The Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo ( la, Dioecesis Ventimiliensis-Sancti Romuli) is a Catholic ecclesiastical territory in

Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...

, northern Italy. The name of the historic Diocese of Ventimiglia (''dioecesis Albintimiliensis'', and ''Intimiliensis'') was changed in 1975. It was originally a suffragan diocese of the Metropolitanate of Milan up to 1806, when it was transferred to the Metropolitanate of Aix; but it has been 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 jurisdiction ...

of the

Archdiocese of Genoa The Archdiocese of Genoa ( la, Archidioecesis Ianuensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Erected in the 3rd century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133. The archdiocese of Gen ...

since 1818.

History

It is probable that

Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; lij, label= Intemelio, Ventemiglia , lij, label=Genoese, Vintimiggia; french: Vintimille ; oc, label=Provençal, Ventemilha ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located southwest of ...

had a bishop from the fifth century; the first known is Joannes (680). Bishop Gianfrancesco Gandolfo (1623–1633) negotiated the peace between Savoy and Genoa, which was proclaimed on 10 August 1634.

French occupation

In 1798, at the beginning of the occupation of Ventimiglia by the French, the

French Directory The Directory (also called Directorate, ) was the governing five-member committee in the French First Republic from 2 November 1795 until 9 November 1799, when it was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte in the Coup of 18 Brumaire and replaced ...

ordered the confiscation of all the gold and silver in the churches and convents of the diocese. The Cathedral lost its large silver chandeliers, and other precious objects including the silver bust and reliquary of S. Secondo. The Biblioteca Aprosiana lost its manuscripts and

incunabula In the history of printing, an incunable or incunabulum (plural incunables or incunabula, respectively), is a book, pamphlet, or broadside that was printed in the earliest stages of printing in Europe, up to the year 1500. Incunabula were pro ...

. The diocese of Ventimiglia had been reduced to only thirty-six parishes: two in Monaco, nineteen in the domains of the House of Savoy, and fourteen in the Republic of Geneva. In 1802, Cardinal

Giovanni Battista Caprara Giovanni Battista Caprara Montecuccoli (1733 – 1810) was an Italian statesman and Cardinal and archbishop of Milan from 1802 to 1810. As a papal diplomat he served in the embassies in Cologne, Lausanne, and Vienna. As Legate of Pius VII in Fra ...

, the Papal Legate to First Consul N. Bonaparte, wrote to the Chapter of Ventimiglia, in the absence of a bishop, demanding the surrender to the French of those parishes in territory under French control. These included the two parishes in

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...

(Mentone and Roccabruna) and the nineteen which had belonged to the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Chapter complied, and the diocese was reduced to only fourteen parishes. On 5 April 1806, at the demand of Bonaparte, now Emperor Napoleon I, Pope Pius VII issued the Bull ''Expositum cum nobis'', by which the diocese of Ventimiglia was removed from the metropolitanate of Milan, and made a suffragan of the

Archdiocese of Aix The Archdiocese of Aix-en-Provence and Arles (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Aquensis in Gallia et Arelatensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse d'Aix-en-Provence et Arles''; Occitan Provençal: ''Archidiocèsi de Ais de Provença e Arle'' or ''Archidioucèsi ...

Restoration

On 30 May 1818, however,

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 ...

, in the Bull ''Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum'', returned Ventimiglia to Italian control, in the form of the House of Savoy, which had been restored to the expanded Kingdom of Sardinia (the King was also Doge of Genoa), and assigned the diocese to the metropolitanate of Genoa. On 10 July 1886, the small parish of Garavano, which had fallen into French territory, was transferred by agreement between the Bishop of Ventimiglia and the Bishop of Nice from the diocese of Ventimiglia to the diocese of Nice; the transfer was approved by

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

. On 3 July 1975, the Sacred Congregation of Bishops in the Roman Curia issued a decree, requested by Bishop Angelo Raimondo Verardo, (1967–1988) and authorized by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...

, granting a change in the name of the diocese to Ventimiglia-San Remo; a second decree raised the Church of S. Syrus in the city of San Remo to the status of co-cathedral in the diocese of Ventimiglia-San Remo.

