The Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo ( la, Dioecesis Aliphana-Caiacensis o Caiatina) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in

Campania Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...

, southern Italy, created in 1986. In that year the historic Diocese of Alife was united with the

Diocese of Caiazzo The Diocese of Caiazzo is a former Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the province of Caserta, southern Italy, abolished in 1986, when it was united into the Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo. It was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Capua.

. The diocese is a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

of the

Archdiocese of Naples The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples ( it, Arcidiocesi di Napoli; la, Archidioecesis Neapolitana) is a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in southern Italy, the see being in Naples. A Christian community was founded there in the 1st century AD and ...

."Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo"
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Catholic-Hierarchy.org ''Catholic-Hierarchy.org'' is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. The website is not officially sanctioned by the Church. It is run as a private project by David M. Cheney in Ka ...

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 9, 2016."Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo"
''GCatholic.org''. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved March 29, 2016.

History

The old diocese of Alife was made up of twelve communes in the civil

province of Caserta The Province of Caserta ( it, Provincia di Caserta) is a province in the Campania region of southern Italy. Its capital is the city of Caserta, situated about by road north of Naples. The province has an area of , and had a total population of 9 ...

, subject to the

Archbishopric of Benevento The Italian Catholic metropolitan Archdiocese of Benevento ( la, Archidioecesis Beneventana) has a long history; it now has five suffragan dioceses: the diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, the diocese of Avellino, the diocese of Cerreto Sannita-T ...

. The name of a Bishop of Alife appears for the first time among the signatories of the Roman Synod of 499 of

Pope Symmachus Pope Symmachus (died 19 July 514) was the bishop of Rome from 22 November 498 to his death. His tenure was marked by a serious schism over who was elected pope by a majority of the Roman clergy. Early life He was born on the Mediterranean islan ...

. Alife became a suffragan of the metropolitan archbishop of Benevento in 969, when

Pope John XIII Pope John XIII ( la, Ioannes XIII; died 6 September 972) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 October 965 to his death. His pontificate was caught up in the continuing conflict between the Holy Roman emperor, Otto I, and t ...

created the ecclesiastical province of Benevento. In 1676, the city of Alife had a population of c. 1200 persons, and the diocese in addition had 18 ''loca'' (villages). The city had one monastery for men. The bishop resided, however, in a village called "Pedemonte". In 1752, the city of Alife had only 500 inhabitants. The residence of the bishop at Piedimonte had three schools, seven houses of male religious, and two convents of nuns. There were only 13 ''loca''.

After the French

Following the extinction of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...

authorized the restoration of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples. Since the French occupation had seen the abolition of many Church institutions in the Kingdom, as well as the confiscation of much Church property and resources, it was imperative that

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...

and

King Ferdinand IV Ferdinand I (12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was the King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, after his restoration following victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Before that he had been, since 1759, Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples and Ferdinand ...

reach agreement on restoration and restitution. Ferdinand demanded the suppression of fifty dioceses. A concordat was finally signed on 16 February 1818, and ratified by Pius VII on 25 February 1818. Ferdinand issued the concordat as a law on 21 March 1818. On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull ''De Ulteriore'', in which, the decision was made to suppress permanently the diocese of Alife, and to incorporate its territory into the united dioceses of Cerreta e Telese. Protests and complaints were quickly submitted to the pope. The bishop of Alife, Emilio Gentile, the Chapter of the cathedral, the rectors of the parishes of the diocese of Alife, and the magistrates of the city all made their supplications, pointing out the antiquity of the episcopal seat, the well regarded diocesan seminary, the inconvenience and danger of regular travel over the mountains to Telese, and other considerations. Pope Pius submitted these to the Commission for the Execution of the Concordat, and to the Sacred Congregation Consistorial for examination and recommendations. Finally, on 15 January 1820, he issued the bull "Adorandi Servatoris", by which he revoked and annulled the provisions of the bull "De Ulteriore" so far as they commanded the suppression of the diocese of Alife. There was, however, an additional provision: that one and the same bishop would be the bishop of Alife and the bishop of Telese at the same time. ''aeque personaliter''. He was to be called the bishop of "Alife e Telese". On 6 July 1852, in the bull "Compertum Nobis",

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...

made the decision to reverse the judgment of

and restore the diocese of Alife, thereby completely separating the two dioceses, and removing its territory again from the power of the bishop of Cerreto e Telese.

