The Diocese of Aosta (, , ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church. It has existed in its modern form since 1817.. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Turin in Italy."Diocese of Aosta" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 29 February 2016."Diocese of Aosta" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
History
The diocese of Aosta was founded no earlier than the 5th century.Duchesne, p. 247: Il est peu probable que l'évêché d'Aoste remonte plus haut que le Ve siècle. At that time it was a suffragan of the diocese of Milan.Kehr, p. 158. On 13 June 867, Pope Nicholas I made it was a suffragan of the Archbishop of Vienne,Frutaz, p. 6. and it is known that in the 11th century it was a suffragan of the diocese of Tarentaise, a province created between 794 and 811.Frutaz, p. 6. C. 1183 Archbishop Aymon of Tarentaise engaged in an arbitration between Bishop Guigo of Aosta and the Collegiate Church of S. Omer: Duc, Cartulaire, pp. 203-204. Frutaz, p. 284, cites a pair of bulls of Pope Alexander III of 1172 and 1176 which confirm the metropolitan status of Tarentaise. It then became subject to Milan again, but was restored to Tarentaise. The diocese of Aosta was suppressed by order of the Emperor Napoleon I, in 1802, an order which was given canonical effect by Pius VII in 1803.Duchesne, p. 247. Kehr, p. 158.
Although Ursus is sometimes said to have been the first bishop, this is controverted.Savio, pp. 70-71. Lanzoni, pp. 1052-1053. The first known bishop is St. Eustasius, whose name coupled with Aosta is signed to a letter sent to Pope Leo I by the second Synod of Milan in 451.. Savio, p. 72: Ego Gratus presbyter, directus ab episcopo meo Eustasio ecclesiae Augustanae, vice ipsius in omnia suprascripta consensi et subscripsi. In the cathedral treasury is a consular diptych of Anicius Petronius Probus, Roman consul in 406, which shows the Emperor Honorius. (It was discovered in 1833.) From the ninth century the list of bishops is fairly complete.Compare Frutaz, pp. 13-14, who states that from the beginning of the diocese to the beginning of the 11th century, only eight names of bishops are known, which he lists and annotates. Bernard of Menthon (1008), Archdeacon of Aosta, founded the hospice on the Alps named after him, as a relief to pilgrims.
In the 10th and early 11th centuries, the bishops of Aosta ruled the surrounding country as its secular counts. The two titles were separated at or following the death of Bishop Anselm of Aosta, in 1026, owing to Conrad II's desire to strengthen his position near the important Little St Bernard Pass and distrust of Burchard, Anselm's successor and a relative of various nobles opposed to Conrad's claims in Burgundy. (Burchard subsequently rose in a revolt, which failed; he was later translated to Lyons.)
His namesake, Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury (1033–1109), was also a native of Aosta and probably related to its dynasty of bishops; however, rather than remain in local service, he travelled to Bec Abbey in Normandy and ultimately became primate over Norman England instead.
In 1133, Bishop Herbert, with the consent of the Provost and Canons of the Collegiate Church of S. Ursi (Ours), converted the Chapter of secular canons into an association of Canons Regular of S. Augustine. This change had the support and authority of Pope Innocent II behind it. The first Prior of the Canons of Saint-Ours was Arnulphus, who later became Bishop of Aosta.Duc, Esquisses, pp. 7-10. Kehr, p. 163. Two of his Canons, Aimon de Quart and Walbert, later became bishops of Aosta as well.Duc, Esquisses, p. 11. In 1134 Bishop Herbert granted the Canons the free administration of their goods, releasing them from episcopal control.Duc, Esquisses, pp. 12-14. In 1135 Innocent II conceded the Canons of S. Ours the right of burial and the right to elect their own Prior. This was confirmed by Pope Lucius II in 1144, and Pope Eugene III in 1146.Kehr, p. 163 nos. 3, 4, and 5. Jean-Antoine Gal, L' insigne collégiale de S. Pierre et de S. Ours d'Aoste (Aoste 1864).
