The Diocese of Fidenza () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in the Province of Parma, Italy. It was until 1927 named the Diocese of Borgo San Donnino. It is now a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola, though historically it was long subject to the Archdiocese of Bologna."Diocese of Fidenza" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 7 October 2016. "Diocese of Fidenza" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
The bishop's episcopal seat is the Cathedral of San Donnino Martire, in Fidenza.
The diocese has a Minor Basilica, the Basilica di San Lorenzo, in Monticelli d'Ongina; it was assigned that honor on 9 January 1942.Gabriel Chow, G-Catholic.org, "Basilica di San Lorenzo"; retrieved: 24 September 2018.
History
In 1199 a long and bloody war was in progress between Parma and Piacenza over Borgo San Donnino. Pope Innocent III rallied the bishops of Lombardy and wrote threateningly to both combatants, attempting to force them to make peace. However, the Pope also asserted Church ownership of the Borgo, and claimed the right to assign its civil jurisdiction."...ipsos Placentinos et Parmenses ad subeundem judicium nostrum sufficientissima in manibus tuis hinc inde praestita cautione, vel Parmenses, ut borgum ipsum nomine nostro in manibus tuis tenendum assignent restituendum per nos eis quibus jure fuerit assignandum, omni occasione escusatione, dilatione, appellatione et recusatione cessantibus, nostra fretus auctoritate compellas...." J. P. Migne (ed.), Patrologiae Latinae Cursus Completus Vol. CCXIV (Paris 1890), pp. 580-582, Epistle II, 39 (27 April 1199).
Creation of the diocese In 1600, the town (oppidum) of Borgo San Donnino, including a territory with seventeen villages, was under the civil government of Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza. In the town was one collegiate church, the Church of S. Donnino, which belonged to no diocese (nullius dioecesis), and which had three parish churches, three monasteries of men and two of women, and five hospices attached to it. The collegiate church and its dependencies were administered by a chapter, composed of eight canons with eight prebends. They were presided over by a provost (una praepositura), who had to be in Holy Orders, since he held the "cure of souls"; he had an annual income of about 1,300 papal ducats. The Provost had the ordinary jurisdiction (iurisdictionem ordinariam) in the town and its territory, and had the right to use a mitre and pastoral staff.Cappelletti, pp. 73-74.
On 12 February 1601, by the bull Super universas, Pope Clement VIII suppressed and extinguished the office of Provost of the Collegiate Chapter of S. Donnino, and erected the collegiate church into a cathedral, to be the seat of a bishop directly dependent upon the Holy See. A new cathedral chapter was created, headed by an Archdeacon and an Archpriest, with the eight canons of the former collegiate church and an additional four canons, with four additional prebends. The additional prebends were endowed by the Duke. Two of the original eight canons of the collegiate chapter were to serve as Theologus and Penitentiary. The Dukes of Parma were granted the right of patronage and presentation of future Archdeacons, Archpriests, and the four new canonries.
To provide income to support the administration of the new diocese, the Pope transferred territory from the diocese of Cremona situated south of the Po and adjacent to the diocese of Piacenza, to the diocese of Borgo San Donnino. This included Busseto, Polesine Parmense, and Monticelli d'Ogina.Clement VIII, Super universas, § 4. Cappelletti, pp. 75-76.
In the papal consistory of 8 January 1603 Pope Clement VIII appointed the last provost, Papiro Picedi da Castel Vezzano, to be the first Bishop of Borgo San Donnino. A brief (breve) addressed to him on the same day informed him of his appointment, recalling that Picedi had been a priest of the diocese of Luni-Sarzana; that he held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure; that he had been a Referendary of the Two Signatures (judge in the Roman Curia); and that he was a familiaris of the Pope.Cappelletti, pp. 80-82. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 124.
Development of the diocese
The diocese also had three collegiate churches: Insigne de Busseto (5 Canons), Monticelli d'Ongina (4 Canons), and Pieve Ottoville (4 canons).
In 1828, Bishop Aloisio San Vitale was assigned the task and the honor of creating the new diocese of Guastalla by Pope Leo XII. The Pope also consecrated the first bishop of Bishop of Guastalla, Giovanni Tommaso Neuschel, who later became Bishop of Borgo San Donnino on Bishop San Vitale's death.
In 1885, the Cathedral Chapter consisted of four dignities (Archdeacon, Archpriest, Primicerius, and Penitentiarius) and eight Canons. The diocesan seminary was headed by a priest who was also the Vicar General of the diocese, and it had five professors and two masters; there were thirty-eight students.Bertolotti, p. 304.
During World War I, the diocesan seminary was requisitioned as a hospital for wounded soldiers.Gianpaolo Gregori and Amos Aimi, "Giuseppe Fabbrucci", Museo del Duomo di Fidenza; retrieved: 2018-09-22.
On 22 September 1927 the diocese of Borgo San Donnino was renamed the Diocese of Fidenza.
During World War II, in May 1944, Fidenza was bombed, and on 2 May the Episcopal Palace was hit. There was heavy damage to the diocesan archives. On 13 May another attack destroyed the Episcopal Palace and the Seminary. On 29 January 1948, Bishop Francesco Giberti opened the drive to rebuild the Seminary.Guida degli archivi diocesiani d'Italia Volume III (Roma: Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientali, Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici 1998), p. 141. Annuario diocesano 2018, p. 44.
The diocese enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope John Paul II in June 1988.
