Roman Catholic Diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla
Encyclopedia
The diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Emilia-Romagna
, Italy
. It has existed in its current form since 1986. In that year the historical diocese of Reggio Emilia was united with the diocese of Guastalla
. The diocese is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola.
, Reggio
was included among the towns which Pepin had in mind for the Donation of Pepin
, but it came into possession of the Papal States
only later, and for a short time. After the death of Countess Matilda (1165) the popes claimed the town as a part of her inheritance, while the emperors claimed the same as a fief of the Holy Roman Empire
.
Reggio accepted the vicars of Emperor Henry VII and Louis the Bavarian, and was subject to the pope under Cardinal Bertrand du Poyet (1322). Later (1331), John of Bohemia, who recognized the suzerainty of the pope over Reggio as well as over Parma
and Modena
, was made lord of the city, but sold it to the Fogliani, from whom it passed to the Gonzaga of Mantua (1335), who sold it to Galeazzo II Visconti
of Milan. In 1409 it returned again to the House of Este of the line of Modena, until 1859. The popes, however, always claimed to be its suzerains. After the Ferrara War, Reggio spontaneously submitted to Pope Julius II
(1512-15). By the Peace of Barcelona (1529), Emperor Charles V bound himself to give back Reggio to the popes, but he did not do so.
A local legend makes the first bishop of Reggio Saint Protasius, a disciple of Saint Apollinaris. Admitting his existence, also five or six historical bishops, predecessors of Faventius in 451, it would seem that the episcopal see dates from the first half of the 4th century. Saint Prosper
was the successor of Faventius; he died between 461 and 467.
Among other bishops were:
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia–Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital is Bologna; it has an area of and about 4.4 million inhabitants....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It has existed in its current form since 1986. In that year the historical diocese of Reggio Emilia was united with the diocese of Guastalla
Diocese of Guastalla
The Italian Catholic diocese of Guastalla existed in the province of Reggio Emilia, from 1828 to 1986. It was then combined into the diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla.-History:...
. The diocese is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola.
History
In the Capitulary of QuierzyCapitulary of Quierzy
The Capitulary of Quierzy , was a capitulary of the emperor Charles II, comprising a series of measures for safeguarding the administration of his realm during his second Italian expedition, as well as directions for his son Louis the Stammerer, who was entrusted with the government during his...
, Reggio
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
was included among the towns which Pepin had in mind for the Donation of Pepin
Donation of Pepin
The "Donation of Pepin", the first in 754, and second in 756, provided a legal basis for the formal organizing of the Papal States, which inaugurated papal temporal rule over civil authorities...
, but it came into possession of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
only later, and for a short time. After the death of Countess Matilda (1165) the popes claimed the town as a part of her inheritance, while the emperors claimed the same as a fief of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
Reggio accepted the vicars of Emperor Henry VII and Louis the Bavarian, and was subject to the pope under Cardinal Bertrand du Poyet (1322). Later (1331), John of Bohemia, who recognized the suzerainty of the pope over Reggio as well as over Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
and Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, was made lord of the city, but sold it to the Fogliani, from whom it passed to the Gonzaga of Mantua (1335), who sold it to Galeazzo II Visconti
Galeazzo II Visconti
-External links:*...
of Milan. In 1409 it returned again to the House of Este of the line of Modena, until 1859. The popes, however, always claimed to be its suzerains. After the Ferrara War, Reggio spontaneously submitted to Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
(1512-15). By the Peace of Barcelona (1529), Emperor Charles V bound himself to give back Reggio to the popes, but he did not do so.
A local legend makes the first bishop of Reggio Saint Protasius, a disciple of Saint Apollinaris. Admitting his existence, also five or six historical bishops, predecessors of Faventius in 451, it would seem that the episcopal see dates from the first half of the 4th century. Saint Prosper
Prosper of Reggio
Saint Prosper of Reggio is an Italian saint. Tradition holds that he was a bishop of Reggio Emilia for twenty-two years. Little is known of his life, but documents attest that he was indeed bishop of Reggio Emilia in the fifth century....
was the successor of Faventius; he died between 461 and 467.
Among other bishops were:
- Thomas (c. 701)
- Nodoberto, ambassador of Louis the PiousLouis the PiousLouis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
at Constantinople (817); - Azzo II, murdered during the Hungarian invasion in 900;
- Thenzo (978), who rebuilt the Basilica of St. Prosper and other churches;
- Nicolò Maltraversi (1211), much praised by the chronicler Salimbene de Adam and often ambassador to Emperor Frederick IIFrederick II, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
; - Enrico de Casalocci (1302);
- Battista Pallavicini (1445), the poet;
- Marcello Cervini (1540), later Pope Marcellus II;
- Cardinal Alessandro d'Este (1621);
- Angelo M. Ficarelli (1821).