The Archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano () is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the commune of Campobasso, the capital of the province of Campobasso, in the region of Molise in Southern Italy. It became an archdiocese in 1973 and a metropolitan see in 1976.

In 1927, the episcopal seat and residence of the bishop of the diocese of Boiano was transferred to Campobasso, and the diocese was renamed diocese of Boiano-Campobasso. It was suffragan (subordinate) ecclesiastically to the archdiocese of Benevento.

History

The name Laurentius often appears as the earliest known bishop of Bojano, and a participant in the third Roman synod of Pope Symmachus (498–514) in 501.Ughelli VIII, p. 242. G. Masciolla, Il Molise (Napoli 1914), p. 222. Giovanni Nigro, "Il Molise paleocristiano dalle origini a Gregorio Magno," , in: Vetera Christianorum 40 (2003), pp. 93-116, at p. 103. It has been pointed out, however, that the manuscripts have variants: Bovianensis, Bobianensis, Boensis, Bonensis, Bononiensis, Bonomensis, Vovianensis, Vohianensis, Vivianensis.Lanzoni, p. 398. Giuseppe Cappelletti rejected the attribution of Laurentius to Bojano, and suggested Bobbio instead.Cappelletti, Le chiese d'Italia XIX (Venice 1864), pp. 191-192. But, as Francesco Lanzoni pointed out, the diocese of Bobbio is a later foundation.Lanzoni, p. 398: "Non si può pensare a Bobbio (Piemonte), diocesi recente; non a Bologna, perchè nei dittici di questa diocesi dell'Emilia un Laurentius non appare." Pius Gams does not include Laurentius in his list of bishops of Bojano.Gams, Series episcoporum, p. 860.

Suffragan of Benevento In the second half of the 9th century, Boiano had its own gastald, who was subject to the Lombard prince of Benevento. Around 860, an alliance against the Saracens was entered into by the gastald of Boiano, the gastald of Telese, the count of Marsi, and the duke of Spoleto.De Francesco, pp. 71-72.

In 1047, Boiano was still subject to the archbishop of Benevento.Kehr IX, p. 199: "Ecclesias in comitatu Boianensi usque ad flumen Sangrum et comitatum Triventinum Gerardo ep. Iserniensi noviter ab Atenulfo Capuano archiep. consecrato subiectas esse legimus in eius charta a. 1047 data." Ughelli VI, p. 394. On 24 January 1058, Pope Stephen IX confirmed the privileges and rights of Udalricus, Archbishop of Benevento, including the church of Boiano.Kehr IX, p. 199 and p. 58, no. 24: "...Troia, Draconaria, Civitate, Monte Corvino, Tortibulo, Viccari, Florentine, Bobiniano, Toccho, Monte Marano, Monte de Vico." In June 1061, an unnamed bishop of Boiano took part in the first provincial synod of Archbishop Udalricus of Benevento.Ughelli VIII, pp. 81-82.

The first bishop of Boiano known by name is Adalberto (Alberto), who participated in the consecration of the major church at Montecassino by Pope Alexander II, on 1 October 1071.Ughelli VIII, p. 242-243. Another document, dated 1095, reports that his name was subscribed Obertus, unless Obertus and Adalbertus are two different bishops.

Bishop Poliziano consecrated the cathedral in 1215, with the participation of the bishops of Lucera, Fiorentino, Ariano, and Tortiboli.Ughelli VIII, p. 243, quoting a lead tablet with the dedicatory inscription found inside the high altar.

Destruction by emperor In 1221, the city of Boiano was captured by Frederick II, and set to the torch.Kehr IX, p. 199. In his edict, the "Statutum de reparatione castrorum", Frederick provided for the construction, maintenance, and provision of certain fortresses throughout his domains, which were to be inspected every quarter by "provisores castrorum".In the Terra di Lavoro, these were: Sora, Rocca d'Arce, Cerro. Bojano, Roccaguglielma, Montecassino, Rocca Janula, Rocca d'Evandro, Monticelli, Sujo, Rocca Mondragone, Capua, Aversa, Castel Capuano, Castel d'Ovo in Naples, Somma Vesuvia, and Cajazzo. In 1239, Frederick designated certain strategic castles as "castra exempta", which were to be administered directly by the "provisores castrorum." One of these was Bojano.Eduard Sthamer, Die Bauten der Hohenstaufen in Unteritalien, , Volume 1 (Leipzig: Hiersemann 1914), pp. 57-58. The men of Boiano were assigned to keep the castrum in repair.Sthamer, p. 98: "Item castrum Bouani reparari debet per homines ipsius terre, Montis Viridis, Castelli Vecclis, baroniae Castri Pignani, Campi bassi, Ysernie, Rocce Madeluni, Cantalupi et baronie domini Thomasii de Molisio." Oreste Muccilli (2010), Civita di Bojano - la storia di un castello molisano, (Campobasso 2010), pp. 41-42.

