The Archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino () is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Apulia, southern Italy. It was created in 1979, by promoting the bishopric of Foggia to the status of metropolitan, with seven suffragan bishoprics. In 1986, one of the suffragans, the bishopric of Bovina, was suppressed and united with the metropolitan archdiocese of Foggia, which became the archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino.
History
Foggia, which had been a town at the confluence of highways from Ancona, Rome, and Naples, was promoted and developed by the work of the Emperor Frederick II.Perifano, pp. 66-74. He began a castle there in 1223, followed by a royal palace, which became his favorite residence.Thomas Curtis van Cleve, The Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Immutator mundi (Oxford: Clarendon 1972), pp. 337-342. The palace collapsed in 1543. As one of his inscriptions states, Frederick intended "that the city of Foggia might become the illustrious royal seat of the empire."Van Cleve, p. 338 and note 4: "HOC FIERI JUSSIT FREDERICUS CAESAR URBS SIT FOGIA REGALIS SEDES INCLITA IMPERIALIS."
In March 1731, the territory of Foggia was the victim of a major earthquake. A third of the city was destroyed, and the ecclesiastical infrastructure suffered major damage. The major church (later the cathedral) was ruined, the monastery of the Annunziata and the monastery of Santa Chiara were partially destroyed, the convent of the Capuchins was heavily damaged, as was that of the Pentite. The palace of the bishop of Troia was damaged. The number of dead exceeded 500. It also suffered in the earthquakes of 1866 and 1882. Establishment of the diocese
Troia was 30 km or 19 mi from Foggia, a point remarked on by Pope Pius. The town of Foggia was at the extreme southern end of the diocese of Troja, and there was some bad feeling between the clergy of the two towns, according to Pope Pius IX.Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1818 Parte decimaquarta (Napoli: Stamperia dell'Iride, 1857), p. 112. After the death of Bishop Antonio Monforte of Troja on 13 February 1854, plans were advanced to remedy the situation and provide a more logical distribution of ecclesiastical territories.
The Diocese of Foggia (Latin Name: Fodiana) was established by Pope Pius IX on 25 June 1855, in the bull Ex hoc Summi Pontificis,Ex hoc Summi Pontificis, Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1818 pp. 110-131. (Latin text, with Italian translation). on territory split off from the Diocese of Troia. It included the territory of S. Marco in Lamis, which had been part of the diocese of Siponto. The diocese of Foggia, like the diocese of Troia, was exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See, not part of any ecclesiastical province.
Foggia had a seminary (high school) which was suitable for converting into a diocesan seminary.Ex hoc Summi Pontificis, Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1818 p. 112.
Chapter and Cathedral The collegiate church of S. Maria in Foggia was raised to the dignity of a cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Body of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. It was administered by a corporate body called the Chapter, composed of four dignities (the Archpriest, the Primicerius, the Cantor, and the Treasurer) and fourteen canons. There were also six beneficed "mansionarii", who saw to the daily routine of religious services. The cathedral was also a parish church, whose parishioners were under the care of the Archpriest.Cappelletti XXI, p. 481. The city had four other churches, one of which contained a wonder-working statue of the Sorrowful Virgin Mary; five convents of mendicant friars, and three establishments of monks.Cappelletti XXI, p. 482.
The Chapter of the cathedral of Foggia currently (2022) consists of a president and four canons.Arcidiocesi di Foggia-Bovino, "Capitoli"; retrieved: 6 November 2022.
On 14 December 1974, Pope Paul VI appointed Giuseppe Lenotti, the Bishop of Foggia (1962–1979), to be at the same time Bishop of Bovino, aeque personaliter. On the same day, he was then also named Bishop of Troia.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 67 (Città del Vaticano 1975), p. 343: "die 14 Decembris 1974- — Cathedrali Ecclesiae Bovinensi Exc. P. D. Iosephum Lenotti, Episcopum Fodianum." "Cathedrali Ecclesiae Troianae Exc. P. D. Iosephum Lenotti, Episcopum Fodianum et Bovinensem." On 4 April 1981, Pope John Paul II appointed as successor to Bishop Lenotti, Bishop Salvatore De Giorgi, with the title of metropolitan archbishop of Foggia, Bovino, and Troia.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 73 (Città del Vaticano 1981), p. 429: "die 4 Aprilis. — Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Fodianae atque Cathedralibus Ecclesiis Bovinensi et Troianae Exc.mum P. D. Salvatorem De Giorgi, hactenus Episcopum Uritanum".
