The Diocese of Noli (Latin: Dioecesis Naulensis) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Noli of Liguria, Italy, in the Province of Savona. It was established in 1237, on territory which had been taken from the diocese of Savona. In 1820, it was united with the Diocese of Savona to form the Diocese of Savona e Noli.[1][2]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/SV-Noli-1983-Chiesa-San-Paragorio-e-Istituo-Madri-Pie.jpg/300px-SV-Noli-1983-Chiesa-San-Paragorio-e-Istituo-Madri-Pie.jpg)
The diocese was suppressed in 1986.
History
editIn 1239, Cardinal Giacomo da Pecorara, suburbicarian Bishop of Palestrina, was sent by Pope Gregory IX to France as papal legate, to deal with the Albigensian heresy.[3] When he stopped in Savona, he removed the parish of Noli from the diocese of Savona with papal authorization, and established a new diocese of Noli.[4] He assigned it as a suffragan of the archdiocese of Genoa, even though Savona remained a suffragan of the diocese of Milan.[5] On 25 April 1249, Pope Innocent IV confirmed the city status of Noli, and the cathedral status of S. Paragorius.[6]
The cathedral was served and administered by a corporation called the Chapter, which, at Noli, was composed of one dignity (the Archpriest) and five canons. This arrangement continued through the end of the 18th century.[7] When Noli was joined with Savona in 1820, the Chapter of Nola consisted of the Archpriest, the Dean, the Theologus, the Penitentiary, and four other canons.[8]
The first bishop of Noli was Guglielmo Contardi, who had already been Bishop-elect of Brugnato, a suffragan of the archdiocese of Genoa, since 1230.[9] In fact, Guglielmo was bishop-elect of both dioceses, aeque personaliter, from 1239 to 1245, when the two dioceses were separated by order of Pope Innocent IV.[10] On 11 August 1247, Pope Innocent IV wrote to the archbishop of Genoa, informing him that the people of Noli were demanding a bishop of their own. Bishop-elect Guglielmo had already ceased to govern Noli, but had been appointed administrator in spiritual and temporal matters. The pope ordered the archbishop to install Frater Philippus, O.P., as their procurator.[11] On 20 April 1249, Pope Innocent signed a bull directed to the bishop of Noli, "in sacra Petri", taking the Church of Saint Paragorius of Noli under the protection of S. Peter and himself, and confirming that Noli was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Genoa.[12] On 6 February 1253, Pope Innocent wrote to the bishop of Noli, recalling that the monastery of S. Eugenius on the island of Bergaggi, which should have been handed over to the diocese of Noli, and which the archbishop of Genoa had ordered to be placed in the possession of the provost of Genoa, who was then bishop-elect of Noli (Philippus, O.P.), was being held by the podestà, council, and commune of Genoa, who were excluding all occupiers. The pope had ordered the monastery and island be restored to the bishop of Noli. In passing, the pope noted that Philippus' successor was deceased.[13]
After his installation as bishop, Bishop Leonardo Trucco (1572–1587) realized that, after serving as Noli's cathedral for 330 years, San Paragorio was no longer adequate for the needs of the bishop and the diocese. It was outside the walls of the town and inconvenient of access. Bishop Trucco therefore wrote to Pope Gregory XIII, proposing that the episcopal seat be moved inside the city, to the church of S. Pietro. In an apostolic letter dated 22 October 1572, the pope granted the bishop's petition and authorized the transfer.[14]
In 1710, the city of Noli had a population of c. 1100.[15] In 1737, the population of the city had risen to c. 1300 persons.[16]
On 8 December 1820, with the bull "Dominici Gregis", Pope Pius VII joined the diocese of Savona and the diocese of Noli in one bishop, aeque personaliter under the title "Savonensis et Naulensis."[17] He cited as justification the small number of faithful and the diocese of Noli's inadequate income.[18]
