 3.
15. Accoramboni was born in Gubbio in 1666. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Macerata (1695). He was Vicar General of Città della Pieve, and Vicar Apostolic of Sorana and of Terracina. He was then Vicar General of the suburbicarian diocese of Albano. He was named Bishop of Montalto on 11 May 1711. He died on 1 September 1735. Ughelli II, p. 754. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 273 with note 4.
16. Savini was named Bishop of Montalto on 26 September 1735. On retirement on 26 September 1748, Savini was granted the courtesy title of Titular Archbishop of Sebastia.
17. Cecconi was born in Palestrina in 1691. He was named Bishop of Montalto on 26 September 1748. He died on 24 March 1760. He was the author of a history of Palestrina: Leonardo Cecconi (1756). Storia di Palestrina, città del prisco Lazio (in Italian). Ascoli Piceno: N. Ricci. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 294 with note 3.
18. Centini was born in Ascoli Piceno in 1700. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Macerata (1731). He served as civil governor of various cities in the Papal States: Reate, Benevento, Città di Castello, Aesina, and Montalto, and was Commissary Apostolic in the city of Naples. In Rome he was appointed Referendary of the Tribunal of the Two Signatures. He was approved as Bishop of Montalto by Pope Clement XIII on 24 September 1760. He died in Montalto on 15 May 1770. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 294 with note 4.
19. Marucci was named Bishop of Montalto on 6 August 1770, by Pope Clement XIV. On 10 December 1781, Marucci was appointed by Pope Pius VI to the post of Titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. He died on 19 July 1798.
20. Castiglioni was named Bishop of Montalto on 11 August 1800 by Pope Pius VII. He was transferred to the diocese of Cesena on 8 March 1816, by Pope Pius VII. He held the diocese until 4 August 1821. He was appointed Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Traspontina on April 29 1816, and on August 4 1821 Major Penitentiary. He was promoted Cardinal-Bishop of Suburbicarian Diocese of Frascati on 13 August 1821, and on 14 November 1821 was named Prefect of the Roman Sacred Congregation of the Index. He was elected Pope Pius VIII on 31 March 1829, and died on 30 November 1830..
21. Mazzichi had been Vicar General of the diocese of Assisi. He was appointed Bishop of Montalto on 14 April 1817. He died on 9 May 1823. Cappelletti III, p. 726. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, p. 270.
22. Ambrosi was a native of Ascoli Piceno, born in 1755. He was a Canon of the cathedral of Ascoli, and taught Canon Law at the seminary of Ascoli. He served as Vicar General of the diocese. He was offered the diocese of Tivoli by Pope Pius VII (1800–1823), but he declined. He was appointed Bishop of Montalto on 17 November 1823 by Pope Leo XII. He died on 28 May 1825, at the age of seventy. Bernardo Carfagna (2004). Il lambello il monte e il leone: Storia e araldica della città di Ascoli e della Marchia meridionale tra Medioevo e fine dell'ancien régime (in Italian). Ascoli Piceno: Lìbrati Editrice. p. 108. ISBN 978-88-87691-28-3. Studia picena (Fano: Pontificio seminario marchigiano "Pio XI", 1940), p. 100. Ritzler-Sefrin VII, p. 270.
23. Canestrari was born in Piaggi (diocese of Fano) in 1774. He had been Procurator General of the Order of Minims. He was named Bishop of Montalto on 19 December 1825. He was Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Ripatransone during the Sede vacante of 1837–1842. He died on 10 October 1846. His nephew of the same name became a Canon of the cathedral of Montalto. Almanacco reale del Regno delle Due Sicilie per l'anno 1840 (in Italian). Napoli: dalla Real Tipografia del Ministero di Stato della Cancelleria Generale. 1840. p. 190. Ritzler-Sefrin VII, p. 270.
24. Arrone was born in Serrone (diocese of Palestrina) in 1799. He was named Auxiliary Bishop of Palestrina on 22 July 1842, and appointed titular Bishop of Lystra (Turkey) for that purpose. On 21 Deceomber 1846, he was transferred by Pope Pius IX to the diocese of Montalto. He took possession of the diocese on 12 February 1847. He died there on 3 April 1887. Giuseppe Bertolotti, ed. (1886). Statistica ecclesiastica d'Italia (in Italian). Savona: tipografia di A. Ricci. p. 378. Ritzler-Sefrin VII, p. 270; VIII, p. 393.