Synods

A diocesan

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word mea ...

was an irregular but important meeting of the bishop of a diocese and his clergy. Its purpose was (1) to proclaim generally the various decrees already issued by the bishop; (2) to discuss and ratify measures on which the bishop chose to consult with his clergy; (3) to publish statutes and decrees of the diocesan synod, of the provincial synod, and of the Holy See. A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Domenico Vaccari (1502–1511), in which the subject of witches and the procurement of abortions figured prominently. Bishop Stefano Spinola presided over his first diocesan synod in 1608. A synod, his second, was held by Bishop Mauro Promontorio (1654–1685) on 5–6 July 1683. In 1784 Bishop Domenico Maria Clavarini, O.P. (1775–1797) presided over a diocesan synod. A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Lorenzo Biale (1837–1877) on 29, 30 and 31 May 1844. Bishop Tommaso Reggio (1877–1892) held another synod on 19, 20, and 21 September 1881. Reggio held his second synod at the diocesan seminary on 3 September 1886.

Cathedral and Chapter

The Chapter of the Cathedral of S. Maria Assumpta consisted of three dignities (the Provost, the Archdeacon and the Cantor) and eight Canons. On 8 June 1182

Pope Lucius III Pope Lucius III (c. 1097 – 25 November 1185), born Ubaldo Allucingoli, reigned from 1 September 1181 to his death in 1185. Born of an aristocratic family of Lucca, prior to being elected pope, he had a long career as a papal diplomat. His pa ...

(1181–1185) confirmed the Chapter in its possessions, rights, and privileges, and granted them the right to elect their own Provost. They were also granted the right of presentation of suitable persons to the churches and chapels in the diocese in their possession. These two grants removed powers from the exercise of the bishop of the diocese and placed them in the hands of the Chapter. The Chapter had a set of Statutes, which were last codified in 1539 and remained in force down into the end of the 18th century. According to these statutes, a Canon might take leave of his Chapter duties for as long as three months per year, without having to have an explanation, so long as the time was not consecutive and a substitute priest or chorister was provided by the Canon so that his duties were carried out. In 1624, however, due to a diminution in the number of Canons, the regulations were tightened so that no more than three Canons could be absent at any one time. By 1787 the situation had improved, and several Canons instituted proceedings against the Bishop and other Canons to return to the old rule. The

Sacred Congregation of Rites The Sacred Congregation of Rites was a congregation of the Roman Curia, erected on 22 January 1588 by Pope Sixtus V by '' Immensa Aeterni Dei''; it had its functions reassigned by Pope Paul VI on 8 May 1969. The Congregation was charged with the ...

in the Roman Curia granted their petition. In 1752 a dispute arose between the Bishop and the Chapter of Ventimiglia. The custom had been that the Tenth (''decima''), which was owed to the bishop and the Tenth owed to the Chapter in the town of Ventimiglia and in eight villages and rural districts, were collected at the same time by the same officials. The collection officials were appointed in alternate years by the bishop and the Chapter, and the collections were placed in one warehouse. This custom was followed up to 1716. When some of the villagers, however, refused to pay, the bishop sent his procurators to collect his due portion; the Chapter complained, wishing to observe the old custom, but the bishop demanded a fee for his services; when the Chapter tried to collect the dues on their own, the villagers refused to hand them over. The Chapter then instituted suit in the Papal Court, demanding a return to the old custom. The judgment was that the bishop's procurator and the Chapter's procurator could not be compelled to work together as one.

Bishops

Diocese of Ventimiglia

to 1400

:... *Joannes (attested 680) *Lucius (attested 690) :... *Mildo (attested c. 940) :... * gnotus(attested 962) :... *Martinus (attested 1090, 1110) :... *Stephanus (attested 1169, 1179; died 1193) *Guido (attested 1198) *Guilelmus (attested 1210; 1232) *Nicolaus Lercari (1232 – c. 1244) *Jacobus de Castello Arquato, O,P. (1244–1250) *Atto (1251–1262) *? Norgandus *Joannes de Alzati *Ubertus Visconti (attested 1265) *Joannes (1297–1303) *Otho (1304–1319) *Raimundus, O.Min. (1320–1328) *Petrus, O.P. (1328–1345) *Bonifacius, O.S.A. (1345–1348) *Angelus (1348–1350) *Pinus (1350–1352) *Ruffinus (1352–1373) *Robertus (1373–1380) *Bertrandus (1381–1392) (Avignon Obedience) *Petrus (Marinaco), O.Min. (1392–1409) (Avignon Obedience) *Bartholomeus (1409) (Avignon Obedience) *Jacobus Fieschi (c. 1381–1382) (Roman Obedience) *Benedictus Boccanegra (1382–1411) (Roman Obedience)

