The Diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino, in Tuscany."Diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 4 December 2015."Diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 29 February 2016. The diocese of Sovana had originally been directly dependent upon the Holy See, and its bishops attended the pope's synods. When Pope Pius II, who was a Piccolomini of Siena, created the metropolitan archdiocese of Siena, he made Sovana one of its suffragan dioceses.Ughelli III, p. 734. The bishops of Sovana usually resided in the former palace of the Orsini in Pitigliano, which was given to Bishop Francesco Pio Santi (1776–1789) by the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

The bishop has his seat in the Cattedrale di Ss. Pietro e Paolo, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, in Pitigliano, a part of the province of Grosseto; the municipality of Sovana (Soana) in Toscana also has a Co-Cathedral named in honour of Saint Peter. Orbetello has the Concattedrale di S. Maria Assunta (S. Biagio), dedicated to the Assumption and St. Biagio.

History The two towns, Sovana and Pitigliano, are situated in the Province of Grosseto, Central Italy. The Diocese of Sovana, was in existence by 680, and was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Siena. Sovana was an ancient Etruscan city, and preserved a certain importance till the end of the thirteenth century, having been the capital of the counts of Aldobrandeschi, lords of Southern Tuscany, from the days of Charlemagne.

In 1230 the diocese lost territory which had been given as a gift to Territorial Abbacy of Santi Vincenzo ed Anastasio alle tre Fontane in Rome. In 1240 the city withstood a siege by Emperor Frederick II. Later it passed under the sway of the Orsini family, who transferred their residence to Pitigliano, mentioned for the first time in 1081.

In 1401 the city fell into the power of the Republic of Siena. In 1434, Count Gentile Orsini having been killed at Sovana, the people of Pitigliano put the town to fire and sword, and brought about its destruction.

On 22 April 1459, Pope Pius II issued the bull "Triumphans Pastor", in which he raised the diocese of Siena to metropolitan status, and assigned to it as suffragans the dioceses of Sovana, Chiusi, Massa, and Grosseto.: "Necnon filias nostras praedictas Suanensem, Clusinensem et Grossetanensem et Massanensem Ecclesias, cum suis civitatibus et dioecesibus, iuribus el pertinentiis universis, Ecclesiae Seuensi et arcbiepiscopis praefatis, tamquam illorum metropolitanis et de eorum provincia...."

The territory of this diocese includes the Vallombrosan Abbey of Monte Calvello, which was transferred in 1496 by Pope Alexander VI a new abbey within the city walls.

Diocese of Pitigliano On 11 January 1844,Fabriziani, p. 84, gives the date of 13 January 1843, as do: Bruscalupi (1906), Monografia storica, p. 420, and . Gaetano Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica Vol. 53 (Venice 1851), p. 295, column 2, gives the date of 11 January 1844, which appears to be the correct date: Pope Gregory XVI created the diocese of Pitigliano, and assigned it aeque principaliter to the bishop of Sovana. The diocese was renamed as Diocese of Sovana–Pitigliano (Soanensis–Pitilianensis in Latin), and the former collegiate church of Saints Peter and Paul in Pitigliano became the new cathedral.Cappelletti XVII, p. 752. Bruscalupi, Monografia storica della contea di Pitigliano, p. 420.

Modern changes The Second Vatican Council, 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. It also recommended the abolition of anomalous units such as exempt territorial prelatures.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." The territorial Abbey of Saints Vincent and Anastasius in suburban Rome was one of them, having been suppressed in 1812, then handed over to the Friars Minor in 1825, though malaria drove them out; in 1867, the Cistercians took over the abbey with a contingent of Trappist friars. The widely dispersed properties which belonged to the abbey and the Catholics living on them had come to be neglected. After extensive consultation, therefore, Pope John Paul II issued the apostolic constitution Abbatia SS. Vincentii on 25 March 1981, which reassigned various territories of the abbey to the dioceses in which they were situated. Properties in Tuscany at Orbetello, Monte Argentario, Giglio Island, and Capalbio, along with the parishes established in them, as well as oratories, chapels, cemeteries, and all other ecclesiastical goods, were assigned to the diocese of Sovana-Pitigliano. The diocese's name was changed to Diocese of Sovana–Pitigliano–Orbetello.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. LXXIII (1981) pp. 474-476.

On 30 September 1986, the diocese was renamed Diocese of Pitigliano–Sovana–Orbetello (Pitilianensis–Soanensis–Urbetelliensis in Latin), taking into account regulations that favoured the larger and more important city.Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. LXXIX (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 451-452.

Chapter and cathedral

The cathedral of Pitigliano began as a simple parish church, dedicated to S. Mark the Evangelist. In 1509, Pope Julius II raised the parish church to the dignity of a collegiate church, dedicated to St. Peter and Paul.Bruscalupi, Monographia storica della contea di Pitigliano, p. 17. It was administered by a Chapter, composed of an Archpriest and eight Canons.

In 1669, the Chapter of the cathedral of S. Pietro in Sovana had one dignity and three Canons.Ritzler-Sefrin V, p. 364, note 1. The population was 150 persons. Ughelli (1725) notes that there were two dignities (the Provost and the Dean) and three Canons. There were two parishes in the city of some 400 persons, one of which was the cathedral, whose Provost had the care of the souls of the parishioners.Ughelli, Italia sacra III, p. 733-734.