25. Bonetti was born in Palazzo d'Arcevia in 1842. He was a priest of Fossombrone, and had risen to be Canon and Provost of the cathedral Chapter of Fossombrone. He held a degree in theology, and was Doctor in utroque iure. He was Rector and professor of moral theology in the diocesan seminary. He was also pro-Vicar General of the diocese. He was Apostolic Delegate in Constantinople, where he was working on a possible concordat with the Sublime Porte; he was cooperating with the Armenian-Catholic Patriarch of Constantinople, Azarian. Bonetti had been Coadjutor Bishop of Montalto and Titular Bishop of Messene since 15 January 1886. He succeeded to the throne on the death of Bishop Aronne on 3 April 1887. He died on 21 July 1911. Civiltà cattolica 13th series, Volume 1 (37th year) (Florence: Luigi Mancelli 1886), p. 369. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, pp. 381, 393. Archivum Historiae Pontificiae. 10. Rome: Gregorian University. 1972. p. 291. GGKEY:6KX7SA8WFPH.
26. Ferri was named Bishop of Montalto on 27 November 1911, by Pope Pius X. When the diocese of Ripatransone became vacant in January 1924, Ferri was named Bishop of Ripatransone by Pope Pius IX on 18 December 1924, thereby combining the two dioceses under one and the same bishop. His title was changed to Bishop of Montalto and Ripatransone. He resigned the two dioceses on 17 May 1946, and was granted the honorary title of Titular Bishop of Livias by Pope Pius XII. He died on 30 January 1952.
27. Ossola had previously been Titular Bishop of Axomis, from 12 August 1940. He was transferred to the diocese of Ripatransone by Pope Pius XII on 1 September 1946. He resigned on 1 December 1951, and was given the honorary title of Bishop of Verbe. He died on 25 August 1954.
28. Radicioni was appointed Bishop of Montalto by Pope Pius XII on 10 December 1951; at the same time he was appointed Bishop of Ripatransone, holding both dioceses at the same time. He retired on 7 April 1983 at the age of 76. He died on 15 November 1988.
29. Chiaretti had been Vicar General of the archdiocese of Spoleto. He was appointed Bishop of Ripatransone-San Benedetto del Tronto by Pope John Paul II on 7 April 1983. With the consolidation of dioceses, he became the first Bishop of San Benedetto del Tronto–Ripatransone–Montalto on 30 September 1986 He was transferred to the archdiocese of Perugia-Città della Pieve on 9 December 1995. Acta Apostolicae Sedis 75 (Città del Vaticano 1983), p. 526. He retired on 16 July 2009.

Books

• Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae: quotquot innotuerunt a beato Petro apostolo. Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. pp. 704–705.
• Eubel, Conradus (ed.); Gulik, Guilelmus (1923). Hierarchia catholica (in Latin). Tomus III (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
• Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica (in Latin). Tomus IV (1592-1667). Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi (in Latin). Tomus V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi. Tomus VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio.
• Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1968). Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Volume VII (1800–1846). Monasterii: Libreria Regensburgiana.
• Remigius Ritzler; Pirminus Sefrin (1978). Hierarchia catholica Medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Volume VIII (1846–1903). Il Messaggero di S. Antonio.
• Pięta, Zenon (2002). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Volume IX (1903–1922). Padua: Messagero di San Antonio. ISBN 978-88-250-1000-8.

Studies

• Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1845). Le chiese d'Italia (in Italian). Volume terzo (3). Venezia: Antonelli. pp. 721–727.
• Colucci, Giuseppe (1795). Delle Antichitá Picene. Delle antichitá del Medio, e Dell' infimo Evo, 9 (in Italian). Tomo XXIV. Fermo: Paccaroni.
• Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolo (1717). Italia sacra; sive, De episcopis Italiæ (in Latin). Tomus secundus (secunda ed.). Venice: Apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 747–754.