Consolidation of dioceses

On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat, which was accompanied in the next year 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. Otherwise Caiazzo and Alise, who shared a bishop, might have become the diocese of Alife e Caiazzo. Instead, the Vatican continued consultations which had begun under

Pope John XXIII Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in June 19 ...

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 Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

ordered that the dioceses of Caiazzo and Alife be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title ''Dioecesis Aliphana - Caiacensis''. The seat of the diocese was to be in Alife, and the cathedral of Alise was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedral in Caiazzo was to become a co-cathedral, and the cathedral Chapter was to be a ''Capitulum Concathedralis''. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Alife, 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 separate dioceses of Caiazzo and Alife.

Bishops of Alife

''Erected: 5th Century''
''Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Benevento''

to 1200

:... *Clarus (attested 499) :... *Paulus (attested 982–985) :... *Vitus (attested 1020) :... *Rodbertus (attested 1098, 1100) :... *Petrus (attested 1143) :... *Balduinus (attested 1179) :... *Landulfus (attested 1200)

1200 to 1600

:... *Alferius (1252–1254) *Romanus (1254–after 1286) :Gentilis (before Oct 1291– ? ) ''Administrator''Eubel I, p. 84. *Petrus (attested 1305) *Philippus (attested 1308) *Nicolaus *Thomas (1346– ) *Bertrandus *Joannes (1361– ? ) *Guilelmus *Joannes (Alfieri) (1389–1412) ''Roman Obedience'' *Angelus de S. Felice (1413– ) *Antonius Moretti, O.P. (1458–1482) *Joannes Bartolo (Bartolomaeus) (1482–1486) *

Giovanni Zefra Giovanni Zefra (died 1504) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Alife (1486–1504). Biography On 6 September 1486, Giovanni Zefra was appointed Bishop of Alife by Pope Innocent VIII. He served as Bishop of Alife until his dea ...

(6 Sep 1486 - 1504 Died)"Bishop Giovanni Zefra"
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''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 *

Angelo Sacco Angelo Sacco (died 1529) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Alife (1504–1529). Biography On 15 Apr 1504, Angelo Sacco was appointed during the papacy of Pope Julius II Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born ...

(15 Apr 1504 - 1529 Died)"Bishop Angelo Sacco"
''

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 *

Bernardino Fumarelli Bernardino is a name of Italian, Hispanic, or Portuguese origin, which can refer to: Given name *Bernardino Baldi (1533–1617), Italian mathematician and writer *Bernardino Bertolotti (born 1547), Italian composer and instrumentalist *Bernardi ...

(16 Aug 1529 - 13 Nov 1532 Appointed,

Bishop of Valva e Sulmona A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

) *

Miguel Torcella --> Miguel is a given name and surname, the Portuguese and Spanish form of the Hebrew name Michael. It may refer to: Places *Pedro Miguel, a parish in the municipality of Horta and the island of Faial in the Azores Islands *São Miguel (disambi ...

(13 Nov 1532 - 6 Apr 1541 Appointed,

Bishop of Anagni The Diocese of Anagni-Alatri ( la, Dioecesis Anagnina-Alatrina) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Lazio, Italy. It has existed in its current form since 1986. In that year the Diocese of Alatri was un ...

) * Ippolito Marsigli (6 Apr 1541 - 1546 Died)"Bishop Ippolito Marsigli"
''

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 * Sebastiano Antonio Pighini (27 Aug 1546 - 4 Jun 1548 Appointed,

Bishop of Ferentino The Roman Catholic diocese of Ferentino existed until 1986, when it was united into the new diocese of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino. History It is said, by Ferdinand Ughelli, that in the time of Emperor Constantine, in the 1st third of the fourt ...

) *

Filippo Angelo Seragli Filippo is an Italian male given name, which is the equivalent of the English name Philip, from the Greek ''Philippos'', meaning "amante dei cavalli".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Philip" Retrieved on 23 January 2016. The female variant is Filip ...