1400 to 1700

*Thomas Judicia (1415– ? ) (Avignon Obedience) *Thomas de Amelia (1419–1422) *Ottobono de Valencia (1422–1435) *Jacobus Feo de Saona (1452–1467) *Stephanus de Robeis (1467–1471) * Battista dei Giudici. O.P. (22 Apr 1471 – 26 Apr 1482) * Antonio Pallavicini Gentili (15 Jun 1484 – 27 January 1486) *Alessandro de Campofregoso (5 March 1487 – 1502) * Domenico Vaccari (24 Jan 1502 – 1511) *Alessandro Campofregoso (1511–1518) :Cardinal Innocenzo Cibo (Cybo) * Carlo Visconti (5 Dec 1561 – 6 Jul 1565) * Benedetto Lomellini (1565) (Bishop-elect) * Carlo Grimaldi (8 Dec 1565 – 26 Nov 1572) *

Francesco Galbiati Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), seve ...

(1573 – 1600) * Stefano Spínola, C.R. (15 Apr 1602 – 22 Dec 1613) *

Girolamo Curlo Girolamo is an Italian variant of the name Hieronymus. Its English equivalent is Jerome. It may refer to: * Girolamo Cardano (1501–1576), Italian Renaissance mathematician, physician, astrologer and gambler * Girolamo Cassar (c. 1520 – after ...

(27 Aug 1614 – 13 Nov 1616) * Nicolò Spínola, C.R. (30 Jan 1617 – 23 Sep 1622) *

Giovanni Francesco Gandolfo 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 of ...

(20 Mar 1623 – 10 Jan 1633) * Lorenzo Gavotti, C.R. (20 Jun 1633 – 27 Jan 1653) *

Mauro Promontorio Mauro may refer to: Given name * Mauro (footballer, born 1932), Brazilian footballer * Mauro Silva (footballer, born 1978), Brazilian footballer * Mauro (footballer, born 1984), Portuguese footballer * Bruno Mauro (born 1973), Angolan footballer * ...

, O.S.B. (22 May 1654 – 4 Jan 1685) *

Giovanni Girolamo Naselli Giovanni Girolamo Naselli (1640–1709) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Luni e Sarzana (1695–1709) ''(in Latin)'' and Bishop of Ventimiglia (1685–1695). ''(in Latin)'' Biography Giovanni Girolamo Naselli was born in Savo ...

(10 Sep 1685 – 7 Feb 1695) *

Giovanni Stefano Pastori 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 of ...

(2 May 1695 – 29 May 1700)

since 1700

*Ambrogio Spinola, B. (6 Jun 1701 – 10 Mar 1710) *Carlo Maria Mascardi, B. (7 Apr 1710 – 9 Dec 1731) *Antonio Maria Bacigalupi, Sch. P. (31 Mar 1732 – 15 Jul 1740) *Pier Maria Giustiniani, O.S.B. (17 Apr 1741 – 5 Oct 1765) :''Sede vacante'' (1765–1767) *Angelo Luigi Giovo, O.S.B. (28 Sep 1767 – 6 Apr 1774) *Domenico Maria Clavarini, O.P. (13 Mar 1775 – 1 Oct 1797) :''Sede vacante'' (1797–1804) *Paolo Girolamo Orengo, Sch. P. (24 Sep 1804 – 30 May 1812) *Felice Levreri (Levrieri) (2 Oct 1820 Confirmed – 5 May 1824) *Giovanni Battista de Albertis (28 Feb 1831 Confirmed – 12 Nov 1836 Resigned) *Lorenzo Giovanni Battista Biale (19 May 1837 – 26 Jun 1877) *

Tommaso Reggio Tommaso Reggio (9 January 1818 - 22 November 1901) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Genoa from 1892 until his death. He was also the founder of the Sisters of Saint Martha. Reggio distinguished himself duri ...

