Roman Catholic Diocese of Ortona a Mare e Campli

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Not to be confused with Roman Catholic Diocese of Orte.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ortona a Mare e Campli (Latin: Dioecesis Ortonensis et Camplensis) was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, located in the city of Ortona, in the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo. In 1834, it was united with the Archdiocese of Lanciano to form the Archdiocese of Lanciano (e Ortona).

History

The diocese of Ortona was in existence by the last quarter of the 6th century, as letters of Pope Gregory I concerning the bishops of Ortona indicate. Bishop Blandus was being held in detention in Ravenna by the Exarch Romanus, and the pope wanted the exarch either to bring him up before a synod if he had committed some crime, or else allow him to return to his Church.

Pope Paschal II issued a bull, "Ex Praedecessoris", on 18 July 1115, to the people of the parrochia of Chieti and the county of Chieti, announcing the confirmation of various grants to the Church of Chieti by Count Robert Loratello and his brother Tasso; the bull mentions in passing an exchange of property between Bishop Rainulfus of Chieti and Abbot Ugo of S. Giovanni de Ardano, which included Mucela, which is near Ortona. On 28 September 1173, Pope Alexander III issued the bull "In Eminenti" in favor of Bishop Andrea of Chieti, in which he delimited the territory and confirmed the rights and property of the diocese of Chieti. This was a repetition of bulls issued by Pope Nicholas II, Pope Paschal II, and Pope Eugenius III. The bull specifically mentions as belonging to Chieti: "in Ortona ecclesia Sanctae Mariae et Sancti Georgii cum earum pertinentiis, monasterium S. Mariae in Basilica."

In the great earthquake of 5 December 1456, many houses and other buildings were destroyed in Ortona, with a loss of life of 433 persons.

Pope Clement VII raised the diocese of Chieti to the rank of archdiocese by the bull "Super Universas", on 1 June 1526. He assigned the new metropolitan the suffragan dioceses of Lanciano, Penne, and Adria. No mention is made of Ortona, which was not yet a diocese.

On 1 August 1566, Ortona became another victim of the marauding fleet of 105 Turkish galleys led by Piali Pasha, which had already attacked and ravaged Francavilla and the Adriatic coastal towns belonging to Chieti. Houses were ransacked and put to the torch, and the tomb of S. Thomas was broken into in search of gold and silver. The inhabitants, who had seen the approach of the Saracens, were able to save their lives by flight.

Restoration of diocese of Ortona

On 20 October 1570, Pope Pius V established (or restored) the diocese of Ortona, and made it a suffragan diocese of Chieti.

On 15 May 1604, in the bull "Pro excellenti", Pope Clement VIII established the diocese of Campli, and assigned the bishop of Ortona to be its bishop well. The territory for the new diocese was taken from the northeastern part of the diocese of Teramo and from the diocese of Montalto. In creating the diocese, the pope admitted that the funds available were insufficient to provide for a diocesan establishment at Campli.

A concordat between the Papacy and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was signed on 16 February 1818, and ratified by Pope Pius VII on 25 February 1818. King Ferdinand issued the concordat as a law on 21 March 1818. The right of the king to nominate the candidate for a vacant bishopric was recognized, as in the Concordat of 1741, subject to papal confirmation (preconisation). On 27 June 1818, Pius VII issued the bull De Ulteriore, in which the diocese of Ortona was suppressed, and its ecclesiastical territory was assigned to the archdiocese of Lanciano. When, in 1818, Ortona was joined to Lanciano, the territory of the diocese of Campli, which had been annexed to Ortona, was assigned to the diocese of Teramo.

On 17 June 1834, Pope Gregory XVI issued the bull Ecclesiarum omnium, in which the arrangement made by Pope Pius VII 1818 was reversed. The diocese of Ortona was restored, and the cathedral which had been reduced to the status of a collegiate church was restored to cathedral status. It's college of clerics again became the canons of the cathedral of Ortona. The finances of the old diocese of Ortona, which had been incorporated into those of the diocese of Lanciano, were again separated. The one exception to the return to the status quo ante was the seminary. It was deemed more efficient for both dioceses to use the seminary of Lanciano on equal terms. The archbishop of Lanciano became the "Perpetual Administrator of the Church of Ortona."

Bishops

Diocese of Ortona

Established: c. 580
Latin Name: Ortonensis

Blandus (attested 591–594)
Calumniosus (attested 599)
Victor (attested 649)

Suppressed: incorporated in the Diocese of Chieti

Restored: 1570
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Chieti

Giovanni Domenico Rebiba (8 Nov 1570 – 11 Dec 1595 Appointed, Bishop of Catania)
Alessandro Boccabarile (15 Jan 1596 – 31 Oct 1623 Died)

Diocese of Ortona a Mare e Campli

Name Changed: 12 May 1600
Latin Name: Ortonensis et Camplensis

Antimo degli Atti (1 Jul 1624 – 1 Oct 1640 Died)
Francesco Antonio Biondo, O.F.M. Conv. (3 Dec 1640 – 21 Dec 1643 Died)
Alessandro Crescenzi), C.R.S. (13 Jun 1644 – 1652)
Carlo Bonafaccia (3 Feb 1653 – 1675)
Giovanni Vespoli-Casanatte, C.R. (27 May 1675 – 13 Aug 1716 Died)
Giuseppe Falconio (20 Dec 1717 – 16 Mar 1730 Died)
Giovanni Romano (11 Sep 1730 – 1735)
Marc'Antonio Amalfitani (26 Sep 1735 – 11 Nov 1765 Died)
Domenico de Dominicis (27 Jan 1766 – 8 Mar 1791 Died)
Antonio Cresi (26 Mar 1792 – 22 Sep 1804 Died)

19 February 1834: United with the Archdiocese of Lanciano to form the Archdiocese of Lanciano (e Ortona).

References

Kehr IV, p. 276, nos. 1-3.
Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurinensis editio (in Latin) Volume 2 (Turin: Franco et Dalmazzo, 1859), pp. 278-279: "Idem etiam Rainulphus episcopus ab Ugone abbate Sancti lohannis de Ardano, commutatione facta, Mucelam recepit, quae iuxta Ortonam est." No mention is made of a bishop of Ortona or a diocese of Ortona.
"Etsi Jubemur" (2 May 1059): Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurinensis editio Volume 1 (Turin: Franco et Dalmazzo, 1859), pp. 655-656.
Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurinensis editio Volume 2 (Turin: Franco et Dalmazzo, 1859), pp. 762-763. Kehr IV, pp. 268-269, nos. 2, 5, 7, 8.
Vincenzo Bindi (1889), Monumenti storici ed artistici degli Abruzzi: studi, (in Italian), (Napoli: Tip. comm. F. Giannini & figli 1889), p. 677.
Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurinensis editio Volume VI (Turin: Franco et Dalmazzo, 1860), pp. 107-108.
Domenico Romanelli, Scoverte patrie di città distrutte, e di altre antichità nella regione Frentana, (in Italian), Tomo II (Napoli: V. Orsino 1809), pp. 353-354.
Eubel III, p. 263, and Gauchat IV, p. 266, note 1.
Cesare Baronio, Annales ecclesiastici: A. D. 1-1571 denuo excusi et ad nostra usque tempora perducti ab Augustino Theiner, (in Latin), Volume 37 (Bar-le-duc: Typis et sumptibus Ludovici Guerin, 1883), p. 205 § 447: Die cardinalis Maffejus optime proposuit erectionem Ecclesae Ortonen. et praefectionem D. Joannis Dominici Rebibae, erexit in civitatem, et cathedralem, et praefecit gratis, pro nepote cardinalis, omnibus collaudantibus et caetera." The source is the "Acta Consistorialia," a diary kept by Cardinal Giulio Antonio Santori, Archbishop of Santa Severina. G. Cugnoni, "Autobiografia di Monsignor G. Antonio Santori, Cardinale di S. Severina," (in Italian and Latin)in: Archivio della R. Società Romana di storia patria Vol. 12 (Roma 1889), p. 327, note 1. Romanelli II, pp. 355-358.
"Idibus Maii": The date of "13 May" is a mistake, forgetting that in the month of May the Ides fall on the 15th, not the 13th.
Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurinensis editio Volume 11 (Turin: Seb. Franco et Henrico Dalmazzo editoribus, 1867), pp. 66-70: "...Hortensem ecclesiam huiusmodi, cum omnibus iuribus et pertinentiis suis, invicem, ita ut ambae ecclesiae huiusmodi deinceps perpetuis futuris temporibus per unum episcopum Camplensem et Hortensem nuncupandum regantur, pariter perpetuo unimus, annectimus el incorporamus." Niccola Palma (1833), Storia ecclesiastica e civile della regione più settentrionale del Regno di Napoli, detta dagli Antichi Praetutium, ne'bassi tempi Aprutium oggi Città di Teramo, e diocesi Aprutina, Volume 3 (Teramo: Angeletti 1833) pp. 91-100.
Bull "Pro excellenti", § 6: "Insuper attendentes, fructus, redditus et proventus mensae episcopalis Camplensis huiusmodi tenuiores esse, quam ut prò tempore existens episcopus Camplensis iuxta pontificalis dignitatis exigentiam sustentari valeat."
F. Torelli (1848), La chiave del concordato dell'anno 1818 (in Italian) Vol. I, second edition (Naples: Fibreno 1848), pp. 1-19.
Torelli I, p. 9.
Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 15 (in Italian), (Rome 1853), p. 59, § 20: "Supprimentes itidem episcopalem ecclesiam Ortonensem, ecclesiam et dioecesim hujusmodi perpetuo adjungimus et incorporamus archiepiscopali ecclesiae Lancianensi, cui nullus suffragabitur episcopus."
Bullarii Romani Continuatio Tomus 15 (Rome 1853), p. 59, § 29: "Praeterae episcopalem ecclesiam Camplensem perpetuo supprimentes, illius civitatem ac dioecesim alteri episcopali ecclesiae Aprutinae adjungimus et incorporamus."
Collezione degli atti emanati dopo la pubblicazione del Concordato dell'anno 1818: contenente i brevi e le lettere apostoliche, i reali decreti erescritti, le circolari ed istruzioni pubblicate dall'anno 1832 a tutto l'anno 1834, Part 6 (in Italian and Latin), (Napoli: Stamperia dentro la Pieta de'Turchini, 1835), pp. 101-118.
Notizie per l'anno MDCCCXLV (Roma: Cracas 1845), p. 138.
Blandus was dead by August 594. Pope Gregory I appointed an apostolic visitor to see to the election of a successor. Kehr IV, p. 276-277, nos. 1-3. P Francesco Lanzoni (1927), Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604), (in Italian), (Faenza: F. Lega), pp. 377, 547.
Calumniosus: Lanzoni, pp. 377, 547. Kehr, p. 277 no. 4-5.
Victor (or Viator) "Hortonensi ep." was present at the Roman synod of Pope Martin I in October 649. Ughelli VI, p. 773. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus X (Florence: A. Zatta 1764), pp. 865-866. Cappelletti XXI, p. 92. Gams, p. 910, column 1.
Chow assigns a date of 700. D'Avino, p. 207 col. 1, wavers between the 7th and 10th centuries: "Estinta dunque o per piccolezza verso il VI o VII secolo, ovvero per delitto nel X, restò inclusa in quella di Chieti, nel perimetro della cui diocesi era chiusa." Kehr IV, p. 276, states more carefully, "Episcoporum inde a saec. VII nulla omnino superest memoria." The date is unknown.
"Bishop Giovanni Domenico Rebiba" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved April 21, 2016
Boccabarile was a noble from Piacenza. When the diocese of Compli was erected in May 1604, Boccabarile became bishop of Ortona e Compli. Ughelli VI, p. 781. Eubel III, p. 263 with note 3. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 262 with note 2.
Degli Atti: Niccola Palma, Storia ecclesiastica e civile della cittá di Teramo, Volume 1 (Teramo: Angelotti 1832), pp. 110, 123, 126. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 262 with note 3.
Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 262 with note 4. David M. Cheney, "Bishop Francesco Antonio Biondo, O.F.M. Conv." Catholic-Hierarchy.org; retrieved 17 August 2016.
On 26 August 1652, Crescenzi was appointed, Bishop of Bitonto. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 262 with note 5. David M. Cheney, "Alessandro Cardinal Crescenzi, C.R.S. " Catholic-Hierarchy.org; retrieved 9 August 2016.
On 27 May 1675 Bonafaccia was appointed Bishop of Terni by Pope Clement X. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 262 with note 6. David M. Cheney, "Bishop Carlo Bonafaccia" Catholic-Hierarchy.org; retrieved 21 August 2016.
Vespoli-Casanatte: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 298 with note 2.
Falconio: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 298 with note 3.
On 26 September 1735, Romano was appointed Bishop of Catanzaro by Pope Clement XII. He died in Naples on 6 January 1736. Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, pp. 155 with note 2; 320 with note 2.
Amalfitani: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 320 with note 3.
De Dominicis: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 320 with note 4.
Cresi: Ritzler & Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 320 with note 5.

Books

Reference works

Gams, Pius Bonifatius (1873). Series episcoporum Ecclesiae catholicae (in Latin). Ratisbon: Typis et Sumptibus Georgii Josephi Manz. p. 910.
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.
Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1968). Hierarchia Catholica medii et recentioris aevi... (in Latin). Vol. VII (1800–1846). Monasterii: Libr. Regensburgiana.
Remigius Ritzler; Pirminus Sefrin (1978). Hierarchia catholica Medii et recentioris aevi (in Latin). Vol. VIII (1846–1903). Il Messaggero di S. Antonio.
Pięta, Zenon (2002). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi... (in Latin). Vol. IX (1903-1922). Padua: Messagero di San Antonio. ISBN 978-88-250-1000-8.

Studies

Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1870). Le chiese d'Italia dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni (in Italian). Vol. vigesimoprimo (21). Venezia: Antonelli. pp. 91–94.
D'Avino, Vincenzo (1848). Cenni storici sulle chiese arcivescovili, vescovili, e prelatizie (nulluis) del Regno delle Due Sicilie (in Italian). Napoli: Ranucci. pp. 206–207.
Kehr, Paul Fridolin (1908). Italia pontificia. vol. IV. Berlin 1909. pp. 276-277. (in Latin)
Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Niccolo (1720). Italia Sacra Sive De Episcopis Italiae (in Latin). Vol. Tomus sextus (6). Venezia: Coleti. pp. 772–785.; Tomus decimus, p. 811.