The Diocese of Vicenza () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy."Diocese of Vicenza" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016."Diocese of Vicenza" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016. It is located in the region of the Veneto, and is the capital of the Province of Vicenza, approximately 60 km (37 mi) west of Venice, and around 45 km (28 mi) east of Verona. The diocese was in existence before 590. Vicenza was a suffragan of the Patriarchate of Aquileia until 1751. In 1751 it was transferred to the ecclesiastical province of Udine. In 1818, upon the dissolution of the ecclesiastical province of Udine, Vicenza was made a suffragan of the Patriarchate of Venice.

History

The city of Vicenza honors among its patron saints, St. Leontius, bishop and martyr,Lanzoni, p. 918, points out that there is no evidence that Leontius was a bishop, of Vicenza or anywhere else: "Ma Sigeberto pon dice che il martire Leonzio venerato in Vicenza fosse vescovo di. Vicenza, ne vescovo in alcun modo." Leontius had a sister, who was venerated at Vicenza: Lanzoni, p. 918: "Al 15 settembre è venerata in Vicenza, come sorella dei santi Leonzio e Oarpoforo, una s. Innocenza, di cui nulla si sa." and St. Theodore and St. Apollonius, bishops and confessors of the fourth century.Lanzoni, p. 919, points out that their see(s) is never mentioned: "Compaiono nel Gerolimiano il 19 marzo un «Theodorus episcopus», un «Leontius episcopus» e un loro compagno di nome «Apollonius», a cui per estensione si è conferito il titolo di vescovo; ma ignorasi a quale sede i due o i tre vescovi appartenessero." A Christian cemetery, discovered near the Church of Sts. Felix and Fortunatus, dates from the earlier half of the fourth century, and these two men may have been martyred under Diocletian.Lanzoni, pp. 917-918.

The first bishop of whom there is any certain record is (H)orontius (590), who was involved in the struggles of the Schism of the Three Chapters.

On 19 July 1001, the Emperor Otto III issued a charter to Bishop Hieronymus, granting him and his successors possession of the entire County of Vicenza, with all the rights of jurisdiction."...in jam dicti Episcopi Jeronimi, suorumque successorum, jus & dominium cum omni integritate sua, omnium bominum contradictione remota, transfundimus et delegamus, ea videlicet ratione, ut predictus Episcopus Jeronimus, suique successores babeant potestatem in omni Comitati Vicentino secundum morem et consuetudinem Ducum vel Comitum, qui etiam hactenus tenuerunt...." The grant was confirmed by Henry II in 1008.Riccardi, pp. 26-28. The bishop in the document of 1008 may have been Ludigerius: "Dal fin qui detto risulta falso il secondo Diploma prodotto dall'Ugbelli, col. 1040, a favore del Vescovo Girolamo colla data del 1008, nel qual’ anno vedremo con documento autentico irrefragabile, e che ho letto e confrontato in persona che era Vescovo Liudigerio, e non Girolamo." The full critical edition found in Monumenta Germaniae historica: Diplomata regum et imperatorum Germaniae, Volume 3 (Hannover: Hahn 19030 pp. 204-205, no. 173, however, makes the name Hieronymus and the date 1008 certain. According to Ughelli, Bishop Girolamo was deposed by Emperor Henry II as a perjurer and apostate.Ughelli, Italia sacra V, p. 1041: "Ceterum Hieronymus ab eodem Henrico Imp. tanquam perjurus et apostata exauctoratus est, eiusaque bona publicata. Ea quae in Papiensi Comitatu possidebat, Comensi Ecclesiae fuerunt concessa, de qua re in diplomate Conradi II Henrici successoris, eidem Comiensi Ecclesiae concesso an. 1026 mentio extat, ut supra diximus." Kehr, Italia pontificia V, p. 126: "postea vero, "periurus apostata Arduino invasori associatus" episcopatum et possessiones perdidit (v. Mon. Germ. Diplomatum IV p. 63 no 54).

Other bishops were: Torengo (c. 1113–1117), who ruled Vicenza both in spiritual and temporal affairs, against the nobles and magistrates who rebelled against episcopal authority, disturbing the city for a quarter century. In March 1116, the Emperor Henry V held a judicial assize in Vicenza in an attempt to settle the differences.Riccardi, p. 45. On 3 January 1117, Bishop Torengo was present when the Emperor issued a charter taking the church of S. Severus of Mundiburdio under his protection.Riccardi, p. 46: "interventu principum nostrorum Ieremie Raveanatis Archiepiscopi, Petri Foroliviensis Episcopi, Turibi (lege Torenghi) Vicentini Episcopi, Arponi* Feltrensis Epifcopi Scc. Warnerii Marchionis, Anselmi Marchionis... Ecclesiam S. Severi fub Mundiburdio nostre tuitionis suscepimus...."