(26 Jun 1877 – 11 Jul 1892) *Ambrogio Daffra (11 Jul 1892 – 3 Aug 1932) *Agostino Rousset (27 Jan 1933 – 3 Oct 1965) *Angelo Raimondo Verardo, O.P. (8 Apr 1967 – 7 Dec 1988 Retired)

Diocese of Ventimiglia-San Remo

''Name Changed: 3 July 1975'' * Giacomo Barabino (7 Dec 1988 – 20 Mar 2004 Retired) *Alberto Maria Careggio (20 Mar 2004 – 25 Jan 2014 Retired) *Antonio Suetta (25 Jan 2014 – )

Parishes

In a bull of 29 June 1831,

Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...

reassigned eight parishes from the diocese of Nice and twenty-five from Albenga to the diocese of Vintimiglia. In 1921 there were 75 parishes, staffed by 210 secular and religious priests. Of the 99 parishes, all but two are in the

Province of Imperia The Province of Imperia ( it, Provincia di Imperia, french: Province d'Imperia, Ligurian: ''Provinsa d’Imperia'') is a mountainous and hilly province, in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between France to the north and the west, and the L ...

. The others are in the

Province of Cuneo Cuneo ( Italian), or Coni (Piedmontese), is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes ...

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

.Source for parishes:

Liguria

Province of Imperia

; Airole :S. Clemente :Santi Filippo e Giacomo ; Apricale :Purificazione di Maria Vergine ; Badalucco :S. Maria Assunta e S.Giorgio :SS. Vergine del Rosario ;

Bajardo Bajardo (also Baiardo) ( lij, Baiardu) is a ''comune'' in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria. It is about southwest of Genoa and about west of Imperia. Its principal settlement, Bajardo itself, is a medieval village which st ...

:S. Nicolò da Bari ;

Bordighera Bordighera (; lij, A Bordighea, locally ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Imperia, Liguria (Italy). Geography Bordighera is located from the land border between Italy and France, and it is possible to see the French coast with a nak ...

:Immacolata Concezione :S. Maria Maddalena :S. Nicolò da Bari :Santi Pietro e Paolo ; Camporosso :S. Marco Evangelista :SS. Trinità ( Trinità) ;

Carpasio Carpasio ( Ligurian: ''Carpaxe'') is a former ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about northwest of Imperia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 18 ...

:S. Antonino ;

Castel Vittorio Castelvittorio ( lij, Caste, locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about west of Imperia. Castelvittorio borders the following municipalities: A ...

:S. Stefano Protomartire ; Castellaro :S. Pietro in Vincoli ; Ceriana :Santi Pietro e Paolo ; Cipressa :Natività di Maria Vergine :Nostra Signora degli Angeli :Visitazione di Maria Santissima ; Costarainera :S. Antonio Abate ; Dolceacqua :S. Antonio Abate ; Isolabona :S. Maria Maddalena ; Mendatica :S. Giacomo Maggiore ; Molini di Triora :Natività di Maria Santissima :Natività di Maria Vergine :Nostra Signora della Misericordia :S. Carlo Borromeo :S. Giacomo Apostolo :S. Lorenzo Martire :S. Vincenzo Ferreri :Santi Faustino e Giovita ; Montalto Ligure :Santi Giovanni Battista e Giorgio ; Olivetta San Michele :S. Antonio Da Padova :Santi Angeli Custodi ;

Ospedaletti Ospedaletti ( lij, Spiareti) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region of Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Imperia. Ospedaletti borders the following municipalities: Bordig ...

:S. Giovanni Battista ; Perinaldo :S. Nicolò di Bari ; Pietrabruna :S. Bernardo :Santi Cosma e Damiano ; Pigna :S. Giovanni Battista :S. Michele Arcangelo ; Pompeiana :Nostra Signora Assunta ; Riva Ligure :S. Maurizio Martire ; Rocchetta Nervina :S. Stefano Protomartire ;

San Biagio della Cima San Biagio della Cima () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about west of Imperia. San Biagio della Cima borders the following municipalities: Campo ...