In the 16th century, the honorific Duchy of Aosta was created by Savoy on the diocesan territory. In the Spring of 1536, John Calvin, the famous Protestant reformer, visited Aosta as he was returning to France from Ferrara. His preaching, however, brought him to the attention of Bishop Pierre Gazin, and he was forced to flee.
Following the Concordat of 1801 between Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII, the Pope issued a bull, Gravissimis causis (1 June 1803), in which the number of dioceses in Piedmont was reduced to eight: Turin, Vercelli, Ivrea, Acqui, Asti, Mondovi, Alessandria and Saluzzo. Ivrea was united with the former diocese of Aosta. Bishop Paolo Giuseppe Solaro di Villanova () resigned, so as not to impede the operation of the Bull.Frutaz, p. 322. The diocese of Aosta was re-established in 1817 by Pope Pius VII in his bull, Beati Petri (17 July 1817).Bullarii Romani continuatio, VII, pp. 1490-1503, § 20.
Synods A diocesan synod was an irregularly held, but important, meeting of the bishop of a diocese and his clergy. Its purpose was (1) to proclaim generally the various decrees already issued by the bishop; (2) to discuss and ratify measures on which the bishop chose to consult with his clergy; (3) to publish statutes and decrees of the diocesan synod, of the provincial synod, and of the Holy See. John Paul II, Constitutio Apostolica de Synodis Dioecesanis Agendis (19 March 1997): Acta Apostolicae Sedis 89 (1997), pp. 706-727.
Bishop Simon de Duin issued a set of Statutes for the diocese in 1280. They are concerned mostly with the administration of the sacraments and the proper conduct of clerics.Duc, Esquisses, pp. 290-291.
A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Emeric in 1307; the Statutes issued at that time have survived. In the diocese the sacrament of Baptism was practiced by immersion rather than by sprinkling of water.J.-A. Duc, Documents relatifs à l'épiscopat du Bienheureux Emeric I. de Quart, évéque d'Aoste, Aosta 1879. Duc, Esquisses, pp. 291-305.
Bishop Oger Moriset (1411–1433) held a synod on 9 May 1424. Bishop François de Prez (1464–1511) held a synod on 15 April 1504.Manno, p. 277, column 1.
Bishop André Jourdain (1832–1859) presided over a diocesan synod held on 27–29 August 1835.Constitutions et instructions synodales du diocêse d'Aoste (Aoste: P. A. Ibertis 1836). Bishop Joseph-Auguste Duc (1872–1907) held his first synod on 21 August 1874, his second in 1875, his third in 1876, and his sixth in September 1880.Statuta synodalia dioecesis Augustensis edita ab ill.mo et rev.mo D.D. Joseph Augusto Duc episcopo Augustensi in sua tertia synodo dioecesana die 25 augusti 1876, Augustae Praetoriae 1876. Statuta synodalia dioecesis augustensis edita ab illustrissimo et reverendissimo D. D. Joseph-Augusto Duc episcopo augustensi in sua sexta synodo dioecesana die 3 septembris 1880, Augustae Praetoriae, ex typis Eduardi Duc. .
Cathedral and Chapter
The cathedral of the Assumption in Aosta was served by a ChapterC.D. Fonseca, "La cattedrale e il suo Capitolo. Analisi comparata in prospettiva storica, ecclesiologica e canonistica," , in: Annali di Studi Religiosi Vol. 4 (2003), pp. 215-235. of regular clergy, presumably following the Rule of Saint Benedict until (perhaps) the second half of the 9th century, when the monastic discipline seems to have been relaxed; in 1133, under Bishop Humbertus, the rule of the Canons Regular was adopted.De Tillier, p. 74. Joseph Auguste Duc, (1879), "Le Chapitre de la cathédrale d'Aoste a-t-il été autrefois régulier?" In: , at p. 70. Bishop Humbertus was encouraged by Pope Innocent II, who was under the reforming influence of Bernard of Clairvaux. The Chapter consisted of two dignities, the Provost and the Archdeacon, and twenty Canons. One of the Canons served as Theologus. There were also fifty-two Perpetual Chaplains and six choir boys (called the Innocentes). A twenty-first Canon was added on 14 September 1721, through the generosity of Father Jean-Baptiste du Chatelard, Prior Commendatory of the cathedral.De Tillier, Historique, p. 67. After the death of the donor, the right of nomination to the canonry was transferred to the Chapter. By 1743 there were twenty-three Canons.Saint-Marthe, Gallia christiana XII, p. 805. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 104 note 1; VI, p. 106 note 1.