Bishop Uberto (1204–1212) was deposed by the papal legate, Bishop Sighard of Cremona, as a despoiler of church property. After having been given several opportunities to present himself to the legate and explain his conduct, and having failed to do so, his deposition by the legate was confirmed by Pope Innocent III.J.P. Migne (ed.), Patrologiae Latinae Cursus Completus Tomus CCXV, p. 650-651, no. 139 (7 July 1212). Pope Innocent specified that the canons of the cathedral should elect a successor within a month, but the canons did not do so. Pope Innocent responded by appointing Bishop Nicolaus Maltraversi on 8 April 1213. Bishop Gilberto, who was elected by the canons on 3 June 1219, was forced by the tyranny of Ezzelino to live in exile.Riccardi, p. 80.

During the administration of Bishop Emiliani (1409–1433) took place the alleged apparition of the Blessed Virgin on Monte Berico which led to the foundation of the famous sanctuary.Giannangelo Magnaghi, Storia del Santuario di Maria Vergine sul Monte Berico di Vicenza dall'epoca della sua fondazione fino al 1847, Vicenza: Longo, 1847. G.M. Todescato, Origini del santuario della Madonna di Monte Berico (Vicenza 1982). The church was made a minor basilica in 1904, by Pope Pius X.

Pietro Barbo (1451–1459) was afterwards elected Pope Paul II.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Zeno (1470–1501), a grand-nephew of Pope Eugenius II and nephew of Pope Paul II, was distinguished for his learning, but although he was named Bishop of Vicenza in 1470, he did not take possession of the diocese until 1478.Riccardi, p. 171. Matteo Priuli (1565–1579) founded the seminary.

Chapter and cathedral

The cathedral was administered and served by a corporation called the Chapter,C.D. Fonseca, "La cattedrale e il suo Capitolo. Analisi comparata in prospettiva storica, ecclesiologica e canonistica," , in: Annali di Studi Religiosi Vol. 4 (2003), pp. 215-235. which consisted of three dignities (the Provost, the Archdeacon, and the Archpriest) and twelve canons. The dignity of Provost was suppressed in the 1343, when Pope Benedict XI ordered the reduction of canons to ten. Two of the canons served as Theologus and Penitentiarius, in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent.Cappelletti X, p. 946.

In February 1839, ominous sounds were heard coming from the vaulting of the cathedral; when it was heard twice again, it became necessary to close the cathedral. After extensive restoration, the building was reopened to the public on 25 March 1848.Cappelletti X, pp. 936-937.

Bishop Matteo Priuli (1565–1579) held a diocesan synod in 1565, and another on 2 December 1566, citing the decree of the Council of Trent that diocesan synods should be held annually.Riccardi, p. 202. In 1583, Bishop Michele Priuli (1579–1603) presided over a diocesan synod in Vicenza.Synodus Dioecesana Vicentina Seu Constitutiones et Decreta à Michaele Priolo, Episcopo Vicentino, promulgata in Dioecesana Synodo celebrata, anno 1583. . Vicenza: Perin 1584. Riccardi, p. 206. Bishop Dionisio Delfino (1606–1626) presided over a diocesan synod in Vicenza in 1611.Constitutiones et Decreta promulgata in synodo diocesana Vicentina, a Dionysio Delphino, Episcopo Vicentino, celebrata anno M.DCXI, , Vicentiae: Francisc . Grossunods 1611. He held another synod on 2–3 October 1623.Constitvtiones et decreta edita in dioecesana synodo ... celebrata sub ... Dionysio Delphino, episcopo Vicentino duce, comite & marchione, a nativitate Domini MDCXXIII. Vicenza: apud F. Grossum 1624. On 8 May 1647, Cardinal Marcantonio Bragadin (1639–1655) held a diocesan synod.Constitutiones et decreta em.mi & reu.mi D.D. Marci Antonii tituli S. Marci S.R.E. præsbyteri cardinalis Bragadeni Dei gratia & ex dispensatione apostolica episcopi Vicentini, ducis, marchionis & comitis de anno 1647 in Synodo Diœcesana promulgatæ. . Vicenza, 1647. Bishop Giuseppe Civran (1660–1679) held a diocesan synod in the cathedral in 1666.Riccardi, p. 220.

Bishop Giambattista Rubini (1684–1702) held a diocesan synod in Vicenza on 5–7 May 1689.Johannes Baptista Rubini, Constitutiones et decreta ... promulgata in Synodo Vicentina habita die 5. 6. et 7. mensis Maji anni 1689, , Vicenza: Hieron. Fantini, 1780.

Provincial reorganizations