O.S.B. , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...

(4 Jun 1548 - 1557 Died) *

Antonio Agustín Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 40 ...

(15 Dec 1557 - 8 Aug 1561 Appointed,

Bishop of Lérida The Diocese of Lleida, known as the Diocese of Lerida in English, (Latin, ''Ilerdensis'') is located in north-eastern Spain, in the province of Lleida, part of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The diocese forms part of the ecclesiastical p ...

) *

Diego Gilberto Nogueras Diego Gilberto Nogueras (died 1566) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Alife (1561–1566).Wikipedia:Verifiability#Self-published sources, Biography On 8 August 1561, Diego Gilberto Nogueras was appointed Bishop of Alife by Pop ...

(8 Aug 1561 - 1566 Died)"Bishop Diego Gilberto Nogueras"
''

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 * Angelo Rossi (31 Jan 1567 - 1568 Died)"Bishop Angelo Rossi"
''

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 *

Giovanni Battista Santorio Giovanni Battista Santorio or Giovan Battista Santoro (died 29 February 1592) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Tricarico (1586–1592) ''(in Latin)'' and Bishop of Alife (1586–1592). ''(in Latin)'' Biography On 19 Novembe ...

(19 Nov 1568 - 8 Jan 1586 Appointed,

Bishop of Tricarico The Italian Catholic Diocese of Tricarico ( la, Dioecesis Tricaricensis) is in Basilicata. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo."Bishop Giovanni Battista Santorio"
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''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 29, 2016 * Enrico Cini (Siculus),

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(8 Jan 1586 - 1598 Died)

1600 to 1986

* Modesto Gavazzi,

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''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 * Valerio Seta (Valerius Seta), O.S.M. (24 Nov 1608 - 1625 Died) *

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, O.P. (7 Apr 1625 - 11 Apr 1633 Appointed,

Bishop of Minervino Murge The Diocese of Minervino Murge was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, located in the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani in the ecclesiastical province of Bari.Giovanni Michele Rossi Giovanni may refer to: * Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname * Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data * '' Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend ...

O.C.D. The Discalced Carmelites, known officially as the Order of the Discalced Carmelites of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ( la, Ordo Fratrum Carmelitarum Discalceatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis de Monte Carmelo) or the Order of Discalced Carme ...

(11 Apr 1633 - 25 Dec 1638 Died) *

Pietro Paolo Medici Pietro Paolo Medici (died 1657) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Alife (1639–1657). ''(in Latin)'' Biography On 11 April 1639, Pietro Paolo Medici was appointed during the papacy of Pope Urban VIII as Bishop of Alife. Wikipe ...

(11 Apr 1639 - Oct 1657 Died)"Bishop Pietro Paolo Medici"
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''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 20, 2017 * Henri Borghi, O.S.M. (25 Feb 1658 - Nov 1658 Died)"Bishop Henri Borghi, O.S.M."
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''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 * Sebastiano Dossena, B. (21 Apr 1659 - 1664 Died) *

Domenico Caracciolo Domenico Caracciolo, marquess of Villamaina (2 October 1715, in Malpartida de la Serena – 16 July 1789, in Naples) was diplomat and politician in the Kingdom of Naples. Life Family origins and education He was the son of Tommaso, Marquess of ...

(31 Mar 1664 - 14 Oct 1673 Died)"Bishop Domenico Caracciolo"
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''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 * Giuseppe de Lazzara (23 Mar 1676 - 2 Mar 1702) *Angelo Maria Porfiri (5 Mar 1703 - 23 Jul 1730) *Gaetano Iovone (11 Dec 1730 - 31 Oct 1733) *Pietro Abbondio Battiloro (18 Dec 1733 - 17 Oct 1735) *Egidio Antonio Isabelli (2 Dec 1735 - 3 Jan 1752) *Carlo Rosati (20 Mar 1752 - 17 Feb 1753) *Innocenzo Sanseverino (12 Mar 1753 - 29 Dec 1756 Resigned) *Filippo Sanseverino (3 Jan 1757 - 26 Jan 1762 Resigned) *Francesco Ferdinando Sanseverino,

C.P.O. The Congregation of Pious Workers Rural Catechists or Ardorini Missionaries (in Latin ''Congregatio Piorum Operariorum Catechistarum Ruralium'') are a Roman Catholic religious order. They use the post-nominal initials P.O.C.R.''Ann. Pont. 2010'', p ...