On 14 January 2003, the Bishops of Fidenza, Parma, and Piacenza entered into a friendly agreement for the adjustment of their diocesan borders. The diocese of Parma received the parishes of Cella, Noceto and Varano Marchesi, from Fidenza. The diocese of Piacenza received the parishes of Mercore and Bersano from Fidenza. The diocese of Fidenza received the parish of San Vitale in Salsomaggiore from Parma; and the parishes of Aione, Besozzola, Cangelasio, Careno, Grotta, Iggio, Mariano, Rigollo, San Nazaro d’Ongina, Scipione, and Varone, from Piacenza.Gianpaolo Gregori and Amos Aimi, "Maurizio Galli", Museo del Duomo di Fidenza; retrieved: 27 September 2018.
The most famous native son of Borgo San Donnino was Cardinal Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte, the adopted nephew of Pope Julius III.
Synods
A diocesan synod 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.
The first diocesan synod was held by Bishop Giovanni Linati (1606–1620) on 14 October 1608. He held the second diocesan synod on 15 October 1615.J.D. Mansi, ed., Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXXVIter (Arnheim-Leipzig 1924), pp. 43-44. The third diocesan synod was held by Bishop Alfonso Pozzi (Puteo) on 20 May 1624. Mansi, pp. 105-106. Bishop Antonio Pallavicini presided over the diocesan synod of 4–6 June 1663. Mansi, pp. 383-384. Bishop Gaetano Garimberti (1675–1684) presided over the diocesan synod of 5 December 1678.Mansi, p. 384. Bishop Nicolò Caranza (1686–1697) held a diocesan synod on 20–22 May 1697. He ordered the minutes of the meetings published, to which he had appended thirteen enactments of popes or Roman curial offices. His own decrees included regulations for the Cathedral Chapter (Caput XXIII–XXVI).
Bishop Adriano Sermattei (1713–1719) held a diocesan synod in 1713.Mansi, p. 384. On 27–29 April 1728, Bishop Gherardo Zandemaria (1719–1731) held a diocesan synod.
Bishop Vincenzo Manicardi (1879–1886) presided over a diocesan synod on 5–7 June 1883; it was particularly concerned with issues raised by the First Vatican Council.Synodus dioecesana Fidentina ab Illmo et Rmo D. Vincentio Manicardi Dei et Ap. Sedis gratia ecclesiae Burgi S. Domnini Episcopo celebrata (Modena 1883). Mansi, p. 384. Alfons Bellesheim, "Englische, italienische, und österreichische Synoden des letzten Decenniums," Archiv für katholisches Kirchenrecht 52 (Mainz 1884), pp. 225-241, at 239-240.
In 1956 Bishop Paolo Rota (1953–1960) presided over a diocesan synod.Gianpaolo Gregori and Amos Aimi, "Paolo Rota", Museo del Duomo di Fidenza; retrieved: 2018-09-24. Bishop Mario Zanchin (1962–1988) conducted a diocesan synod in 1987.Gianpaolo Gregori and Amos Aimi, "Mario Zanchin", Museo del Duomo di Fidenza; retrieved: 2018-09-22.
Bishops of Borgo San Donnino
Papirio Picedi (1603–1606)Picedi was appointed Bishop of Borgo San Donnino on 8 January 1603, and was transferred to the diocese of Parma on 30 August 1606. He died on 4 March 1614. Ughelli, pp. 68-70. Gauchat, pp. 124, 275. Giovanni Linati (1606–1620)A native of Parma, Linati was the son of the Farnese court physician. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was a member of the Order of S. Anthony of Vienne, and held benefices of the Order in Parma and Borgo San Donnino. He had an extensive career as a civil administrator in several towns in the Papal States. He was named Bishop of Borgo San Donnino on 4 December 1606. On 13 January 1620 he was transferred by Pope Paul V to the diocese of Piacenza (1619–1627). He died on 2 April 1627. Ughelli, p. 70. Gams, p. 742 column 2. Gauchat, pp. 124, with note 3; 281, with note 3. Alfonso Pozzi (1620–1626)A native of Piacenza, Pozzi belonged to the family of the Counts of Castronuovo. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure, and was several times an ambassador of the Duke of Parma. Pozzi was appointed bishop in the Consistory of 30 March 1620 by Pope Paul V. He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 5 April 1620 by Cardinal Roberto Ubaldini. He died on 25 August 1626. Ughelli, p. 70. Gams, p. 742 column 2. Gauchat, p. 124, with note 4. David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy.org"Bishop (Thomas) Alfonso Pozzi"; retrieved 4 December 2016. Ranuccio Scotti Douglas (1627–1650)Of a noble family of Piacenza, Scotti, the Marquis of Montalbo, held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. Scotti was also and principally a papal diplomat; under Pope Urban VIII he was Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland (1630–1639), and Apostolic Nuncio to France (1639 – 1641). On his return from France he was named Vicar of the Vatican Basilica. He also became Governor of the Marches. On 5 August 1645 he was relieved on the responsibility for the diocese of Borgo San Donnino, which he resigned on 13 March 1650. He took up the post of Prefect of the Apostolic Palace on 20 December 1653. He died in retirement in Piacenza in 1666. Ughelli, p. 71. Cappelletti, pp. 83-84. Gauchat, p. 124 with note 5. Filippo Casoni (1650–1659)Of a noble family of Sarzana, Casoni was the nephew of Bishop Vincenzo Landinello of Albenga. His brother Niccolò Casoni was conte di Villanova. He served in the embassy in Portugal at the end of the reign of Pope Paul V (1605–1624). In 1624 he was a computista and procuratore of the College of Cardinals. He was appointed Bishop of Borgo San Donnino on 27 February 1651, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Giulio Roma on 12 March 1652. According to his tombstone, he died on 22 July 1659 at the age of 61. According to Gams (p. 742) Casoni urged Ferdinando Ughelli to write his Italia Sacra Ughelli, pp. 71-72. Gauchat, p. 124 with note 6.