Archdiocese of Florence

The Archdiocese of Florence () is a Latin Church metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Italy."Archdiocese of Firenze {Florence}" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 7 October 2016."Metropolitan Archdiocese of Firenze" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 7 October 2016. It was traditionally founded in the 1st century, according to the 14th century chronicler Giovanni Villani.Villani places "Saint Frontinus" here, one of Jesus' seventy-two disciples and a follower of Saint Peter, in the time of Nero. Lanzoni, p. 577. The diocese was directly subordinate to the Holy See (Papacy) until 1420.Kehr, Italia pontificia III, p. 7.

Florence was elevated to the dignity of an archdiocese on 10 May 1419, by Pope Martin V.Cappelletti, Le chiese d'Italia XVI, p. 568. The ecclesiastical province of Florence, of which the Archbishop of Florence is the metropolitan, includes the suffragan dioceses of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro, Fiesole, Pistoia, Prato, and San Miniato.

The seat of the Archbishop of Florence is Florence Cathedral, otherwise the . Since 24th June 2024 Archbishop Gherardo Gambelli has been the Archbishop of Florence.

History

On 29 July 1322, Pope John XXII reserved to the pope the right to nominate as well as confirm the bishops of Florence.Cappelletti, p. 551. G. Mollat, Jean XXII: Lettres communes Tome quatrième (Paris: Fontemoing 1904), p. 165, no. 16165.

Due to heavy rains in the autumn and winter of 1346–1347, the crops were a failure, in wheat as well as in grapes and olives. By May 1347 the price of wheat in Florence had doubled. Arrangements were made to import grain from south Italy, Sicily and Africa, but the merchants of Siena and Genoa, who were contracted to transport the foodstuffs, kept half for their own cities. 94,000 inhabitants of Florence were dependent upon municipal charity, and some 4,000 were said to have died of starvation.

Then, in April 1348, the pestilence known as the Black Death, struck Florence. By July nearly 100,000 people were dead. The historian Giovanni Villani estimated that nearly three out of every five persons in Florence and its neighborhood had been struck down. Ultimately he himself succumbed. In his famous introduction to the Decameron, Giovanni Boccaccio repeats the number 100,000 and provides harrowing details of the breakdown of social connections and human feelings.

Other episodes of pestilence in Florence occurred in 1325, 1340, 1344, 1363, 1509, 1522–1528, and 1630.M. Zucchi, "The Misericordia of Florence," The Dublin Review 94 (1894), p. 339.

Council of Florence In 1438, the Council of Basel was moved to Ferrara, and, in doing so, split into two factions, one remaining at Basel and electing their own pope, the Antipope Felix V. The faction that settled at Ferrara had to leave soon, however, due to an appearance of the plague. They were reconstituted at Florence by Pope Eugenius IV, and became the Council of Florence, which was transferred to Rome in 1443.Carl Joseph Hefele, Histoire des conciles Tome VII, deuxième partie (Paris: Letouzey 1916), pp. 987-1105.

Chapter and cathedral

The current cathedral of Florence is dedicated to the Assumption of the Body of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. The cathedral was originally dedicated to S. John the Baptist, and occupied the former temple of Mars. When it became too small for the clergy and necessary rituals, a new cathedral, dedicated to S. Reparata, was built.Ughelli, p. 7.

In 816, the Emperor Louis the Pious held a council at Aix, at which it was ordered that Canons and Canonesses live together according to a set of rules (canons, regulae). In the Roman synod of Pope Eugene II of November 826, it was ordered that Canons live together in a cloister next to the church. In 876, the Council of Pavia decreed in Canon X that the bishops should enclose the Canons: uti episcopi in civitatibus suis proximum ecclesiae claustrum instituant, in quo ipsi cum clero secundum canonicam regulam Deo militent, et sacerdotes suos ad hoc constringant, ut ecclesiam non relinquant et alibi habitare praesumant. 'Bishops are to create a cloister next to their church, in which they serve God along with their clergy according to the rule of canons, and they should compel their priests not to leave the church and presume to live elsewhere.' The cathedral was administered by a Chapter, composed of five dignities and thirty-seven Canons. The dignities were: the Provost, the Archdeacon, the Archpriest, and the Dean.Ughelli, p. 8. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 217, note 1.