On 30 September 1986, Pope John Paul II ordered that the dioceses of Savona and Noli be merged into one diocese with one bishop, with the Latin title "Dioecesis Savonensis-Naulensis". The seat of the diocese was to be in Savona, whose cathedral was to serve as the cathedral of the merged diocese. The cathedral in Noli was to have the honorary title of "co-cathedral"; the Chapter of Noli was to be a Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one diocesan Tribunal, in Savona, 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 suppressed diocese. The new diocese was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Genoa.[19]
Bishops of Noli
editErected: 1239
Latin Name: Naulensis
from 1239 to 1502
edit- Guglielmo (1239-1245) Bishop-elect[20]
- Philippus, O.P. (1247– ? )[21]
- Anonymous (dead before 6 February 1253)[22]
- Pastor (attested 1263)[23]
- Ugolinus (attested 1292)[24]
- Sinibaldus (1317– ? )[25]
- Theodescus Spinola, O.P. (1328–1345 ?)[26]
- Amadeus d'Alba (1346–1360 ? )
- Luchino di Guidobono, O.F.M. (21 July 1360 – 1396[27]
- Corrado da Cloaco (13 September 1396 - ? ) Roman Obedience[28]
- Leonardo da Felizzano, O.P. (4 November 1405 - ?) Avignon Obedience
- Francesco (22 January 1406 - ?) Avignon Obedience
- Marco (23 March 1406 - after 1409) Roman Obedience
- Giovanni (attested 1414)
- Marco Vigerio, O.Min. (attested 1437)[29]
- Giorgio Fieschi (Flisco) (1447–1448 Resigned) in commendam[30]
- Paolo Giustiniani (1460–1485 Died)
- Domenico Vaccari (1485–1502)[31]
from 1502 to 1820
edit- Galeozzo della Rovere (1502–1503) Administrator[32]
- Lorenzo Cibo (1503) Administrator[33]
- Antonio Ferrero (1504)[34]
- Giovanni Vincenzo Foderato (1505–1506)[35]
- Vincenzo Boverio (1506–1519)[36]
- Vincenzo d'Aste (1525–1534)
- Girolamo Doria (1534–1549 Resigned)
- Massimiliano Doria (1549–1572)
- Leonardo Truchi (Trucco) (1572–1587)[37]
- Timoteo Berardi, O. Carm. (1587–1616)[38]
- Angelo Mascardi (1616–1645)[39]
- Stefano Martini (1646–1687)[40]
- Giacomo Porrata (1687–1699)[41]
- Paolo Andrea Borelli, B. (1700–1710)[42]
- Giuseppe Saoli Bargagli, C.R.M. (1710–1712)[43]
- Marco Giacinto Gandolfo (1713–1737)[44]
- Costantino Serra, C.R.S. (1737–1746)[45]
- Antonio Maria Arduini, O.F.M. Conv. (1746–1777)[46]
- Benedetto Solari, O.P. (1778–1814 Died)[47]
- 25 November 1820: The diocese of Nola was united with the Diocese of Savona to form the Diocese of Savona e Noli[50]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Diocese of Noli" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved August 25, 2016
- ^ "Diocese of Noli" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved August 25, 2016
- ^ Giuseppe Gardoni, "Pecorara, Giacomo," (in Italian), in: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Volume 82 (2015), § 7.
- ^ Verzellino, pp. 207-208.
- ^ Kehr VI. 2, p. 353: "Dioecesis Savonensis saec. XIII Naulum (Noli) cum sua parochia amisit, quam Gregorius IX a. 1239 propriam dioecesim esse voluit et cum Brugnatensi aeque principaliter univit. Nova Naulensis dioecesis tune Januensis archiepiscopi provinciae addicta est, Savonensi tamen episcopatu sub Mediolanensis archiepiscopi iurisdictione remanente."
- ^ Verzellino, p. 208. Élie Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome 2 (Paris: Thorin 1887), p. 64, no. 1152.
- ^ Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 280, note 1; VI, p. 302, note 1.
- ^ Calendario generale pe' Regii Stati pubblicato con autorità del Governo e con privilegio di S.S.R.M Vol. 33 (Torino 1846), p. 118.
- ^ Eubel I, p. 148 with note 1. Guglielmo was still bishop-elect on 13 January 1235, when Pope Gregory IX granted him the privilege of keeping the benefices which he had already acquired before being named bishop: Lucien Auvray, Les registres de Grégoire IX Tome 1 (Paris: Fontemoing 1896), p. 1248, no. 2386.
- ^ Cappelletti XIII, p. 513-515 (quoting the bull "In sacra Petri"). Semeria II, p. 321. The bishop was still bishop-elect on 13 August 1245, when he received the grant of the monastery of S. Eugenius on the island of Bergeggi, since the income of the bishop of Noli was inadequate: Élie Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome 1 (Paris: Thorin 1884), p. 218, no. 1430.
- ^ Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome 1, p. 471, no. 3120.
- ^ Élie Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome 2 (Paris: Thorin 1887), p. 64, no. 4452.
- ^ Élie Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV Tome 3 (Paris: Thorin 1887), p. 169, no. 6296.
- ^ Ughelli IV, pp. 1108-1110, quotes the entire papal letter. Semeria, pp. 332-333.