Metropolitan On 30 April 1979, the diocese was promoted to the rank of Metropolitan Archdiocese of Foggia (Latin Name: Fodiana-Bovinensis). It was assigned as suffragan dioceses: Siponto, Troia, Asculum et Cerinola, Bovino, Lucera, and S. Severo.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 71 (Città del Vaticano 1979), pp. 563-564: "Novam vero condimus ecclesiasticam provinciam Fodianam nominandam, quae constabit tum Ecclesia Fodiana hodie metropolitana facta tum hisce ei suffraganeis Ecclesiis: Sipontina, quae dignitatem sedis archiepiscopalis sibi servabit; Troiana, Apostolicae Sedi immediate adhuc subiecta; Asculana et Ceriniolensi, Bovinensi, Lucerina et Sancti Severi, quae ad hunc usque diem metropolitanae Ecclesiae Beneventanae suffraganeae erant; Vestana, quae usque ad praesens suffraganea erat metropolitanae Ecclesiae Sipontinae."
Reorganization of 1986 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.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."
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 Foggio e Bovino be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Archidioecesis Fodiana-Bovinensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Foggia, and the cathedral of Foggia was to serve as the cathedral of the merged dioceses. The cathedral in Bovino 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 Foggia, 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 diocese of Bovino.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 710-712. Foggia also gained territory from the Archdiocese of Manfredonia."Archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved October 7, 2016"Metropolitan Archdiocese of Foggia–Bovino" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved October 7, 2016
Change of territory On 1 January 1994, the Congregation of Bishops approved the transfer of the Convento Maria Sanctissima di Stignano, situated some 10 mi. to the west of the town of S. Marco in Lamis, from the jurisdiction of the diocese of San Severo to the archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 86 (1994), p. 299.
Ecclesiastical province Since 1986, the metropolitan archdiocese of Foggia-Bovino has had four Suffragan dioceses: Roman Catholic Diocese of Cerignola-Ascoli Satriano Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucera-Troia Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo Roman Catholic Diocese of San Severo
Bishops and archbishops Bishops of Foggia Bernardino Maria Frascolla (24 February 1856 – 30 December 1869)Born in Andria in 1811, Frascolla had been a canon of the cathedral of Troia, and Rector of the seminary. He was appointed bishop of Foggia on 24 February 1856, and consecrated at the Minerva in Rome on 22 June. He was arrested in 1862, and tried for suspicion of anti-governmental activity. Convicted, he was deported to Como, where he served time in the Prison of S. Donnino. From 1864 to 1866, he was under house arrest, first in his palace and then at the seminary. He died in Rome on 30 December 1869, while attending the First Vatican Council. Cappelletti XXI, p. 481. Alessandro da Crecchio, Schizzo biografico di monsignor Bernardino Maria Frascolla, Vescovo di Foggia , (Roma: tip . Salviucci 1870). Villani, pp. 226-228. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 273. Geremia Cosenza, O.F.M. (1872 – 1882)Cosenza was born at Rocca Scalegna (diocese of Lanciano) in 1807. He became an Observant Franciscan in 1825, and in that Order he was Visitor General of the Province of Lucania and the Abruzzi. He was a teacher of theology and Rector of the seminary of Squillace, and pro-sinodal examinator in the diocese of Squillace. He was named bishop of Foggia on 23 February 1872. He died on 15 March 1882. Costantino da Valcamonica (1872), L'ordine serafico nel Concilio Vaticano, , (Venezia: Tipografia Emiliana, 1872), p. 39. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VIII, p. 273. Domenico Marinangeli (27 March 1882 – 16 January 1893)Marinangeli was later Titular Archbishop of Nazareth (16 January 1893–8 January 1898) and Metropolitan Archbishop of Trani (16 January 1893– retired 8 January 1898), Archbishop of Barletta (Italy) (16 January 1893–retired 8 January 1898), Apostolic Administrator of Bisceglie (Italy) (16 January 1893–8 January 1898); in retirement he held the honorary title of Latin Titular Patriarch of Alexandria (1898–1921) He died on 6 March 1921. Ritzler & Sefrin Hierarchia catholica VIII, pp. 87, 273, 561. He published a revision of a speech in which he proved that theology is the mother and corrector of the sciences: Discorso recitato al IV Congresso Cattolico di Napoli da Mons. Domenico Marinangeli, Vescovo di Foggia (Bologna: Tip. e Libr. Archvescovile 1883); Annali degli avvocati di San Pietro periodico religioso, scientifico, legale... Anno VI, No. 9 (Roma: 1 May 1884), p. 193-194. Carlo Mola, C.O. (12 June 1893 – 29 April 1909)Mola became Titular Bishop of Sasima, from 29 April 1909, until his death on 8 January 1914. Salvatore Bella (29 April 1909 – 17 December 1920)Bella was transferred by Pope Benedict XV to be Bishop of Acireale on 17 December 1920. He died on 29 March 1922. Pietro Pomares y Morant (27 August 1921 – 16 October 1924)Pomares was transferred to the archdiocese of Bari e Canosa by Pope Pius XI on 16 October 1924. He died on 14 December 1924.