Others were: Giovanni (1226), who decorated the facade at his own expense, as recorded in an inscription; Silvio Pandoni (1489), who restored the work of Giovanni; Cardinal Franciotto Orsini (1519) and Bishop Carlo Carafa (1572), who adorned the cathedral with costly furnishings; and Celestino Bruni (1653), theologian and preacher.

A great earthquake struck the kingdom of Naples on 5 December 1456. The city of Boiano and nearly all the inhabitants were reported killed.Mario Baratta, I terremoti d'Italia (Torino: De Bocca 1901), p. 69: "Boiano (Campobasso) — spianato interamente con eccidio di quasi tutti gli abitanti: i pochi salvati si rifugiarono a Civita, villaggio non del tutto rovinato."

On 22 August 1794, Bishop Nicholas Rossetti held a diocesan synod in the cathedral of S. Bartolommeo in Boiano.Prima dioecesana synodus ab illustriss., et reverendiss. Domino. D. Niccolao Rossetti Bovianen, et sepinen. episcopo habita die 22. augusti 1784, , Bojano 1789.

Destruction by earthquake In the major earthquake of 26 July 1805, most of Boiano was destroyed, with 124 of the 3,433 inhabitants killed.Mario Baratta, I terremoti d'Italia (Torino: De Bocca 1901), pp. 318-319 ("in Boiano cadde l' intera parte bassa della città"); 791 ("Nel terremoto del 1805 Boiano rimase completamente distrutto").

Francesco Macarone (1879–1897) presided over a diocesan synod, held from 25 to 27 August 1885.Prima synodus dioecesana ab illustrissimo, ac reverendissimo Domino Francisco Macarone-Palmieri episcopo bojanensi celebrata diebus XXV XXVI XXVII augusti MDCCCLXXXV. . Florentiae: typis M. Cellini et soc. 1885.

Transfer of episcopal seat On 29 June 1927, citing the size of the city of Campobasso and the superior transportation connections, Pope Pius XI ordered the transfer of the seat of the bishop of Boiano from Boiano to Campobasso. The church of Santissima Trinità was named a cathedral, and the Chapter of the cathedral of S. Bartholomew the Apostle in Boiano was transferred to Campobasso. The rights of the cathedral of Boiano were suppressed. The diocese was to be called "Boianensis-Campobassensis". The former archpriest of the cathedral of Boiano was appointed Archpresbyter-parochus of the cathedral of Campobasso.

The seminary of the diocese of Boiano was transferred to Campobasso, and the students from Boiano were exempted from paying the "pensio".Acta Apostolicae Sedis 19 (Rome: Typis Poliglottis Vaticanis 1927), pp. 332-334.

Promotion of diocese and bishop

On 11 February 1973, Pope Paul VI raised the diocese of Boiano-Campobasso to the rank of an archdiocese, and its bishop to the rank of archbishop. At the same time, he released the archdiocese from being a suffragan of the archdiocese of Benevento, and made it immediately subject to the Holy See (Papacy).Acta Apostolicae Sedis 65 (Città del Vaticano 1973), pp. 130-131, 173. On 5 March 1973, at a public consistory, Archbishop Alberto Carinci requested and received his pallium.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 65 (Città del Vaticano 1973), p. 202.