The diocese also had twelve collegiate churches, the most important of which is San Lorenzo.Ughelli, p. 8.

Diocesan synods

A diocesan synod was an irregularly held, but important, meeting of the bishop of a diocese and his clergy.]. Michael Hayden & Malcolm R. Greenshields, Six Hundred Years of Reform: Bishops and the French Church, 1190-1789 (Kingston-Toronto-London-Ithaca: McGill-Queens UP 2005), pp. 24-25. 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.

1073 - Raynerius.Ughelli, III, p. 78. 1139 - Gottifredo degli Alberti.Ughelli, p. 92. 1310, 13 August - Antonio D'Orso. 1327, 1 August - Francesco di Silvestro.Ughelli, p. 145. Cappelletti, p. 551. 1343 - Angelo Acciaiuoli seniore. 1346 Angelo AcciaiuoliJ. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXVI (Venice: A. Zatta 1784), pp. 23-74. 1350, March - Angelo Acciaioli seniore. 1372, 13–14 January -Angelo Ricasoli. 1393, 3 July - Onofrio Visdomini. 1415 - Amerigo Corsini. 1446, 22 April - Antonino Pierozzi. 1508 - Cosimo Pazzi. 1517 - Cardinal Giulio de' Medici 1565, 29 March - Antonio Altoviti. 1569, 5 May - Antonio Altoviti. J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXXVIbis (Venice: A. Zatta 1784), p. 989. 1573, 9 April - Antonio Altoviti (provincial synod) 1589, 26 March – 11 June - Cardinal Alessandro de' Medici. 1603, 17 June - Cardinal Alessandro de' Medici.J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXXVIbis (Venice: A. Zatta 1784), p. 941. 1610, 27 May - Alessandro Marzi Medici. 1614, 4 June - Alessandro Marzi Medici. 1619, 14–15 May - Alessandro Marzi Medici. 1623, 17 May - Alessandro Marzi Medici. 1627, 18 May - Alessandro Marzi Medici.J. D. Mansi, Louis Petit, J. B. Martin (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXXVIter (Arnhem & Leipzig: H. Welter 1924), p. 133. 1629, 10 May - Alessandro Marzi Medici.J. D. Mansi, Louis Petit, J. B. Martin (ed.), Tomus XXXVIter, p. 149. 1637, 16 June - Pietro Niccolini.J. D. Mansi, Louis Petit, J. B. Martin (ed.), Tomus XXXVIter, p. 221. 1645, 17 May - Pietro Niccolini. 1656, 4 April - Cardinal Francesco Nerli seniore. 1663, 26 September - Cardinal Francesco Nerli seniore. 1666, 23 September - Cardinal Francesco Nerli seniore. 1669, 25 September - Cardinal Francesco Nerli seniore. 1674, 12 September - Cardinal Francesco Nerli iuniore. 1678, 31 August - Cardinal Francesco Nerli iuniore. 1681, 27 August - Cardinal Francesco Nerli iuniore. 1691, 26 September - Jacopo Antonio Morigia.J. D. Mansi, Louis Petit, J. B. Martin (ed.), Tomus XXXVIter, p. 537. 1699, 24 September - Jacopo Antonio MorigiaJ. D. Mansi, Louis Petit, J. B. Martin (ed.), Tomus XXXVIter, p. 841. 1710, 10 September - Tommaso Bonaventura Della Gherardesca.J. D. Mansi, Louis Petit, J. B. Martin (ed.), Tomus XXXVIter, p. 888. 1732, 24 September - Giuseppe Maria Martelli. 1905, 21–23 November - Alfonso Maria Mistrangelo. 1936, 10–12 September - Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa. 1946, 8–9 May - Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa. 1988 - Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli. 1992 - Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli.

