The Archdiocese of Pescara-Penne (Latin: Archidioecesis Piscariensis-Pinnensis) is a Latindiocese of the Catholic Church on the east coast in central Italy.
It was promoted to the status of metropolitan archbishopric in 1982, and its name was changed from the Diocese of Penne e Pescara to Pescara-Penne.[1][2][3] That was in turn created in 1949, when the historic diocese of Penne-Atri was split up, with Atri going to form the Diocese of Teramo-Atri. The Diocese of Atri had been united with the Diocese of Penne in 1252.
The diocese of Penne was always immediately subject to the Holy See (Papacy), except for the period 1526 to 1539, when it was subject to the archbishop of Chieti.[4]
The diocese of Atri (Adriensis) was established by Cardinal Petrus Capoccius, Cardinal Deacon of S. Giorgio ad velum aureum, Legate of the Marches, under authority of Pope Innocent IV, on 1 April 1251 by the Bull Solet S. Mater. He appointed the church of S. Maria to be the new cathedral.[5] In a letter to the people of Atri of 21 August 1251, Pope Innocent thanked them for their support against the attacks of the Emperor Frederick II.[6] On 15 March 1252, the Pope united the diocese of Atri and the diocese of Penne in the person of one and the same bishop, aequaliter et personaliter.[7]
In 1927, Pescara became the capital of a new province of the Italian state. On 2 June 1946, a plebiscite of the Italian peoples abolished the monarchy and established a republic. On 1 January 1948, the new constitution of the Italian Republic went into effect. The political changes had a notable effect on the arrangement of the ecclesiastical provinces in the Abruzzi, as Pope Pius XII was well aware. He was especially concerned about the substantial movement of population to Pescara in the first half of the 20th century, and the decision of the Italian government, partially due to destruction of parts of the area during the military operations of World War II, to direct its resources toward the rebuilding and improvement of Pescara. As the capital of a province, Pescara might be expected to become the seat of a bishop; but the city extended over two different dioceses, Chieti and Penne.[8] The Pope, therefore decided on the rearrangement of the diocesan system, which he effected in the Bull Dioecesium subscriptiones of 1 July 1949.[9]
First of all, the Bull brought together all of the parishes of the city of Pescara, by transferring five parishes from the diocese of Chieti to the diocese of Penne. Second, the seat of the diocese of Penne was transferred from Penne.[10] to the city of Pescara, and its name changed to Pinnensis-Piscarensis. Third, the parish of S. Cetteo in Pescara was elevated to the status of a cathedral, and the Chapter of the cathedral of Penne was transferred to S. Cetteo; the Archpriest of the Chapter was to be the parish priest of the cathedral. The cathedral in Penne was named a co-cathedral. The diocesan seminary was transferred to Pescara. Since the diocese of Atri was entirely in the civil province of Teramo, Atri was united aequaliter principaliter with the diocese of Teramo, forming the diocese of Teramo e Atri.[11]
Pope John Paul II made additional changes in the ecclesiastical structure of the Abruzzi. In the Bull Ad majorem quidam of 2 March 1982, he created a new ecclesiastical province, and named the bishop of Penne-Pescara as the metropolitan archbishop. He assigned the diocese of Teramo e Altri, which had been immediately subject to the Holy See (Papacy), as a suffragan of the new archdiocese. He also changed the name of the archdiocese from Penne-Pescara to Pescara-Penne. These changes divested the Papacy of the direct control of two more dioceses.[12]
Cathedral and Chapter
When the diocese of Atri was established in 1251, the number of Canons in the Chapter of the cathedral was fixed at twenty secular Canons. In electing a new bishop, the two Chapters of Canons were to vote together as one body. The number of electors from each Chapter was to be the same, even if one Chapter had more members than the other. For the first round of voting, they could meet in one or the other cathedral, or in some mutually agreed upon place; in subsequent votes they were to meet alternately in Atri and Penne.[13]
A document of 4 January 1252 mentions that among the dignities of the Chapter of Penne were the Primicerius and the Archpriest.[14] Another, of 26 January 1260, names the Archdeacon, the Archpriest of civitas S. Angeli, the Archpriest of Monte Silvano, and two Primicerii; it also states that there were sixteen Canons of Penne.[14]
