The Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Campania, southern Italy, created in 1986. In that year the historic Diocese of Alife was united with the Diocese of Caiazzo. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Naples."Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 9, 2016."Diocese of Alife-Caiazzo" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
History The old diocese of Alife was made up of twelve communes in the civil province of Caserta, subject to the Archbishopric of Benevento.
The name of a Bishop of Alife appears for the first time among the signatories of the Roman Synod of 499 of Pope Symmachus.Clarus episcopus Ecclesiœ Allifanœ subscripsi); see "Monumenta Germaniæ Historica," Auctorum Antiquissimorum Tomus XII (Berlin: Weidmann 1894), p. 406. Bishop Clarus signs seventh, suggesting great seniority in office.Catholic Encyclopedia article Alife became a suffragan of the metropolitan archbishop of Benevento in 969, when Pope John XIII created the ecclesiastical province of Benevento.Cappelletti, p. 90.
In 1676, the city of Alife had a population of c. 1200 persons, and the diocese in addition had 18 loca (villages). The city had one monastery for men. The bishop resided, however, in a village called "Pedemonte".Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 79, note 1. In 1752, the city of Alife had only 500 inhabitants. The residence of the bishop at Piedimonte had three schools, seven houses of male religious, and two convents of nuns. There were only 13 loca.Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 77, note 1.
After the French Following the extinction of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, the Congress of Vienna authorized the restoration of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples. Since the French occupation had seen the abolition of many Church institutions in the Kingdom, as well as the confiscation of much Church property and resources, it was imperative that Pope Pius VII and King Ferdinand IV reach agreement on restoration and restitution. Ferdinand demanded the suppression of fifty dioceses.
A concordat was finally signed on 16 February 1818, and ratified by Pius VII on 25 February 1818. Ferdinand issued the concordat as a law on 21 March 1818.F. Torelli (1848), La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 I, second edition (Naples: Fibreno 1848), pp. 1-19. On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull De Ulteriore, in which, the decision was made to suppress permanently the diocese of Alife, and to incorporate its territory into the united dioceses of Cerreta and Telese.Pius VII, Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 25 (Rome 1853), p. 58 § 11: "Praevia item suppressione episcopalis ecclesiae Aliphanae ex nunc pro tunc quando ex persona moderni antistitis Aliphani quomodocumque vacare contigerit, civitatem illam ac dioecesim adjungimus atque incorporamus episcopalibus ecclesiis unitis Cerretanae et Thelesinae."
Protests and complaints were quickly submitted to the pope. The bishop of Alife, Emilio Gentile, the Chapter of the cathedral, the rectors of the parishes of the diocese of Alife, and the magistrates of the city all made their supplications, pointing out the antiquity of the episcopal seat, the well regarded diocesan seminary, the inconvenience and danger of regular travel over the mountains to Telese, and other considerations. Pope Pius submitted these to the Commission for the Execution of the Concordat, and to the Sacred Congregation Consistorial for examination and recommendations. Finally, on 15 January 1820, he issued the bull "Adorandi Servatoris", by which he revoked and annulled the provisions of the bull "De Ulteriore" so far as they commanded the suppression of the diocese of Alife.Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1819, Parte terza (1820 a 1825) (Napoli: De Turchini 1830), pp. 30-43, at p. 36: "perpetuo revocamus et annullamus viribusque et effectu penitus, et vacuamus ac destituta et vacuata, illasque suum effectum in eventum praemissum minime habituras esse, et fore declaramus ac saepe dictam Ecclesiam Allifanam Archiepiscopalis Beneventanae Ecclesiae, ut praefertur, suffraganeam, ejusque sedem, et episcopalem cathedram et dignitatem cum distinctis et propriis illius majoris ecclesiae Capitulo, ac episcopali Curia, ac seminario puerorum ecclesiastico, nec non peculiari in spiritualibus generali Vicario in pristinum...." There was, however, an additional provision: that one and the same bishop would be the bishop of Alife and the bishop of Telese at the same time aeque personaliter. He was to be called the bishop of "Alife and Telese".Collezione degli atti..., pp. 36-40.
On 6 July 1852, in the bull "Compertum Nobis", Pope Pius IX made the decision to reverse the judgment of Pope Pius VII and restore the diocese of Alife, thereby completely separating the two dioceses, and removing its territory again from the power of the bishop of Cerreto and Telese.Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1818: da gennajo 1852 a tutto dicembre 1853. Parte 13 (Napoli: stamp. dell'Iride, 1854), pp. 134-156.
Consolidation of dioceses On 18 February 1984, the Vatican and the Italian State signed a new and revised concordat, which was accompanied in the next year 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. Otherwise Caiazzo and Alife, who shared a bishop, might have become the diocese of Alife and Caiazzo. 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 Caiazzo and Alife be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title Dioecesis Aliphana - Caiacensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Alife, and the cathedral of Alife was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedral in Caiazzo 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 Alife, 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 separate dioceses of Caiazzo and Alife.Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 631-633.
Bishops of Alife Erected: 5th Century Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Benevento
to 1200
... Clarus (attested 499)Bishop Clarus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Symmachus in 499. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus VIII (Florence: A. Zatta 1762), p. 234. Francesco Lanzoni (1927), Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604). Faenza: F. Lega, p. 378. ... Paulus (attested 982–985)Gams, p. 847, column 1. ... Vitus (attested 1020)Gams, p. 847, column 1. Cappelletti, pp. 91-104. ... Rodbertus (attested 1098, 1100)In his documents his name is also spelled Robbertus. Cappelletti, p. 105. Gams, p. 847. Kehr IX, p. 114. ... Petrus (attested 1143)Kehr, p. 114. ... Balduinus (attested 1179)Bishop Baldwin was present at the Third Lateran Council of Pope Alexander III in March 1179. Ughelli, p. 208. J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXII (Venice: A. Zatta 1778), p. 460. Cappelletti, p. 106. ... Landulfus (attested 1200)Cappelletti, p. 106. Eubel I, p. 84 with note 1.