Metropolitan

Following the Second Vatican Council, and in accordance with the norms laid out in the council's decree, Christus Dominus chapter 40,Christus Dominus 40. Therefore, in order to accomplish these aims this sacred synod decrees as follows: 1) The boundaries of ecclesiastical provinces are to be submitted to an early review and the rights and privileges of metropolitans are to be defined by new and suitable norms. 2) As a general rule all dioceses and other territorial divisions that are by law equivalent to dioceses should be attached to an ecclesiastical province. Therefore dioceses which are now directly subject to the Apostolic See and which are not united to any other are either to be brought together to form a new ecclesiastical province, if that be possible, or else attached to that province which is nearer or more convenient. They are to be made subject to the metropolitan jurisdiction of the bishop, in keeping with the norms of the common law. 3) Wherever advantageous, ecclesiastical provinces should be grouped into ecclesiastical regions for the structure of which juridical provision is to be made. Pope Paul VI ordered a reorganization of the ecclesiastical provinces in southern Italy. On 21 August 1976, he issued the decree "Ad apicem", creating the new ecclesiastical province entitled «Boianensis-Campobassensis», with its administrative center in Campobasso. The metropolitan archdiocese was assigned as suffragans the dioceses of Trivento (which had been immediately subject to the Holy See), Isernia-Venafro (which had been subject to the metropolitan archdiocese of Capua), and Termoli-Larino (which had been subject to the metropolitan archdiocese of Benevento.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 68 (Città del Vaticano 1976), pp. 594-595. Increase in territory On 21 January 1983, Pope John Paul II issued the decree "Ad Uberius", by which he removed the towns of Sant'Angelo Limosano, Limosano, Matrice, Campolieto, Monacilioni, San Giovanni in Galdo, Toro, Campodipietra, Jelsi, Gildone, Gercemaggiore, Riccia, Gambatesa, Tufara, Pietracatella, Macchia Valfortore, S. Elia a Pianisi, from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the archbishop of Benevento and assigned them to the jurisdiction of the archbishop of Campobasso-Boiano.Decree "Ad uberius": Acta Apostolicae Sedis 75 (Citta del Vaticano 1983), p. 662.

Bishops of Boiano Latin Name: Boianensis Erected: 11th Century

to 1450

Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Benevento ... [Anonymous] (1061)A bishop of Boiano, whose personal name is not mentioned, took part in the first provincial synod of Benevento held under Archbishop Udaleric in June 1061. Ughelli VIII, pp. 81-82. ... Albertus (attested 1068 – 1089)Bishop Albertus took part in the provincial synod of Benevento under Archbishop Milo in March 1075. Ughelli VIII, pp. 88-89. ... ? Obertus (attested 1094)O. Bertolini (1926), I documenti trascritti nel "Liber preceptorum Beneventani monasterii Sophiae in: Studi di Storia Napoletana in onore di M. Schipa , (Napoli 1926), no. 172; cited by H.-W. Klewitz (1933), Zur Geschichte der Bistumsorganisation Campaniens und Apuliens im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert, in: Quellen und Forsschungen aus Italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken 24 (1933), p. 46. Bernardo (attested 1105)Bishop Bernardo is known only from a document once in the cathedral archives, mentioned by Vincenzo Ciarlanti. Ughelli VIII, p. 243. ... Adamon (attested 1119)Adamon was present at the execution of a document of Count Robert of Boiano in November 1119. Ughelli VIII, p. 243-245. ... Robertus (attested 1149)Robertus is referred to by Ughelli VIII, p. 243bis, but without documentary proof. ... Andreas (attested 1179–1181)Andreas: Ughelli VIII, p. 243bis. Petrus (attested 1189)Petrus: Ughelli VIII, p. 243bis. Matthaeus (attested 1195–1203)Matthaeus: Ughelli VIII, p. 243bis. Raynaldus (attested 1206–1210)Raynaldus: Ughelli VIII, p. 243bis. Politianus (attested 1215)In 1215, Bishop Politianus was the principal dedicant of the cathedral of S. Bartolommeo in Boiano. Ughelli VIII, p. 243bis. Eubel I, p. 140. Joannes (attested 1225–1239)Joannes was elected by the cathedral Chapter, and confirmed by Pope Honorius III on 21 December 1225. Ughelli VIII, p. 243. Eubel I, p. 140. Joseph (attested 1244–1252)Josephus (Giuseppe): Ughelli VIII, p. 243. Eubel I, p. 140.