In 1698, the city of Penne had a population of c. 4000 persons, and its Cathedral Chapter was composed of three dignities and fourteen Canons.[15] The city of Atri had a population of c. 6000 persons, and its Cathedral Chapter was composed of four dignities and twenty Canons.[16] In 1755, there were three dignities and twelve Canons in Penne, and four dignities and sixteen Canons in Atri.[17]
Bishop Tommaso Balbani (1599–1621) held a diocesan synod in 1599.[18] Bishop Giuseppe Spinucci (1668–1695) held a diocesan synod in the cathedral of Penne in November 1681.[19]
Nicola Francesco Franchi (26 Jun 1805 – Nov 1815 Died)
Domenico Ricciardone (25 May 1818 – 24 Jul 1845 Died)
Vincenzo d'Alfonso (12 Apr 1847 – 23 Dec 1880 Died)
Luigi Martucci (23 Dec 1880 – 16 Dec 1889 Died)
Giuseppe Morticelli (23 Jun 1890 – Feb 1905 Resigned)
Raffaele Piras (6 Dec 1906 – 23 Aug 1911 Died)
Carlo Pensa, O.Ss.C.A. (27 Aug 1912 – 16 Dec 1948 Died)
Diocese of Penne e Pescara
United 1 July 1949 with the Diocese of Teramo to form the Diocese of Teramo e Atri and then separated from the new entity to form the Diocese of Penne e Pescara Latin Name: Pinnensis et Piscariensis Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Benedetto Falcucci (2 Jul 1949 – 1 Jan 1959 Resigned)
Antonio Iannucci (15 Feb 1959 – 21 Apr 1990 Retired)
Archdiocese of Pescara-Penne
Name Changed: 2 March 1982 Latin Name: Piscariensis-Pinnensis Metropolitan See
Francesco Cuccarese (21 Apr 1990 – 4 Nov 2005 Retired)
^"Dioecesium circumscriptiones": Hisce namque novissimis temporibus Piscaría urbs dioecesis Pinnensis, quae ad maris Adriatici oras iacet, tale incrementum sumpsit, ut, magni facta nominis civitas, merito eiusdem nominis Provinciae caput evaserit. Haec Piscaría urbs nunc ex unione efformata est duorum iam prius exsistentium oppidorum : quorum alterum, Piscaría nuncupatum, ad Theatinam archidioecesim pertinet; alterum vero, cui nomen Castrum Maris Adriatici, intra fines exstat dioecesis Pinnensis; ita ut nova Piscaría urbs partim Archiepiscopi Theatini, partim Episcopi Pinnensis iurisdictioni subiecta est.
^Romanus: Ughelli, I, p. 1112. The existence of Romanus, Bishop of Penne, depends entirely upon the subscription list of the first Roman synod of Pope Symmachus in 499. The manuscripts give: Valentinus Episcopus Ecclesiae Amiterninae pro Romano Episcopo Ecclesiae Picinansium, with some manuscripts reading Pinantiatium or Bitiuanatium or Bitananatium.J.-D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus VIII (Florence: A. Zatta 1762), p. 235. Lanzoni, p. 370, neither discusses nor even mentions Romanus, remarking only that the diocese might be earlier than the 7th century, Tuttavia non è improbabile che la diocesi di Pinna Vestina sia anteriore al VII secolo.
^On 27 October 868, Bishop Giraldus transferred the remains of five saints. Ughelli, p. 1113. Lanzoni, pp. 370-371.
^Bishop Helmoinus had failed to appear at the Roman synod of 879. Pope John VIII wrote him a letter on 19 November 879, ordering him to appear in Rome by 8 December; the Pope also absolved a man who had been wrongly excommunicated by Bishop Helmoinus. Gams, p. 911. Kehr, IV, p. 284, nos. 1-2.
^On 2 May 1059, Bishop Joannes (Felertanus) received the confirmation of the rights, privileges and properties of the diocese of Penne, from Pope Nicholas II (1058–1061). Still during Nicholas' reign, Bishop Joannes resigned his office and retired to a monastery. Ughelli, pp. 115-116. Ughelli states, without reference or proof that he was bishop in 1057.
^Grimaldus was consecrated a bishop by Pope Paschal II, who died in 1118. He was the recipient of letters from Popes Calixtus II (1122?), Innocent II (1140), Eugene III (1150), Anastasius IV (1153), and Adrian IV (1156). Kehr, p. 285. Schwartz, p. 339.
^Beroaldus: Cappelletti, XXI, p. 446. Gams, p. 911 column 2.
^Gualterius had previously been Bishop of Amelia from 1255 to 1264. He was transferred to the diocese of Penne e Altri by Pope Urban IV on 25 January 1264. Jean Guiraud, Les registres d'Urbain IV Tome deuxième (Paris: Fontemoing 1901), pp. 240-241, no. 483: eisdem Pennensi et Adriensi ecclesiis providemus, teque ad ipsas transferimus. Eubel, I, pp. 85, 394.
^Bernardus had been a Canon of S. Peter's in Angers. He was elected, but also provided by Pope Boniface VIII on 11 April 1302. Eubel, I, p. 394.