- ^ Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 280, note 1.
- ^ Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 302, note 1.
- ^ Bullarii Romani continuatio (in Latin). Vol. Tomus decimus quintus (15). Rome: typographia Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae. 1853. pp. 351–353.: "Unus idcirco, idemque Savonensis et Naulensis nuncupandus episcopus ambarum ecclesiarum, et dioecesium curam geret, et administrationem, ac imposterum quilibet novus antistes semper possessionem capiet primum in Savonensi, et deinde in Naulensi ecclesiis...."
- ^ "Dominici Gregis" § 2: "Haec Nos mente reputavimus cum statura accepimus Naulensis episcopalis ecclesiae, quae scilicet quinque mille dumtaxat Christifideles in tota civitate, ac dioecesi percenset, et cujus mensa perexiguum exhibet redditum trium millium nongentarum circiter librarum monetae illarum partium...."
- ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis 79 (Città del Vaticano 1987), pp. 780-783.
- ^ After the diocese of Brugnato and the diocese of Noli were separated in 1245, by decree of Pope Innocent IV (Fieschi), Guglielmo continued on as Administrator of the diocese until 1247.
- ^ Philippus was consecrated by Archbishop Giovanni di Cogorno of Genoa and his predecessor Bishop Guglielmo. Semeria II, p. 321. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica I, p. 358.
- ^ Berger, Les registres d'Innocent IV III, p. 169, no. 6296.
- ^ Pastor: Semeria, p. 322. Eubel I, p. 358.
- ^ Ugolinus: Semeria, p. 322. Eubel I, p. 358.
- ^ Sinibaldus (Signembaldus) had previously been bishop of Ymeriensis. Following the death of Bishop Ugolinus, the Chapter of Noli voted to have the pope assign Signembaldus. Though Pope John XXII rejected their postulatio, he nonethess appointed Sinibaldus, on 9 September 1317. G. Mollat and G. de Lesquen, Jean XXII. Lettres communes, Tome 2 (Paris: Fontemoing 1905), p. 2, no. 5517. Semeria, p. 323. Eubel I, p. 358.
- ^ Following the death of Bishop Sinibaldus at the papal court, Thedescus de Spinulis, O.P. was appointed by Pope John XXII, on 27 April 1328; the pope had made a general reservation to himself of all the churches in the ecclesiastical province of Genoa. Theodescus was ordered removed from office by Antipope Nicholas V. Semeria, pp. 324-325. Eubel I, p. 358 with note 4. G. Mollat, Jean XXII. Lettres communes Vol. 7 (Paris: E. de Boccard 1919), p. 235, no. 41002.
- ^ Luchino was named archbishop of Naupactus (Greece). Semeria, pp. 326-327. Eubel I, pp. 358.
- ^ Corrado was named bishop of Naupactus in 1 Eubel I, p. 358, 362.
- ^ Vigerio had been the teacher of Francesco della Rovere, who became Pope Sixtus IV in 1471. Semeria, p. 328.
- ^ Cardinal Fieschi (1439–1461), Archbishop of Genoa (1436–1439): Cappelletti XIII, p. 517. Eubel II, pp. 8 no, 9; 167; 200.
- ^ Vaccari had been a canon of the cathedral Chapter of Genoa. He was named bishop of Noli on 2 December 1485 by Pope Innocent VIII (Cibo, of Genoa). He was appointed Bishop of Ventimiglia on 24 January 1502 by Pope Alexander VI (Borgia). Ughelli IV, p. 1007. Semeria, p. 329. Eubel II, p. 200, 268.
- ^ Della Rovere succeeded Vaccari on 24 January 1502. Ughelli claimed that he was made bishop of Noli as well as being Bishop of Savona, aeque personaliter. There is no evidence of an episcopal consecration. He resigned the diocese of Noli in 1503, and the diocese of Savona in 1504. Cf. Ughelli IV, p. 1007. Semeria, p. 330. Eubel II, p. 200 (who hesitates between Administrator and Bishop aeque personaliter, p. 268 note 5).
- ^ Cibo (Cybo) was the nephew of Pope Innocent VIII. He was appointed a cardinal by his uncle on 9 March 1489. He was Archbishop of Benevento (1485–1503) when appointed Administrator of Noli in January 1503. On 29 November 1503, he was appointed suburbicarian Bishop of Palestrina. He resigned the diocese of Noli on 21 December 1503. Semeria, p. 330. Eubel II, p. 20 no. 1; 200; III, p. 254, note 3.
- ^ A native of Savona, Ferrero was Prefect of the papal household (Praefectus Sacri Palatii, Majordomo) (1504–1505). He was appointed bishop of Noli on 8 January 1504 by Pope Julius II. On 13 August 1504 Ferrero was appointed Bishop of Gubbio. He was named a cardinal in the consistory of 1 December 1505. He died in Rome on 23 July 1508, confined at the monastery of S. Onofrio. G. Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica Vol. 41 (Venice: tip. Emiliana 1846), p. 251 col. 1. Eubel III, pp. 10 no. 8; 193; 254 with note 4.
- ^ A native of Savona, Foderato was appointed on 23 August 1505, by Pope Julius II. He died in 1506. Cappelletti XIII, p. 518. Semeria, p. 330. Eubel III, p. 254 with note 5.
- ^ A native of Savona, Boverio was appointed on 21 August 1506. Eubel III, p. 254.
- ^ A native of Albenga, Trucco was appointed bishop of Noli on 2 June 1572, by Pope Gregory XIII. He participated in the provincial synod of the archbishop of Genoa in 1572. Ughelli IV, pp. 1108-1110. Eubel III, p. 254.
- ^ A native of Genoa, Berardi taught theology at Pavia. He had been Procurator General of his Order. He was appointed on 12 October 1587 by Pope Sixtus V. He died in 1616. Cappelletti XIII, p. 519. Semeria, p. 333. Eubel III, p. 254.
- ^ Mascardi was a priest of the diocese of Luni-Sarzana. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was appointed bishop of Noli on 4 July 1616 by Pope Paul V. Semeria, p. 333. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 253 with note 2.
- ^ Martini was born in the village of Alassio (diocese of Albenga). He was a doctor of theology, and held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure. He was a Referendary (judge) in the Tribunal of the Two Signatures. He died in February 1687. Semeria, pp. 333-334. Gauchat IV, p. 253 with note 3. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 280, note 2.
- ^ Porrata: Semeria, p. 335. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 280, with note 3.
- ^ Borelli: Semeria, p. 335. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 280, with note 4.
- ^ Bargagli: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 281, with note 5.
- ^ Gandolfo: Semeria, p. 336. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 281, with note 6.
- ^ Serra was appointed Bishop of Albenga. Semeria, p. 336.
- ^ Arduini: Semeria, pp. 336-337.
- ^ Solari: Semeria, p. 337-341.
- ^ Terrizano was a Canon and Archpriest of the cathedral of Noli. Cappelletti XIII, p. 522. Luigi Descalzi, Storia di Noli: dalle origine ai nostri giorni, (in Italian), 2nd edition (Savona:Bertolotto, 1902), pp. 333-336; 466.
- ^ Maggiolo was Bishop of Savona. He died on 18 January 1820. Semeria, p. 341. Descalzi, pp. 466-467.
- ^ Descalzi, pp. 468-473.
Sources
editEpiscopal lists
edit- Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae (in Latin). Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. (Use with caution; obsolete)
- Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1913). Hierarchia catholica (in Latin). Vol. I (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.
- Eubel, Conradus, ed. (1914). Hierarchia catholica (in Latin). Vol. II (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.
- Eubel, Conradus; Gulik, Guilelmus (1923). Hierarchia catholica (in Latin). Vol. III (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana.
- Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica (in Latin). Vol. IV (1592-1667). Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi (in Latin). Vol. V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi (in Latin). Vol. VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio.
- Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1968). Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Vol. VII (1800–1846). Monasterii: Libreria Regensburgiana.
Studies
edit- Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1857). Le chiese d'Italia della loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. decimoterzo (13). Venezia: Giuseppe Antonelli.
- Kehr, Paul Fridolin, Italia Pontificia, Vol. VI: Liguria sive Provincia Mediolanensis (Berlin: Weidemann), pp. 353–357. (in Latin).
- Semeria, Giovanni Battista (1843). Secoli cristiani della Liguria, ossia, Storia della metropolitana di Genova, delle diocesi di Sarzana, di Brugnato, Savona, Noli, Albegna e Ventimiglia (in Italian). Vol. II. Torino: Tip. Chirio e Mina. pp. 185–315, 319–341.
- Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolò (1719). Italia sacra, sive De episcopis Italiæ, et insularum adjacentium (in Latin). Vol. 4 (Tomus Quartus). Venezia: apud Sebastianum Coleti.
- Verzellino, Giovanni Vincenzo (1890), Delle memorie particolari e specialmente degli nomini illustri della città di Savona (in Italian) Savona: D. Bertolotto, 1890.