(29 Jan 1770 - 15 Apr 1776 Confirmed,

Archbishop of Palermo The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Palermo ( la, Archidioecesis Panormitana) was founded as the Diocese of Palermo in the first century and raised to the status of archdiocese in the 11th century.Bishop of Aversa The Diocese of Aversa ( la, Dioecesis Aversana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Campania, southern Italy, created in 1053. It is situated in the ''Terra di Lavoro'' (Liburia), seven miles north of Naples, and eight miles south of C ...

) *Felice del Sordo (12 Oct 1911 - 7 Jul 1928 Died) *Luigi Noviello (29 Jul 1930 - 20 Sep 1947 Died) *Giuseppe Della Cioppa (2 Dec 1947 - 1 Apr 1953 Resigned) *Virginio Dondeo (29 May 1953 - 22 Jul 1961 Appointed,

Bishop of Orvieto The Diocese of Orvieto-Todi ( la, Dioecesis Urbevetana-Tudertina) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in central Italy. It was created in 1986 when the historical Diocese of Orvieto was united to the Dioc ...

) *Raffaele Pellecchia (1 Sep 1961 - 19 Mar 1967 Appointed, Coadjutor

Archbishop of Sorrento The Italian Catholic Archdiocese of Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia ( la, Archidioecesis Surrentina-Castri Maris o Stabiensis) in Campania, has existed in its current form since 1986. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Naples, having lost i ...

) **Apostolic Administrator

Vito Roberti Vito Roberti (12 September 1911 – 31 August 1998) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Caserta from 1965 to 1987. He was given the personal title of archbishop in 1962 and worked from 1962 to 1965 in the diplomatic servi ...

(29 May 1967 – 8 April 1978) *Angelo Campagna (8 April 1978 - 10 December 1990 Died)

Bishops of Alife-Caiazzo

''United: 30 September 1986 with the

''
''Latin Name: Aliphanus-Caiacensis o Caiatinus'' *Angelo Campagna (8 April 1978 - 10 December 1990 Died) *Nicola Comparone (10 December 1990 - 5 January 1998 Died) *Pietro Farina (16 February 1999 - 25 April 2009 Appointed,

Bishop of Caserta The Diocese of Caserta ( la, Dioecesis Casertana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Campania, southern Italy. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Naples.Roman Catholic Diocese of Caiazzo The Diocese of Caiazzo is a former Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the province of Caserta, southern Italy, abolished in 1986, when it was united into the Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo. It was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Capua.

List of Catholic dioceses in Italy The following is the List of the Catholic dioceses in Italy. , the Catholic Church in Italy is divided into sixteen ecclesiastical regions. While they are similar to the 20 civil regions of the Italian state, there are some differences. Most eccl ...

Notes and references

Bibliography

Reference works

* p. 847. (in Latin) * (in Latin) * (in Latin) * (in Latin) * (in Latin) * * (in Latin) * * *

Studies

*Campagna, Angelo (1986). ''La chiesa di Cristo in Alife e Caiazzo.'' Piedimonte Matese: Tip. La Bodoniana, 1986. * *Fariña,S. (1978). ''Vescovi della diocesi di Alife daü'anno 499 ad oggi.'' S. María Capua Vetere 1978. *Ferrazzani, Francesco (1848), "Alife," in: * Kehr, Paul Fridolin (1962). ''Regesta pontificum Romanorum. Italia pontificia
Vol.IX: Samnium—Apulia—Lucania
'. ed. Walter Holtzmann. Berlin: Weidemann. (in Latin) *Marrocco, Dante S. (1979). ''Il Vescovato alifano nel Medio Volturno''. Piedimonte Matese: Edizioni ASMV 1979

(on-line version hosted by: Associazione Storica del Medio Volturno; retrieved: 28 September 2019. * {{authority control Alife Alife