^Raimundus had been the Abbot of the monastery of S. Sebastiano in Naples. On the death of Bishop Bernardus there was a contested election Raimundus was confirmed by Pope John XXII on 28 June 1321, after he rejected the candidacies of Magister Guillaume de Saint-Victor and Nicolutio Bartholomei. G. Mollat, ed. (1906). Jean XXII (1316-1334): Lettres communes analysées d'après les registres dits d'Avignon et du Vatican (in French and Latin). Vol. Tome troisième. Paris: A. Fontemoing. pp. 311–312, no. 13689. Eubel, I, p. 394.
^After the death of Bishop Bernardus, the Chapter elected Guillaume, Provost of S. Peter de Foresta (Aquino). Pope John XXII confirmed the election on 24 November 1324. On 10 March 1326 he was named a papal Chaplain, being referred to as the Rector of S. Peter's, not the Bishop of Penne e Alatri. G. Mollat, Jean XXII (1316-1334): Lettres communes analysées d'Après les registres dits d'Avignon et du VaticanTome cinquième, p. 254, no. 21000. Mollat, Tome sixième, p. 125, no.24615. Eubel, I, p. 394.
^Nicolaus was appointed on 13 March 1326 by Pope John XXII. He died in 1352. Ughelli, pp. 1147-1149. Eubel, I, p. 394.
^A native of Florence, Ardinghelli (Andrighelli) was appointed Bishop of Penne e Atri on 5 November 1352 by Pope Clement VI. He was transferred to the diocese of Camerino on 31 January 1360 by Pope Innocent VI, in an exchange of dioceses with Bishop Giojosus of Camerino. Eubel, pp. 161 (where he is called a Franciscan), 394.
^Giojosus had been Bishop of Camerino from 1356 to 1360. He was transferred back to Camerino on 9 January 1374. Eubel, I, pp. 161, 394. Gams' dates are in error.
^Malaspina had been Bishop of Luni, and he continued as Administrator of that diocese when he was appointed Bishop of Penne e Atri on 31 January 1374. He was transferred to the diocese of Pisa in March 1380. He died in Pisa on 7 November 1380. Eubel, I, pp. 394, 400.
^A native of Naples, Lanzano was named Bishop of Penne e Atri by Urban VI on 14 February 1380, and appointed Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary and Treasurer. He was non-residential. He was appointed Treasurer of Pope Boniface IX, and was transferred to the diocese of Bishop of Perugia on 29 October 1390. Ughelli, p. 1149. Eubel, I, pp. 394, 396.
^A native Roman, Scaglia was appointed by Boniface IX on 11 January 1391. He died in 1393. Ughelli, p. 1149. Eubel, I, p. 394.
^Antonius had been Bishop of Teano (1383–1393). He was appointed Bishop of Penne e Atri on 27 September 1393 by Boniface IX. Ughelli, p. 1149 (placing his death in 1411). Eubel, I, p. 394, 481.
^Pietro was appointed by John XXIII on 9 February 1413. His successor was appointed on 28 January 1415 by John XXIII. Ughelli places his death in 1413, but he also places the appointment of his successor in 1413, while it was actually in 1415. Eubel, I, p. 394, 395.
^Jacobus de Camplo was appointed on 28 January 1415 by John XXIII. He was transferred to the diocese of Spoleto on 1 February 1419, but he continued as Administrator until the appointment of his successor by Pope Martin V on 28 November 1420. Eubel, I, p. 395 with note 13; 461.
^Gozzadini Abbot Commendatory of the Cistercian monastery of S. Maria de Casanova (Penne). He was appointed bishop by Martin V on 28 November 1420. He was transferred to the diocese of Fossombrone on 23 March 1433 by Pope Eugene IV. He died in 1434. Ughelli, pp. 1149-1150. Cappelletti, XXI, p. 447. Eubel, I, p. 395 with note 14; II, p. 156.
^Giovanni had been an Auditor of the Roman Rota (judge in appeals). He was named Bishop of Penne e Atri by Pope Eugene IV on 23 March 1433. He was appointed Bishop of Orvieto on 21 October 1454 by Pope Nicholas V, exchanging seats with Bishop Jacobinus Benedicti. Ughelli, p. 1150. Eubel, II, pp. 213, 260.
^Jacobinus was appointed by Pope Nicholas V on 21 October 1454. His successor was appointed on 23 August 1456. Gams, p. 912. Eubel, II, p. 213.
^Cantalicio had been a Canon of the collegiate church of Santa Maria in Via Lata in Rome. He attended the Fifth Lateran Council. He was appointed by Pope Julius II on 19 November 1503. Ughelli states that he was succeeded by his nephew Valentino on 3 July 1514. He resigned in 1515 Ughelli says he died in 1514; Cappelletti says he resigned after eleven years as bishop, and resigned in favor of his nephew in 1514. Ughelli, p. 1150. Cappelletti, XXI, p. 447. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica III, p. 271 with note 3 (who says that he resigned).
^Valentino was the nephew of Giovanni Battista Cantalicio. He succeeded his uncle in 1514 or 1515, and lived until 1550. Ughelli, p. 1150. Cappelletti, XXI, p. 447. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica III, p. 271.
