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.Acta Apostolicae Sedis Vol. 79 (Citta del Vaticano 1987), pp. 631-633. It was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Capua."Diocese of Caiazzo" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 29, 2016"Diocese of Caiazzo" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved March 29, 2016

History

According to legend, Christianity was introduced into Caiazzo by Priscus, one of the seventy-two disciples of Jesus, first Bishop of Capua. The story is universally rejected.D'Avino, p. 147, column 2. Cappelletti, Le chiese d'Italia XX, p. 262. The first known bishop of Caiazzo was said to have been Arigisus, the exact time of whose episcopate is uncertain; however, as the name indicates, it could not have been before the beginning of the seventh century, when the Lombards settled in that region, since his name appears to be Lombard.Argisius is known only from a single mention in the episcopal diptychs of Caiazzo. Ughelli, p. 441. There is no documentary evidence for his existence. The first documentary evidence for the Church of Caiazzo comes in a privilege granted by the Archbishop John of Capua to Bishop Urso; Archbishop John was consecrated in 967.Kehr, p. 271. The reading of the name "Urso" is uncertain.

Cathedral and Chapter The cathedral of Caiazzo was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to Saint Stephen of Macerata, the eleventh century Bishop of Caiazzo.Ughelli, p. 441-442. D'Avino, p. 148 column 1. The cathedral was consecrated on 23 July 1284, by Cardinal Gerardo Bianchi, Bishop of Sabina and papal Legate in Sicily.Cappelletti, pp. 266-267.

The cathedral was staffed and administered by a corporate body, the Chapter, composed of three dignities (the Archdeacon, and two Primicerii) and twenty Canons (two of whom are designated Theologus and Primicerius, in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent).Ughelli, p. 440. In 1696, there were twenty-two Canons.Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 134. The town of Caiazzo had approximately 1,400 inhabitants, and two other parish churches, as well as three monasteries and one nunnery.

There was also a Collegiate Church, Santissima Annunziata, served by a college of eight chaplains.D'Avino, p. 148 column 2.

The diocesan seminary of Cajazzo was founded by Bishop Fabio Mirto Frangipani, who had been one of the secretaries of the Council of Trent. It had space for seventy resident students, from grade school through high school.D'Avino, p. 148 column 2.

Concordat of 1818 Following the extinction of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, the Congress of Vienna 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 most Church property and resources, it was imperative that Pope Pius VII and King Ferdinand IV reach agreement on restoration and restitution. Ferdinand, however, was not prepared to accept the pre-Napoleonic situation, in which Naples was a feudal subject of the papacy. Lengthy, detailed, and acrimonious negotiations ensued.

In 1818, a new concordat with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies committed the pope to the suppression of more than fifty small dioceses in the kingdom. The ecclesiastical province of Naples was spared from any suppressions, but the province of Capua was affected. Pope Pius VII, in the bull "De Utiliori" of 27 June 1818, chose to unite the two dioceses of Calvi and Teano under the leadership of one bishop, aeque principaliter. He also suppressed the diocese of Venafro completely, and assigned its people and territory to the diocese of Isernia. Similarly, Carinola was suppressed and assigned to Suessa. Caiazzo was suppressed, and assigned to the diocese of Caserta."Pariterque in perpetuum supprimendo Episcopalem Ecclesiam Caiacensem, seu Calatinensem, eamdem cum suo Diocesano territorio alteri Episcopali Ecclesiae Casertana integrae aggregamus," D'Avino, p. 147. The cathedral of Caiazzo was reduced to the status of a collegiate church.Cappelletti, p. 275. In the same concordat, the King was confirmed in the right to nominate candidates for vacant bishoprics, subject to the approval of the pope. That situation persisted down until the final overthrow of the Bourbon monarchy in 1860.Bullarii Romani continuatio Tomus 15, p. 7 column 1, "Articulus XXVIII".

The diocese of Caiazzo was revived, however, and a new bishop was appointed on 15 March 1852.Cappelletti, p. 275. The new bishop, Gabriele Ventriglia, was transferred from the diocese of Cotrone. The diocese of Caiazzo is already mentioned as "newly established" in the 1851 volume of Notizie. There were no issues in 1849 and 1850, due to the flight of Pius IX from Rome. Caserta lost the territory which it had gained in 1818.

Suppression of the diocese 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 Alise e Caiazzo. 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 Caiazzo and Alise be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Dioecesis Aliphana-Caiacensis o Caiatina. The seat of the diocese was to be in Alise, 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 Alise, 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 Caiazzo and Alise.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 631-633.

