Diocese of Bobbio

The Roman Catholic diocese of Bobbio was an Italian bishopric which existed from 1014 until 1986. The diocese was formed from the territory of the Abbey of Bobbio."Diocese of Bobbio (-Abbey of San Colombano)" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved February 29, 2016."Diocese of Bobbio–San Colombano" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 29, 2016.

History In the year 1014, the Emperor Henry II, on the occasion of his own coronation in Rome, obtained from Pope Benedict VIII the erection of the Abbey of Bobbio, which was celebrating its 500th anniversary, as an episcopal see.Thietmar of Merseburg, Chronicon (ed. Iohannes M. Lappenberg), Book VII, ch. 1-3, in: Polonio, pp. 181-185. The date of 25 February 1014 is sometimes given for the erection of the diocese, but that is the date of the coronation of the Emperor Henry in Rome. Neither the Emperor's charter nor the Pope's bull, however, survives.Bonnard, p. 276 column 2. Gianmarco De Angelis (2015), "Un diploma imperiale e tre carte vescovili. Le origini e i primi sviluppi dei possedimenti della cattedrale bobbiese: una rilettura," in: E. Destefanis e P. Guglielmotti (edd.), La diocesi di Bobbio. Formazione e sviluppi di un’istituzione millenaria, ISBN (online PDF) 978-88-6655-856-9, ISBN (online EPUB) 978-88-6655-857-6, ISBN (print) 978-88-6655-855-2, (2015 Reti Medievali e Firenze University Press), pp. 149-178. The diocese was made a suffragan of the metropolitan of Milan.Bonnard, p. 281. Kehr, Italia pontificia VI. 2, p. 242, explicitly correcting Ughelli, and those authors dependent upon him. including Fedele Savio, p. 170, who state that the original Metropolitan was Ravenna.

The abbot of Bobbio had long been a Count of the Holy Roman Empire in the territory of the Abbey, and he owed feudal dues, including soldiers, when called upon. The abbots continued to hold the title and rank even after the erection of the diocese of Bobbio.Emilio Bardella (2014), Il monastero di San Colombano di Bobbio dalla sua fondazione (614) alla creazione della diocesi Bobbiese (1014) (Università degli studi di Parma. Dipartimento di lettere, arti, storia e società. Corso di Laurea in Civiltà Letterarie e Storia delle Civiltà). In the bishopric of Bishop Luizo, the fourth bishop (c. 1050), the bishop of Bobbio was granted the title of Count for the city of Bobbio.Bonnard, p. 282.

Pietroaldo, its first bishop, had been Abbot of Bobbio since 999; in contemporary documents he is referred to as abbas et episcopus monasterio sancti Colombani sito Bobio.Paola Guglielmotti (2015), "Pietroaldo", in: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Volume 83 (2015). His episcopal successors for a long time lived in the abbey, where several of them had been monks. The monastery, however, claimed to be directly subject to the Holy See, not to a local bishop, even the Bishop of Bobbio, which produced nearly two centuries of friction and litigation between the Abbey and the Bishop of Bobbio.Kehr, pp. 246-247. Both the bishops of Tortona and of Piacenza had usurped authority over Bobbio in the 9th and 10th centuries. As late as 1128, Pope Honorius II had to order Peter, the Bishop of Tortona, to hand back five churches which he had usurped from the diocese of Bobbio. Kehr, p. 243 nos. 1-5. In 1144 Pope Lucius II granted the monks the right of electing their own abbot.Kehr, p. 253 no. 24. Pope Eugenius III (1145–1153) ruled that the confirmation and blessing of a new abbot, the consecration of altars and churches, and the appointment of monks and clergy, were the right of the bishop of Bobbio and his successors; the decision was confirmed by Pope Lucius III (1181–1185) when further litigation took place.Kehr, p. 244 nos. 6 and 8. On 28 August 1339, Bishop Calvus de Calvis made a formal visitation to the monastery of S. Colombano, and received the oath of fidelity and obedience from the abbot; he also issued a decree for the reformation of the monastery.Cipolla, p. 63.