:Santi Fabiano e Sebastiano ; San Lorenzo al Mare :S. Maria Maddalena ;

Sanremo Sanremo (; lij, Sanrémmo(ro) or , ) or San Remo is a city and comune on the Mediterranean coast of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. Founded in Roman times, it has a population of 55,000, and is known as a tourist destination on the Italian Rivie ...

:Annunciazione (Borgo) :Natività di Maria Vergine :Nostra Signora del Rosario (Baragallo) :Nostra Signora della Mercede (S.Martino) :Nostra Signora della Misericordia (Marina) :S. Antonio :S. Bartolomeo :S. Donato :S. Giuseppe :S. Lorenzo Martire (Solaro) :S. Maria degli Angeli :S. Pietro Apostolo :S. Rocco :S. Romolo Vescovo :S. Siro nella Concattedrale :Sacro Cuore di Gesù ( Bussana) :S. Sebastiano ( Coldirodi) :S. Margherita ( Poggio di Sanremo) :S. Giacomo Apostolo ( San Giacomo) ; Santo Stefano al Mare :S. Stefano Protomartire ;

Seborga Seborga ( lij, A Seborca) is a small village and self-proclaimed principality in the region of Liguria near the French border. Administratively, it is a '' comune'' of the Italian province of Imperia. The main economic activities are horticult ...

:S. Martino Vescovo ; Soldano :S. Giovanni Battista ; Taggia :Santi Apostoli Giacomo e Filippo :Santi Francesco Saverio e Paola Romana Levà ( Arma di Taggia) :Santi Giuseppe e Antonio (Arma di Taggia) ; Terzorio :Natività di S. Giovanni Battista ; Triora :Natività di Maria Santissima :Nostra Signora Assunta :Nostra Signora del Carmelo :Nostra Signora del Rosario :SS. Nome di Maria ; Vallebona :S. Lorenzo Martire ; Vallecrosia :Maria Ausiliatrice :S. Rocco :S. Antonio Abate (

Vallecrosia Alta Vallecrosia ( lij, Vallecrösia or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia in the Italy, Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about west of Imperia (city), Imperia. It is next to the busy city of Ventim ...

) ;

:Addolorata e S.Luigi :Cattedrale Nostra Signora Assunta :Cristo Re :Natività di Maria SS. :Nostra Signora di Lourdes e S.Lorenzo :S. Agostino :S. Giovanni Battista :S. Michele Arcangelo :S. Nicola Da Tolentino :S. Pancrazio :S. Secondo :S. Teresa d’Avila :Santi Pietro e Paolo :Natività di Maria SS.Ma (

Grimaldi di Ventimiglia Grimaldi may refer to: Rulers of Monaco * House of Grimaldi, the princely family of Monaco **List of Grimaldi family members * Rainier Grimaldi, a French admiral People * Alberto Grimaldi (1925–2021), Italian film producer * Anna Grimaldi ( ...

) :Santi Angeli Custodi (Grimaldi di Ventimiglia) :S. Mauro ( La Mortola Inferiore) :S. Bartolomeo (

Latte Caffè latte (), often shortened to just latte () in English, is a coffee beverage of Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk. Variants include the chocolate-flavored mocha or replacing the coffee with another beverage base such as ...

)

Piedmont

Province of Cuneo

; Ormea :Nostra Signora della Neve :S. Anna

References

Books

* * * * * * * * * *

Studies

*Kehr, Paul Fridolin (1914).
Italia pontificia
: sive, Repertorium privilegiorum et litterarum a romanis pontificibus ante annum 1598 Italiae ecclesiis, monasteriis, civitatibus singulisque personis concessorum.'' Vol. VI. pars ii. Berolini: Weidmann. pp. 363–367. *Lanzoni, Francesco (1927).
Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604)
'. Faenza: F. Lega, pp. 843–844. * *Rossi, Girolamo (1907). "Documenti inediti riguardanti la chiesa di Ventimiglia." ist of bishops at pp. 407–411 * I, pp. 477–547*

Acknowledgment

* {{authority control Ventimiglia-San Remo Ventimiglia-San Remo Province of Imperia Province of Cuneo Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo