Roman Catholic Diocese of Guardialfiera

Not to be confused with diocese of Gardar.

The Diocese of Guardialfiera (Latin Dioecesis Guardiensis Alpheriae) or Diocese of Guardia was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy. The diocese was established in the second half of the 11th century, with seat of the diocese was located in the city of Guardialfiera in the Province of Campobasso in the region of Molise. In 1818, the diocese was suppressed, and its ecclesiastical territory was assigned to the Diocese of Termoli.

History

The earliest known bishop of Guardia was Petrus, who is first recorded in 1071. The diocese is first named in the confirmation of the privileges of the archbishops of Benevento made by Pope Anastasius IV on 22 September 1153, in which the suffragans of the metropolitan are listed.

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. On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull De Ulteriore, in which the ecclesiastical province of Benevento was restored, including it suffragans, among them the diocese of Termoli. The decision was also made to suppress permanently the diocese of Guardialfiera, and to incorporate its territory into the diocese of Termoli.

Titular see

In 1968, the title of "Bishop of Guardialfiera" (though not the diocese itself) was restored as the Titular Episcopal See of Guardialfiera. On 28 April 1969, Pope Paul VI announced a large number of appointments, including that of a titular bishop of Guardialfiera, Bishop Ramón Sanahuja y Marcé.

Bishops of Guardialfiera

to 1400

...

Petrus (attested 1071–1075)

...

Alasius (attested 1177 – 1179)

...

Gibertus (attested 1226)

...

Sinibaldus (attested 1304–1322)

...

Matthaeus (d. 1348)
Joannes de Mailhaco, O.Min. (1348 – 1350)
Benedictus (1350 – 1353)
Petrus (1354)
Petrus, O. Min. (1354 – 1361)
Antonius de Peccorano, O.Min. (1361 – 1392?)
Antonius de Rocci (Rossi) (1392 – 1399) Roman Obedience
Jacobus (1399 – 1402) Roman Obedience

1400 to 1600

Antonius (1402 – 1404)
Thomasius (1404 –1419) Roman Obedience
Savinus de Cellino, O.Min. (1404 – 1424) Avignon Obedience
Jacobus de Castellucio (1425 – 1470?)
Petrus de Guardia (Campiclari), O.Min. (1470 –1484)
Antonio Clemente (1484 – 1490)
Marco Cybo (1490 – 1494)
Roberto Gerardi, O.P. (1494 – 1498)
Troilo Agnesi (4 Jul 1498 – 1502)
Opizinus de Gallis (1503 – 1510)
Marco Antonio Vascheri (1510 – )
Zacharias Ferrari, O. Carm. (5 Sep 1519 – Nov 1519 Resigned)
Valentinus de Valentiuis (2 Dec 1519 – )
Zacharias Ferrari, O. Carm. (1521 – 1524 Died)
Girolamo Vascheri, O.F.M. (19 Sep 1524 – 1533 Resigned)
Marco Antonio Marzolinus (27 Aug 1533 – 1543 Died)
Giovanni Battista de Lisulis (1543 – 1548)
Juan Cordella (22 Mar 1548 – 1552 Died)
Antonio Benedetti (12 Sep 1552 – 1556 Died)
Giacomo Lomellino del Canto (21 Jun 1557 – 17 Apr 1562 Appointed, Bishop of Mazara del Vallo)
Giovanni Battista Lomellino (17 Apr 1562 – 17 Mar 1567 Appointed, Bishop of Isernia)
Carlo Carafa (23 May 1567 – 1572)
Alticotius de Alticotiis (13 Aug 1572 – 1575 Died)
Francesco Indelli (14 Oct 1575 – 1580 Died)
Pompilio Perotti (4 May 1580 – 1591 Died)
Bartolomeo Beccari (bishop), O.F.M. Conv. (26 Apr 1591 – 1614 Died)

1600 to 1818

Sebastiano Rinaldi (1616)
Giovanni Dominico Giaconi (9 Jan 1617 – 1624)
Alexander Liparuli (15 Apr 1624 – 1637)
Giovanni Lucas Moncalvi (16 Jan 1640 – 9 Jun 1669 Died)
Jacobus Pedicini, C.R.M. (19 Aug 1669 – 1 Dec 1688 Died)
Fabrizio Cianci (28 Nov 1689 – Oct 1696 Died)
Filippo de Cordova (de' duchi di Suessa) (27 Mar 1697 – 1698 Died)
Sebastiano Feoli (19 Dec 1698 – 6 Nov 1701 Died)
Gian Andrea Moscarelli (14 May 1703 – Jan 1724 Died)
Pietro Abbondio Battiloro (12 Jun 1724 – 18 Dec 1733 Appointed, Bishop of Alife)
Diomedes Bianconi (15 Feb 1734 – 29 Oct 1734 Died)
Paschalis Zaini (26 Jan 1735 – 15 Feb 1756 Died)
Honuphrius del Tufo (24 May 1756 – 28 Jul 1775 Died)
Francesco de Lauria (13 Nov 1775 – 1796 Died)
Filippo Speranza (29 Jan 1798 – 1804)

Sede vacante (1804 – 1818)

References

Ughelli VIII, p. 297. Gams, p. 884. Kehr IX, p. 191.
Kehr IX, pp. 191 and 67, no. 63: "...episcopatus videlicet: Avellinum, Montem Maranum, Frequentinum, Arianum, Montem de Vico, Bivinum, Aseulum, Luceriam, Florentinuna, Tortibulum, Montem Corvinum, Vulturariam, Civitatem, Draconariam, Larinum, Termulam, Guardiam, Triventum, Boianum, Alifiam, Thelesiam et Sanctam Agatham...." Hans-Walter Klewitz (1933), Zur geschichte der bistums organization Campaniens und Apuliens im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert, (in German), in: Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken, XXIV (1932-33), pp. 13-14.
Francesco Scaduto (1887). Stato e chiesa nelle due Sicilie dai Normanni ai giorni nostri (in Italian). Palermo: A. Amenta. pp. 42–58, 74–78.
F. Torelli (1848), La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 I, second edition (Naples: Fibreno 1848), pp. 1-19.
Pius VII, Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 25 (Rome 1853), p. 58 § 15: "Ecclesia archiepiscopalis Beneventana dominio Sedis apostolicae etiam in temporalibus subjecta suffraganeas habere perget episcopales in regia ditione citra Pharum existentes ecclesias Avellinam, Arianensem, Bovinensem, Lucerinam, sancti Severi, Cerretanam et Thelesinam unitas, Bojanensem, Thermularum, Larinensem, et sanctae Agathae Gothorum..."
"De Ulteriore", p. 58 § 11: "Supprimimus ulterius episcopalem ecclesiam Guardiensem, ac civitatem et dioecesim Guardiensem episcopali ecclesiae Thermularum perpetuo unimus atque incorporamus..."
Acta Apostolicae Sedis 61 (1969), pp. 393, 422.
Bishop Petrus participated in the consecration of the new basilica at Montecassino by Pope Alexander II on 1 October 1071. He was present at the Third Provincial Council of Benevento on 1 April 1075. Synodicon S. Beneventanensis ecclesiae continens concilia 19... cura, labore... fr. Vincentii Mariae... cardinalis Vrsini archiepiscopi, (in Latin), (Benevento: ex typographia Archiepiscopali, 1695), p. 22. Pius Bonifacius Gams, Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae (1873), p. 884. Kehr IX, p. 191.
Bishop Alasius (Alacius, Aloysius) attended the Third Lateran Council of Pope Alexander III in March 1179. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XXII (Venice: A. Zatta 1778), p. 214. Kehr IX, p. 191.
Gibertus: Cappelletti XIX, p. 358. Eubel I, p. 269.
In 1322, Bishop Sinibaldus of Guardia was elected bishop of Troia, but while the matter was being considered at the papal court in Avignon, Bishop Sinibaldus died. Cappelletti XIX, p. 359. G. Mollat, Jean XXII. Lettres communes Vol. 4 (Paris: Fontemoing 1906), p. 197, no. 16486 (20 October 1322). Eubel I, p. 269 with note 1; 499, note 10.
Ughelli VIII, p. 297. Cappelletti XIX, p. 359. But Sinibaldus was still bishop in 1311: Eubel I, p. 269, note 1.
The right to elect a bishop of Guardia had been reserved to the pope. Joannes was appointed on 14 July 1348, by Pope Clement VI, and consecrated at Avignon by Cardinal Bertrand de Poietto (Pouget), Bishop of Ostia. Bishop Joannes was transferred to the diocese of Gubbio on 19 November 1350, by Pope Clement VI. On 27 March 1370, he was transferred to the diocese of Riez by Pope Urban V. He died in 1396. Eubel I, pp. 242, 269, 417. Joseph Hyacinthe Albanés; Ulysse Chevalier (1899). Gallia christiana novissima: Aix, Apt, Fréjus, Gap, Riez et Sisteron (in Latin). Montbéliard: Société anonyme d'imprimerie montbéliardaise. pp. 610–612, Instrumenta, p. 401.
Antonius was appointed by Pope Innocent VI on 8 November 1361. Eubel I, p. 269. Ughelli VIII, p. 297, states that he died in 1392, but offers no evidence; perhaps it is a conjecture derived from the date of appointment of Antonius de Rocci.
Antonius was appointed bishop of Guardia by Pope Boniface IX on 29 January 1392. He was appointed Bishop of Gravina on 13 October 1400. Eubel I, pp. 268, 269.
Jacobus had been Bishop of Conversano. He was appointed bishop of Guardia by Pope Boniface IX on 22 December 1399. He died in 1402. Eubel I, pp. 218, 269.
Thomasius was appointed on 10 December 1404 by Pope Innocent VII. He died in 1419. Eubel I, p. 269.
On the death of Bishop Antonius, Savinus was appointed by Clement VII at the same time as Pope Urban VI (sic!) appointed Thomas, though Savinus did not have possession of the diocese. On the death of Bishop Thomas in 1419, Pope Martin V reappointed (de novo providemus teque illi praeficimus) Savinus as bishop of Guardalfiera in a bull of 8 March 1419. C. Eubel (ed.), Bullarium Franciscanum Vol. VII (Romae: Typis Vaticanis 1904), p. 518, no. 1408.
Jacobus de Castellucio: Eubel I, p. 499; II, p. 162
Petrus da Guardia: Eubel II, p. 162
Clemente had been a priest of the diocese of Boiano. He was appointed to Guardia on 22 September 1484, by Pope Innocent VIII. He died in 1490. Eubel II, p. 162.
Gerardi was appointed bishop of Guardialfiera by Pope Alexander VI in the consistory of 22 August 1494. Antonio Libanori, Ferrara d'oro, Parte prima (Ferrara: per Alfonso, e Gio. Battista Maresti 1665), p. 67-68. Eubel II, p. 162.
Troilo was a Neapolitan noble, sometimes said to be Beneventan (perhaps because his great uncle, Cardinal Astorgio Agnesi, a Neapolitan himself, had been Archbishop of Benevento). Troilo was a doctor of canon law, and had been Bishop of Penne e Atri (1482–1483), Bishop of Telese (1483–1487), and Bishop of Lavello (1487–1498). He was transferred to Guardalfiera by Pope Alexander VI in the consistory of 4 July 1498. He died in 1502. Eubel II, p. 162, 174, 214 with note 1, 250.
Opizino Galli was a familiar of Cardinal Lorenzo Cybo, nephew of Pope Clement VIII, and served as his Vicar General of Benevento for thirty-six years. He was appointed bishop of Guardialfiera on 11 January 1503, by Pope Alexander VI. He consecrated the church of S. Francesco (Pontremoli) on 20 November 1503. Eubel II, p. 162 with note 3; III, p. 206 with note 2. Camillo Cimati, Alcune notizie sul pontremolese Opicino Galli vescovo di Guardialfiera dalla fine del 1400 ai primi del 1500 (Roma: Capaccini 1900). Pietro Bologna, "I vescovi appartenente a famiglie di Pontremoli," (in Italian), in: Atti e memorie della R. Deputazione di storia patria per le provincie modenesi series 5, Vol. III (Modena 1904), pp. 42-49.
^ Eubel, Konrad (1923). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Vol. III (second ed.). Münster: Libreria Regensbergiana. pp. 206–207.
Giovanni Battista was appointed by Pope Paul III in the consistory of 16 February 1543. He is said to have died in 1548. Eubel III, p. 207.
A native of Naples, Carafa was the sixth son of Sigismondo Carafa, Count of Monte-Calvo; and Lucrezia Carafa, daughter of Berlingieri, lord of Novi. He held the degree of doctor of theology. He was appointed bishop of Guardia on 23 May 1567 by Pope Pius V. On 4 July 1572, Pope Gregory XIII appointed Carafa Bishop of Boiano. He died on 29 September 1608. Eubel III, pp. 136, 207.
Rinaldi had been named titular bishop of Chalcedon, and coadjutor bishop of Guardia with the right of succession on 7 August 1598, by Pope Clement VIII. Rinaldi governed the diocese from 1598 to 1616, but did not succeed to the episcopal throne. He died in 1616. Eubel II, p. 207. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 147 with note 3; 199 with note 2.
Gauchat IV, p. 199 with note 3.
On 14 December 1637, Liparuli was appointed Bishop of Satriano e Campagna. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 199 with note 4.
Gauchat IV, p. 199 with note 5.
Pedicini: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 215 with note 3.
Cianci: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 215 with note 4.
De Cordova: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 215 with note 5.
Feoli: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 215 with note 6.
Bishop Moscarelli held a diocesan synod in 1709. Cappelletti XIX, p. 364. Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 215 with note 7.
Battiloro: Ritzler & Sefrin V, p. 215 with note 8.
Bianconi: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 231 with note 2.
Zaini: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 231 with note 3.
Del Tufo: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 231 with note 4.
De Lauria: Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 231 with note 5.
On 29 October 1804, Pope Pius VII appointed Speranza Bishop of Capaccio. He died on 12 August 1834. Ritzler & Sefrin VI, p. 231 with note 6; VII, p. 132.
Cappelletti XIX, p. 365.

Books

Reference works

Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae (in Latin). Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. pp. 884–885.
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. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi (in Latin). Vol. V (1667-1730). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1958). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentis aevi (in Latin). Vol. VI (1730-1799). Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. Retrieved 2016-07-06.

Studies

Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1864). Le chiese d'Italia: dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. XIX. Venezia: G. Antonelli. pp. 358–363.
Caruso, Antonietta A. (2005). Frammenti di memoria. L'antica cattedrale di Guardialfiera. (in Italian). Cantieri Creativi, 2005.
D'Avino, Vincenzo (1848). Cenni storici sulle chiese arcivescovili, vescovili, e prelatizie (nulluis) del Regno delle Due Sicilie (in Italian). Napoli: Ranucci. pp. 670–671.
Magliano, Alberto (1895). Larino: considerazioni storiche sulla città di Larino Volume 1. Campobasso: Colitti 1895.
Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Nicolaus (1721). Italia sacra, sive de episcopis Italiae, et insularum adjacentium (in Latin). Vol. Tomus octavus (8). Venezia: Apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 296–302.