According to Ferdinando Ughelli and others, the diocese Bobbio was made a suffragan see of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Genoa by Pope Innocent II on 19 March 1133 in the Bull Iustus Dominus. Kehr, p. 262 and 266 no. 5. Fedele Savio finds this subordination mentioned for the first time in a Bull of Pope Alexander III, dated 19 April 1161, but in his discussion he remarks that Genoa was only given four suffragans: Mariana, Nebbio and Accia on the island of Corsica, and Brugnato on the mainland.Savio, p. 170. The correct date of the bull of Alexander III is 9 April, not 19 April. The papal Bull of Innocent II, in fact, names five suffragans, the four just named and a fifth on the mainland, Vobzensem, which is in fact not the name of an actual diocese, but a scribal corruption of Bobiensem, as Ughelli and every other scholar have recognized. The papal Bull of Alexander III, Superna et ineffabilis, addressed to Archbishop Syrus of Genoa, paraphrases the bull of Innocent II, including the phrase in which Bobbio is made a suffragan of Genoa.Ughelli, IV, pp. 867-869. On 11 May 1219, Bishop Uberto Rocca received Statutes of the Archdiocese of Genoa for promulgation in his diocese.Cipolla, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. I, p. 59.

In 1199 alarming reports reached the ears of Pope Innocent III about the corrupt state of discipline in the monastery of S. Colombano, "that there was hardly a trace of religious feeling in either the abbot or the monks." He issued a mandate to Bishop Oberto of Bobbio on 1 December 1199 to use the power of supervision which had been granted him by the Holy See to visit the monastery, and then send a representative to Rome to report on his findings, so that the Pope could take further measures; he was given until the fourth Sunday in Lent in 1200 to make his report. In the meantime the Pope had entrusted the duty of correcting the monastery to two abbots from Pavia. The abbots were ordered by the Pope to consult with Bishop Oberto.Kehr, p. 246.

In 1447 the number of monks remaining in the monastery of S. Colombano di Bobbio had grown so small that Bishop Marciano Baccarini (1447–1463) was compelled to bring Benedictines from the Congregation of S. Justina di Parma to Bobbio to ensure the continuation of the foundation. He also constructed the episcopal palace.Ughelli, p. 942. Cipolla, Codice diplomatico I, pp. 35, 64.

During the occupation of Italy by the armies of the French Republic and then the First Empire, the diocese of Bobbio was suppressed, and its territory reassigned to the diocese of Casale-Monferrato. After the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia (Duchy of Savoy), the diocese was restored to its former borders in 1817.

In 1923 it was united with the Territorial Abbey of San Colombano, at Bobbio, from which it originated, with the combined official name diocese of Bobbio-San Colombano. As reorganised in 1986, the territory of the former diocese of Bobbio became part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Genova-Bobbio.

In a subsequent change, Bobbio Abbey's 'united title' was transferred, in 1989, to the Metropolitan Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio, and the territory of the former diocese of Bobbio became part of the diocese of Piacenza.Catholic Hierarchy page

The Cathedral has a Chapter, composed of two dignities (the Provost and the Archpriest) and ten Canons.Bonnard, p. 275.