^Cibò was the nephew of Bishop Luca Cibò of Foligno, and was a Canon of the cathedral Chapter of Foligno. He held the degree Doctor in utroque iure, and served as Vicar General of the bishop of Foligno in the 1540s. By virtue of a decree issued by Pope Paul III in 1538, Cibo was named Conservator and Judge of the Abbey of Santa Croce di Sassovivo on 12 February 1539, by the Abbot commendatory, Girolamo Spinola. He was appointed Bishop of Penne e Atri on 19 January 1551 by Pope Julius III. After three years in office, he resigned to return to his native town. He died in 1560 at the age of 74. Lodovico Jacobilli (1653). Cronica della chiesa, e monastero di Santa Croce di Sassouiuo nel territorio di Foligno (in Italian). Foligno: appresso Agostino Alterij. p. 204. Ughelli, p. 1150-1151. A. Rossi, "Memorie sulla cattedrale di Foligno," in: Giornale di erudizione artistica (in Italian). Vol. 5. Perugia: G. Boncompagni. 1876. p. 359. Eubel, III, p. 271.
^Contuberio had been Archdeacon of Benevento. He was appointed bishop of Penne e Atri by Pope Julius III on 27 August 1554. He was appointed Vice-Legate in Bologna for Cardinal Carlo Carafa. He was deprived of his bishopric by Pope Pius IV in a sentence read in the papal Consistory of 9 May 1561. He had been found guilty of conspiring along with the Carafas to disturb the peace of Italy during the reign of Pope Paul IV (Carafa). Ughelli, p. 1551. Eubel, III, p. 271 with note 5. Miles Pattenden (2013). Pius IV and the Fall of The Carafa: Nepotism and Papal Authority in Counter-Reformation Rome. OUP Oxford. pp. 59, 63. ISBN978-0-19-164961-5.
^A member of the nobility of Volterra, Guidi was a member of the Order of Hospitallers of S. John of Jerusalem. He had been a pupil of the historian Francesco Guicciardini, and had been Secretary of the Duke of Florence, Cosimo de' Medici, whom he served as a negotiator and ambassador. Guidi was named Bishop of Penne e Atri by Pope Pius IV on 2 June 1561. He participated in the Council of Trent in 1562 and 1563, and wrote its Acta. He resigned the bishopric in 1568 and returned to Florence, where he again took up work for Duke Cosimo, whose life he later wrote. He died in 1587. Ughelli, p. 1551. Eubel, III, p. 271.
^Balbani was a cleric of Lucca, a member of the famous international merchant family. He had been Auditor of Cardinal Farnese. He was appointed bishop in the Consistory of 29 November 1599 by Pope Clement VIII, according to the Acta Camerarii (the Camerlengo's notes). According to the Acta Vicecancellarii (the Vice-Chancellor's notes), he was appointed on 15 December 1599. On 3 January 1600 he was given the mandate to take possession of the diocese. Balbani died in 1621. Ughelli, p. 1152 (who wrongly gives the date of appointment as 10 December). Gams, p. 912. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 276 with note 2.
^Massucci was a native of Recanati, and had been Dean in the Cathedral Chapter and Vicar. Giuseppe Mazzatinti (1990). Inventari dei manoscritti delle biblioteche d'Italia (in Italian). Rome: L. S. Olschki. p. 197. Gauchat, p. 276 with note 4.
^Spinucci was a native of Fermo, a Doctor in utroque iure, and had been professor of Civil Law at the local university. In 1664 he was named locumtenens in the Legation of Romandiola, and was the Auditor of Cardinal Aquaviva. He was appointed Bishop of Penne e Atri on 14 May 1668. He died on 7 December 1695. Ughelli, p. 1152. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 310 with note 3.
^Rossi: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 310 with note 4.
^Maffei: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 310 with note 5.
^Bussolini: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 310 with note 6.
^Gorgoni: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 332 no. 2.
^Perrelli: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 332 no. 3.
^De Leone: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 332 no. 4.
^Calcagnini: Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 332 no. 5.
^Valentinetti was born in Ortona in 1952. He studied at the Collegio Capranica and the Gregorian University in Rome. He then obtained a licenciate in Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem. He then served as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Lanciano-Ortona, and became Vicar General in 1987. Since 1995 he taught scripture at the regional seminary in Chieti. Valentinetti was appointed Bishop of Termoli-Larino on 25 March 2000, and Archbishop of Pescara-Penne on 4 November 2005. Chiesa di Pescara-Penne, Vescovo: Curriculum Vitae; retrieved: 26 January 2019. (in Italian)
Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolò (1717). Italia sacra, sive De Episcopis Italiae (in Latin). Vol. Tomus primus (secunda ed.). Venice: apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 1111–1153.