1200 to 1600
... Alferius (1252–1254)Alferius was appointed by Pope Innocent IV on 27 April 1252. He was transferred to the diocese of Viterbo on 27 January 1254. Eubel I, p. 84, 532. Romanus (1254–after 1286)Fr. Romanus was the sub-Prior of the convent of the Dominicans in Rome (the Minerva? Santa Sabina?) had to be ordered by Pope Innocent IV, in a letter of 28 March 1254, to take up the office to which he had been elected by the Church of Alife. Romanus' choice as bishop may have happened as early as the end of January. He was ordered to be consecrated a bishop by Pope Innocent on 2 April 1254, by the Archbishop of Corinth, assisted by the bishops of Viterbo and Cefalù. He was still in office in 1286. E. Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome troisième (Paris: Fontemoing 1897), p. 392, no. 7409; p. 396, no. 7424. Eubel I, p. 84. Gentilis (before Oct 1291– ? ) AdministratorEubel I, p. 84. Petrus (attested 1305)Petrus: Ughelli, p. 242. Eubel I, p. 84. Philippus (attested 1308) Nicolaus Thomas (1346– )Thomas was confirmed by Pope Innocent VI on 8 March 1346. Eubel I, p. 84. Bertrandus Joannes (1361– ? )Joannes had been Archdeacon of Alife. Eubel I, p. 84. Guilelmus Joannes (Alfieri) (1389–1412) Roman ObedienceJoannes was appointed Bishop of Alife by Urban VI on 10 May 1389. Eubel I, p. 84. Angelus de S. Felice (1413– )Angelus was appointed by John XXIII on 13 February 1413. Eubel I, p. 84. Antonius Moretti, O.P. (1458–1482)Eubel, Hierarchia catholica II, p. 85. Joannes Bartolo (Bartolomaeus) (1482–1486) Giovanni Zefra (6 Sep 1486 - 1504 Died)"Bishop Giovanni Zefra" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Angelo Sacco (15 Apr 1504 - 1529 Died)"Bishop Angelo Sacco" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Bernardino Fumarelli (16 Aug 1529 - 13 Nov 1532 Appointed, Bishop of Valva e Sulmona) Miguel Torcella (13 Nov 1532 - 6 Apr 1541 Appointed, Bishop of Anagni) Ippolito Marsigli (6 Apr 1541 - 1546 Died)"Bishop Ippolito Marsigli" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Sebastiano Antonio Pighini (27 Aug 1546 - 4 Jun 1548 Appointed, Bishop of Ferentino) Filippo Angelo Seragli, O.S.B. (4 Jun 1548 - 1557 Died) Antonio Agustín (15 Dec 1557 - 8 Aug 1561 Appointed, Bishop of Lérida) Diego Gilberto Nogueras (8 Aug 1561 - 1566 Died)"Bishop Diego Gilberto Nogueras" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Angelo Rossi (31 Jan 1567 - 1568 Died)"Bishop Angelo Rossi" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Giovanni Battista Santorio (19 Nov 1568 - 8 Jan 1586 Appointed, Bishop of Tricarico)"Bishop Giovanni Battista Santorio" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 29, 2016 Enrico Cini (Siculus), O.F.M. Conv. (8 Jan 1586 - 1598 Died)
1600 to 1986
Modesto Gavazzi, O.F.M. Conv. (7 Aug 1598 - Aug 1608 Died)"Bishop Modesto Gavazzi, O.F.M. Conv." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Valerio Seta (Valerius Seta), O.S.M. (24 Nov 1608 - 1625 Died) Gerolamo Maria Zambeccari, O.P. (7 Apr 1625 - 11 Apr 1633 Appointed, Bishop of Minervino Murge) Giovanni Michele Rossi, O.C.D. (11 Apr 1633 - 25 Dec 1638 Died) Pietro Paolo Medici (11 Apr 1639 - Oct 1657 Died)"Bishop Pietro Paolo Medici" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 20, 2017 Henri Borghi, O.S.M. (25 Feb 1658 - Nov 1658 Died)"Bishop Henri Borghi, O.S.M." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 21, 2016 Sebastiano Dossena, B. (21 Apr 1659 - 1664 Died) Domenico Caracciolo (31 Mar 1664 - 14 Oct 1673 Died)"Bishop Domenico Caracciolo" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved September 25, 2016 Giuseppe de Lazzara (23 Mar 1676 - 2 Mar 1702)Lazzara: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 79, with note 3. Angelo Maria Porfiri (5 Mar 1703 - 23 Jul 1730)Porfiri (Porfirius): Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 79, with note 4. Gaetano Iovone (11 Dec 1730 - 31 Oct 1733) Pietro Abbondio Battiloro (18 Dec 1733 - 17 Oct 1735) Egidio Antonio Isabelli (2 Dec 1735 - 3 Jan 1752) Carlo Rosati (20 Mar 1752 - 17 Feb 1753) Innocenzo Sanseverino (12 Mar 1753 - 29 Dec 1756 Resigned) Filippo Sanseverino (3 Jan 1757 - 26 Jan 1762 Resigned) Francesco Ferdinando Sanseverino, C.P.O. (29 Jan 1770 - 15 Apr 1776 Confirmed, Archbishop of Palermo)