Synods A diocesan synod was an irregularly held, 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. John Paul II, Constitutio Apostolica de Synodis Dioecesanis Agendis (19 March 1997): Acta Apostolicae Sedis 89 (1997), pp. 706-727.

The first synod held in the diocese of Sovana following the decrees of the Council of Trent on the regular holding of synods took place on 2 May 1601, under the direction of Bishop Metello Bichi (1596–1606).Diocesi di Pitigliano Sovana Orbetello, Ippolito Corridori, "I sinodi nella storia della diocesi,"; retrieved: 1 January 2020.

Bishop Ottavio Saraceni (1606–1623) held a synod in Sovana on 1 June 1620.Corridori, "I sinodi nella storia della diocesi". In 1626, Bishop Scipione Tancredi (1624–1637) presided over a diocesan synod. On 9 May 1630, he presided over his fifth diocesan synod. Bishop Enea di Cesare Spennazzi (1638–1644) held a diocesan synod in Sovana in 1639.Corridori, "I sinodi nella storia della diocesi". On 15 October 1682, Bishop Pier Maria Bichi, O.S.B. (1673–1684) convened a diocesan synod in Pitigliano.Corridori, "I sinodi nella storia della diocesi". A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Domenico Maria della Ciaja, O.P. (1688–1713) on 9 May 1690 in Sovana; on 20 April 1693 in Scansano; on 15 May 1696 in Pitigliano; on 22 May 1703 in Pitigliano; and on 3–4 May 1706 in Pitigliano; he held his sixth synod in Pitigliano on 13 May 1709. Corridori, "I sinodi nella storia della diocesi".

Bishop Cristoforo Palmieri (1728–1739) held a diocesan synod in Soana on 16–17 June 1732. Bishop Tiberio Borghesi (1762–1772) presided over a diocesan synod in 1768.Admonitiones ad clerum habitœ a Tiberio Burghesio, episcopo Suanensi, in synodo diœcesana, an. 1768. Siena, 1769.

On 23–24 September 1936, Bishop Stanislao Battistelli (1932–1952) presided over a diocesan synod in Pitigliano, in the episcopal palace. He celebrated another synod in July 1946, which constituted the occasion on which Pope Pius XII declared Pope Gregory VII the co-patron of the diocese.Corridori, "I sinodi nella storia della diocesi".

Bishops

Bishops of Sovana to 1300

Mauritius (attested 680)Bishop "Matianus" took part in the Roman synod of Pope Agatho in 680. Ughelli, p. 587. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XI (Florence: A. Zatta 1765), p. 775. Cappelletti XVII, p. 737. Polock, p. 143. ... Vestianus (attested 826)Bishop Bastianus subscribed at the Roman synod of Pope Eugenius II in 826. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XIV (Venice: A. Zatta 1769), p. 999. He is called Vestianus: ... Tanimundus (attested 853)Bishop Tanimundus subscribed at the Roman synod of Pope Leo IV in 853. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XIV (Venice: A. Zatta 1769), p. 1020. Rastaldus (attested 861)Bishop Rastaldus was present at the Lateran synod of Pope Nicholas I in 861. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XV (Venice: A. Zatta 1770), p. 603. Cappelletti XVII, p. 737. Stephanus (attested 869, 886)Bishop Stephanus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Hadrian II in Spring 869. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XVI (Venice: A. Zatta 1771), p. 131. Polock, p. 143. ... Rainerius (attested 967)Bishop Rainerius founded a canonica (residence for Canons) in his diocese. Kehr III, p. 254 no. 1. Schwartz, p. 263. Joannes (attested 1027–1059)Joannes, son of Giso, was present at the Roman synod of Pope John XIX and the Emperor Conrad II on 6 April 1027. He was also present at the Roman synod of Pope Nicholas II in 1059. Schwartz, p. 263. Anselmus (attested 1061)Bishop Anselmus is mentioned in a bull of Pope Nicholas II of 27 April 1061, confirming the privileges of the cathedral Chapter of Sovana. Kehr III, p. 254, no. 1. P[––]Schwartz, p. 263. ... [David]Ughelli makes the statement that David was consecrated by Pope Gregory VII in 1083. There is no evidence for such a claim. David is italicized as dubious by Schwartz, p. 263, and questioned by Polock, p. 145. ... EugeriusEugerius is referred to in 1194 by a witness in the lawsuit between Orvieto and Sovana, one Franco, an oblate of the church of Sovana: "Interrogatus quorum episcoporum temporibus predicti clerici venerunt ad sinodum S(uanensem), respondit quod temporibus Eugerii, Ildiz(onis), Bernardi S(uanensium) episcoporum." Polock, p. 112, 145. ... Ildito (attested 1126, 1147)Bishop Ildito attended the Roman synod of Pope Honorius II on 21 July 1126. Schwartz, p. 263. Polock, p. 146, conjectures that he died c.1151; his death was followed by an episcopal vacancy of two years. Petrus (c.1153–c.1175)Polock, p. 147-148. Paulinus (c.1175–1193?)Paulinus was bishop for eighteen years. Polock, pp. 148-149. ...