In the filling of vacancies in the Chapter, an unusual system was followed. In the first month of each season of the year, the Pope had the right of appointment; in the second month of each season, the Bishop enjoyed the right; in the third month, the Chapter. This system lasted down until the administration of Bishop Filiberto Alberto Bailly (1659–1691), who traded his right to nominate in February, May, August, and November to the Pope, in exchange for the right to appoint to the cures in his diocese.De Tillier, Historique, p. 73-74.
Bishops of Aosta to 1200
Eustasius ( ?)Eustatius did not attend the provincial council of Milan under Bishop Eusebius in 451, but sent instead a priest named Gratus to represent him. Savio, pp. 71-72. Lanzoni, p. 1053. Gratus ()Savio, pp. 72-74, points out that there is nothing but conjecture that identifies Bishop Gratus with the priest Gratus of the council of Milan of 451. Gratus is patron saint of the diocese. Lanzoni, pp. 1053-1055. Duchesne, p. 247, accepts the identification of the priest Gratus with the Bishop. Jucundus (501, 502)Bishop Jucundus took part in the Councils of Rome in 501 and 502. Duchesne, p. 248. Savio, pp. 76-77, believes that he was the Bishop Jocundus who received a letter from Pope Gelasius I in 496. Lanzoni, p. 1055, rejects the attribution, believing that he was a suffragan bishop of Rome. Around 507–511 King Theodosius wrote to the Bishop of Milan that the Bishop of Aosta was not guilty of the charge of treason laid against him; Lanzoni believes that this bishop could be Jucundus. Gallus (528–546)Diocesi di Aosta: Parrocchie di San Lorenzo in Aosta [Ploceanus] (late sixth century?)Ploceanus is known from the fantastic hagiographical life of Saint Ursus (Orso), written in the 11th century (Savio, p. 78). Gams, p. 828, ignores him, as does Duchesne, 248. Lanzoni, p. 1056, questions him. He is said to have been an Arian who, according to the legend of Saint Ursus of Aosta, was strangled in his bed by two devils: Sant' Orso di Aosta Rathbornus ( – 877)Rathbornus took part in the recognition of Charles the Bald as King of Italy, at Pavia in 876. He took part in a council held in Ravenna in November 877. Savio, pp. 81-83. Duchesne, p. 248, no. 5. Liutfred ()Bishop Luttifredus was allegedly present at a Council of Milan in 966 or 969, when it was decided that the diocese of Alba, though it had been devastated by the Saracens and was being administered by the Bishop of Asti, should be restored. He is only a name. Ughelli, IV, p. 285 no. 8 (Bishop Flocardus). J. D. Mansi (ed.) Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, Tomus XIX (Venice: A. Zatta 1774), pp. 21-22. The editors of Mansi point out that the knowledge of the council of Milan depends entirely on the report of Ughelli, who says nothing about his source(s). Ughelli's reported dates are confused and impossible. Savio, p. 86. Anselmus ( – 14 January 1026)Bishop Anselm was present at the Council of Ansa (diocese of Lyon), held under the presidency of Burchardus, Archbishop of Lyoon, in 990: Mansi, XIX, pp. 99-100. He was present at another Council of Ansa in 1025: Mansi, XIX, p. 423. His successor Burchardus was already installed on 10 March 1026: Savio, p. 87. Frutaz, pp. 291-292.