Bishops Diocese of Bobbio to 1400

Pietro Aldo (1014–1017)Pietro Aldo: Ughelli, IV, pp. 955-957. Savio, pp. 158-162. Atto (1017–1027)Attone is known only through a document of his successor Sigefred, which refers to Atto as the 'second Bishop of Bobbio' (secundus Bobiensis presul) Savio, p. 162. Schwartz, p. 103 no. 2. Sigefred (attested 1027)Sigefredus: Ughelli, p. Savio, p. 162. Schwartz, pp. 103-104 no. 3. Luizo (attested 1046, 1048)Luizo (Luvizo) took part in the Council of Pavia on 25 October 1046. Savio, p. 162. Schwartz, p. 104. Opizo (Opizzone) (1059– c.1068)In 1059 Bishop Opizo was present at the Roman synod. In 1065 he made a donation to the monastery of Bobbio. Schwartz, p. 104. Guarnerio (c. 1068– ? )On 25 June 1080, Bishop Guarnerius was present at the anti-Gregorian Council of Brixen (Bressanone). Savio, p. 163. Schwartz, p. 104 Ugo (c. 1085– c. 1098) Alberto (1098– c. 1118)Albertus made a donation as Bishop-elect to the cloister of Bobbio in 1098. Another document mentions his predecessor Vuarnerius. Schwartz, p. 104. Oddo (Oddone) (attested 1118)Odo is known only from a deed of grant signed on 7 May 1118, as Episcopus et Comes. Cipolla, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. I, p. 56. Schwartz, p. 104. [Palemone ( ? – 1125?)] Simone Malvicino (c. 1125–1148)Bishop Simone is called abas et episcopus monosterio Sancti Columbani. P. Guglielmotti, in: Eleonora Destefanis e Paola Guglielmotti (ed.), La diocesi di Bobbio (Firenze 2015), p. 231. Oberto Malvicino (1148–1152)Bishop Oberto is known from only one document, a deposition of a monk of S. Colombano against the bishop. Savio, pp. 167-169. Oglerio Malvicino (c. 1153–c. 1176)Bishop Oberto Malvicino was a nephew of Bishop Simone Malvicino, and like his uncle was Abbot of S. Colombano di Bobbio. Savio, pp. 169-171 (who conjectures that he died c. 1176). Bonnard, p. 282. Gandolfo (1178–1184)Gandolfo: Savio, p. 171. Albert (1184–1185)Bishop Alberto was transferred to the diocese of Vercelli on 20 April 1185. Savio, p. 171. G. Buzzi, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. III (Roma 1918), pp. 151, 169. Otto (1185–1203)Ottone was transferred to the diocese of Genoa on 18 November 1203. Savio, pp. 171-172. Eubel, I, p. 139. Cipolla, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. I, p. 58. G. Buzzi, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. III (Roma 1918), p. 151-152. Uberto Rocca (1203–1233)Oberto was a native of Piacenza, and was a Canon Regular S. Crucis de Mortario. He had been Archdeacon of Piacenza by 1192. He is recorded as living in a palatium in the monastery of S. Colombano. Savio, pp. 172-173. Eubel, I, p. 139. Cipolla, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. I, pp. 58-59. Albertus (Ubertus) de Andito (1233–1251??)Though elected in 1233, Alberto was slow in taking episcopal consecration. On 15 July 1251 Pope Innocent IV wrote a letter to the Electo Bobien. et Abati de Mezano, and on 2 November 1257 he is still being called electus. The See appears to have been vacant in February 1272, as was the papal throne, since November 1268; bulls of confirmation could not be issued. Savio, p. 173. Gams, p. 813 column 2, makes his episcopacy last until 1273. Cipolla, Codice diplomatico del monastero di S. Colombano di Bobbio Vol. I, pp. 60-61. Johannes Gobbo (1274–1293)Johannes had been Provost of the Augustinian monastery of S. Euphemia (Piacenza). He was appointed Bishop of Bobbio by Pope Gregory X on 18 January 1274. In 1293 he excused himself from attendance at the provincial council in Genoa due to age and infirmity. Savio, pp. 173-174. Eubel, I, p. 139. Cipolla, pp. 61-62. Pietro de Bubiano, O.P. (attested 1296 – after 1318)Petrus de Bubiano was a native of Piacenza. He is attested in a document of 14 September 1318. Savio, p. 174. Eubel, I, p. 139. Cipolla, pp. 62-63. Giordano de Monte Cucco (1326 ? – after 20 February 1337)Giordano, also from Piacenza, was appointed Bishop of Bobbio on 24 October 1326, after the Chapter had elected another candidate, Henricus Duranti, Provost of S. Brigid in Piacenza; Henry was rejected by Pope John XXII. Ughelli, p. 941. Eubel, I, p. 139. Cipolla, p. 63, states that his bull of election was dated 6 October 1327. A document of his is found as late as 20 February 1337. Calvus de Calvis (c. 1339 – c. 1360)Albertus Calvi (Eubel, I, p. 139) is called Calvus Calvi by Gams, p. 813, column 2, following Ughelli, p. 941. Cipolla, p. 63. He is first found in the documents on 28 August 1339, and as late as 5 June 1360.