Bishops of Caiazzo Erected: 9th Century Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Capua

to 1300

... UrsusBishop Ursus is mentioned in the hagiographical entry on St. Stephanus of Capua, in the Breviarium Capuanense prayer book. Ughelli, p. 441. Stephanus Menecillo (979–1021/1023)Stephanus had been Abbot of S. Salvatore in Capua. He was consecrated by Archbishop Gerbert of Capua in the third year of his bishopric (978, according to Ughelli; or 979, according to Gams, p. 863). Ughelli, p. 441-442 (the text indicates the consecration took place on 1 November in the 8th Indiction, 979). Esposito (2005), p. 14, with note 69. Giaquinto (attested 1023–1060)Esposito (2005), p. 14, with note 70. Ferdinandus (attested 1070–1082)Ferdinando: Ughelli, p. 445. Esposito (2005), p. 14, with note 71. Constantinus (attested 1098, 1100, 1105)Constantine: Ughelli, p. 445. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 72. Petrus (attested 1106–1109)Pietro: Ughelli, pp. 445-446. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 73. Thomas (attested 1109)Tommaso: Gams, p. 863. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 74. Ursus (attested 1117–1133)Ursus (Orso): Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 75. Statius (attested 1133–1155)Statius (Stazione, Stanzione: Gams, p. 863. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 76. Willelmus (attested 1155–1168)Bishop Guglielmo, son of Manso, was deposed by Pope Alexander III, after charges of simony were proved. Ughelli, pp. 446-447. Kehr, p. 272, no. 5. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 77. Willelmus (attested 1170–1181)Guglielmo died on 9 January 1181. Ughelli, p. 447. Gams, p. 863. Doferius (attested 1183–1189)Doferius (The name had been corrupted into Rofferius and Goffredus) was a native of Caiazzo. He was transferred to the diocese of Bari in 1189, and died in 1217. Ughelli, p. 447. Gams, p. 863. Eubel I, p. 128. Norbert Kamp, "Doferio," in: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Volume 40 (1991). Cf. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 80. Joannes (1195–1224)Gams, p. 863. Esposito (2005), p. 15-16, with note 81. Jacobus (1225–1253)Variously called Giacomo or Jacopo by the Italians, Jacobus was exiled by Emperor Frederick II. Ughelli, p. 447. Eubel Hierarchia catholica I, p. 153. Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 82. Nicolaus (1254–1257)Nicolaus Minadeo: Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 84. Andreas (1239) intrudedAndreas: Esposito (2005), p. 15, with note 83. Joannes (attested 1274–1275)Giovanni d'Arezzo is first recorded in 1274, and died on 23 August 1275. Eubel I, p. 153. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58. Andrea de Ducenta (attested 1275–1283)Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58. Gerardus di Narnia (1284–1293)Gerardo (di Modena): Esposito (2009), pp. 5-9 (beginning his episcopacy in 1283). Petrus (1294–1308)Petrus died on 26 June 1308. Ughelli, p. 448, says that he died on 26 May. Eubel I, p. 153. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58. Esposito (2009), pp. 9-10.

1300 to 1800

Joannes (1308-1309)Joannes: Eubel I, p. 153. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58. Thomas de Pascasio (1309–1333)Thomas was appointed by Pope Clement V. He was sent by King Robert into the Abruzzi in 1326 on several important missions. He died on 14 August 1333. Ughelli, pp. 448-449. Eubel I, p. 155. Cf. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58. Esposito (2009), pp. 11-13. Giovanni Mottola (1333–1356)A native of Naples, Mottola was appointed Bishop of Caiazzo on 20 October 1333 by Pope John XXII, by request of the Chapter of Caiazzo. He died on 21 August 1356 (Ughelli, pp. 449). Eubel I, p. 155. Cf. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58 make the date of his death 21 April 1356, following Di Dario. Rogerius Valenti (1362?–1375)Eubel I, p. 155, states that Rogerius died on 3 March 1375. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58, state that Rogerius served from 1360 to 1375. Francesco Zoncati (1375–1378)Francesco was appointed by Pope Gregory IX on 9 April 1375. Eubel I, p. 155. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 58, assign Francesco the dates of 1 December 1376 to 16 August 1379. Eubel, p. 155, states that he was transferred to the diocese of Penne, but gives no indication at p. 394 that this was so. Bartholomaeus de Tuderto (1383–1393?) Avignon ObedienceEubel I, p. 155. A Bartholomaeus was provided in 1379 by Urban VI (Roman Obedience), according to Eubel, by the removal of Bishop Francesco Zoncati. Ughelli points to a Bishop Bartholomaeus in 1385, who was an adherent of Boniface IX in 1391 at the time of his death. Ughelli, p. 450. Giovanni Antonio Gattola (1391–1393) Roman ObedienceEubel I, p. 155. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 59. Francesco (1393–1404) Roman ObedienceFrancesco was appointed by Pope Boniface IX on 13 October 1393, and died in October 1404. Eubel I, p. 155. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 59. Andreas Serao (1404–1422) Roman ObedienceAndreas Sinravo (Sinzaho di Aversa) had been Bishop of Squillace (1392–1402), then Isernia (1402), and then Potenza (1402–1404). He was transferred to the diocese of Caiazzo on 17 November 1404 by Pope Innocent VII. Ughelli, p. 450, gives the date of his death as 12 June 1422. Eubel I, pp. 155, 287, 407, 462. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 59. Joannes Serao (1422–1445) Antonio d'Errico (1446–1472)Eubel Hierarchia catholica II, p. 113. Cf. Caiola-Di Lorenzo-Sparano, p. 59. Giuliano Frangipane (1472–1480)Frangipane was appointed on 13 May 1472. Bishop Frangipane was transferred to the diocese of Tropea on 16 June 1480 by Pope Sixtus IV. He died in 1499. Eubel II, pp. 113, 257.