Bishops of Florence to 1200

Felix (attested 313)Bishop Felix was present at the Roman council of Pope Miltiades on 7 October 313. J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus II (Florence: A. Zatta 1759), p. 437. Richa, p. 167. Lanzoni, p. 578. ... Zenobius (–417)The 'Life of S. Zenobius' by Bishop Laurentius of Amalfi (1040–1048) is printed by Ughelli, Italia sacra III, pp. 11-18. Lanzoni, pp. 579-580. ... Mauritius ( –550)Mauritius is said to have been killed by Atila the Hun and by Totila the Visigoth. Ughelli, pp. 19-20. Lanzoni, pp. 580-581: "In verità i cronisti italiani furono facili a far morire o tormentare i loro vescovi per opera del fiero Baduilla. Tuttavia non oso rigettare un vescovo Maurizio." ... Reparatus (attested 679, 684)Bishop Reparatus signed the synodical letter (Epistola III) of Pope Agatho sent to the Roman emperors Constantine, Heraclius, and Tiberius in Constantinople. Ughelli, p. 20. Cappelletti, p. 447. J.P. Migne, Patrologiae Latinae Tomus LXXXVII (Paris 1863), p. 1240. ... Speciosus (attested 716, 724)Speciosus: Gams, p. 747 column 2. ... Thomas (attested 743)Bishop Thomas attended the Roman synod of 743 of Pope Zacharias. J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XII (Florence: A. Zatta 1766), p. 384c. Ughelli, pp. 21-22. ... Aliprandus (attested 826, 833)Aliprandus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Eugenius II. Ughelli, p. 25. J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XIV (Venice: A. Zatta 1761), p. 999. ... Rodingus (attested 852)Rodingus (Radingo, Ardingus): Ughelli, pp. 25-26. Cappelletti, pp. 452-453. Gerardus (attested 853, 855)Gerardus: J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XV (Venice: A. Zatta 1770), p. 34. Petrus (attested 861)Bishop Petrus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Nicholas I on 18 November 861. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XV, p. 603. Andreas (attested 873, 876, 890)Andreas: Ughelli, pp. 26-27. Cappelletti, p. 460. ... Grasulphus (attested 897, 898, 904)Bishop Grasulphus was the recipient of a grant of territory from the Emperor Lambert in 898. He was present at the Roman synod, held in the Lateran Palace in 904 by Pope Benedict IV. J. D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XVIII (Venice: A. Zatta 1773), p. 241. Ughelli, pp. 27-28. Cappelletti, XVI, p. 460. ... Podo (Podio) (attested 908–926)Podo: Cappelletti, pp. 460-461. ... Raimbaldus (attested 941, 964)Raimbaldus: Ughelli, p. 28. Schwartz, p. 207. Sichelmus (attested 966, 972)Sichelmus: Ughelli, p. 28-29. Schwartz, p. 207. ... Podio (Podius) (attested 987–999)In May 991, Bishop Podo made a grant of property: Lami II, p. 786 column 1. Podio: Schwartz, pp. 207-208. Guido (attested 1004–1007)Guido: Ughelli, p. 43. Schwartz, pp. 207-208. Ildebrandus (Hildebrand) (attested 1008–1024)Alibrando: Ughelli, pp. 45-50. Lami, p. 42-43 (document of 27 April 1013). Schwartz, p. 209. Lambertus (attested 1025, 1028, 1032)Lambertus had been Prior of S. Apollinare in classe in Ravenna. Ughelli, pp. 50-53. Lami, I, p. 46. Schwartz, p. 209. Atto (attested 1036, 1037)Acto, Hacto, Atho. Ughelli, pp. 53-62. Lami, I, p. 48. Schwartz, p. 209. Gérard de Bourgogne (1045–1058) Gerardus first appears in documents on 9 January 1045. On 6 December 1058, at an uncanonical election held in Siena Gerardus was elected Pope Nicholas II. There was already a canonically elected pope in Rome, Benedict X (Bishop John of Velletri). The schism which followed disturbed the church for forty years. Schwartz, pp. 209-210. Petrus Mezzabarba (attested 1065–1068). Sede vacante (1068–1071)Kehr, p. 8, no. 6, note; no. 7.