Diocese of Anagni-Alatri

The Diocese of Anagni-Alatri () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Lazio, Italy. It has existed in its current form since 1986. In that year the Diocese of Alatri was united to the historical Diocese of Anagni. The diocese is immediately exempt to the Holy See."Diocese of Anagni-Alatri" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 23, 2016"Diocese of Anagni-Alatri" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved February 14, 2016

History

Despite the usual claims of foundation in the apostolic age, there is no evidence of Christianity in Anagni until the 4th century, and, as a bishopric, the diocese first appears in history in the fifth century.Lanzoni, p. 166: "L'autore di una Vita di s. Pietro (BHL, 6699), vescovo di Anagni († 3 agosto 1105), dice della chiesa anagnina: « fundatam primitus apostolicis fundamentis, reparatam subventione dispositionis divinae »; ma si tratta di espressioni vaghe, comuni agli scrittori del XII e XIII secolo." Felix, Bishop of Anagni, was present at the Lateran Synod of Pope Felix III held in 487.Mansi. VII, 1171.

In a later century the Bishopric of Anagni obtained some attention because its occupant received special consideration from the popes. Zacharias of Anagni was one of the legates of Pope Nicholas I at the Council of Constantinople in 861, to deal with the election of Photius to the patriarchate of Constantinople. Zacharias disobeyed his instructions, however, and entered into communion with the excommunicated schismatic Photius, and was therefore excommunicated himself and deposed from his bishopric of Anagni by Pope Nicholas, in his fourth Roman synod of 863.Pope Nicholas I's actions were fully explained in his letter (Epistle VII) to the Emperor Michael. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus XV (Venice: A. Zatta 1770), p. 178-186. Ughelli I, p. 308. Cappelletti VI, p. 277.

Stephen, a native of Rome and son of a Roman priest named Joannes, became Bishop of Anagni, and was consecrated by Pope Formosus (891–896). On the death of Formosus, and after the fifteen-day reign of Boniface VI (April 896), Stephen became Pope. He summoned and presided over the notorious "Cadaver synod", which put the dead body of Pope Formosus on trial, convicted him, and ordered his body thrown into the Tiber River. Pope Stephen ruled for one year, three months, and eighteen days, and was then deposed, imprisoned, and strangled.Stephen's consecration by Formosus occurs first in the 15th century recension of the Liber Pontificalis; in earlier recensions he is only called "episcopus Campaniae", and there is no mention of consecration.

Four natives of Anagni, all members of the same family, became popes: Innocent III (1198-1216);Innocent was born Lothar dei Conti di Segni, and he had been a Canon of the cathedral of Anagni. Gregory IX (1227–1241);Ugo dei Conti di Segni was a nephew of Innocent III, and was also a Canon of Anagni. Alexander IV (1254–1261);In the bull "Ex Assumpto" of 8 September 1257, Pope Alexander recalls the details of his upbringing in Anagni; he had been a Canon of the cathedral Chapter: Ughelli I, p. 315. and Boniface VIII (1294-1303). Numerous popes made Anagni their summer residence, or their refuge from Romans and emperors.

According to a local legend of Anagni, Thomas Becket in his exile from England, was received in 1169 at Anagni by the canons,The alleged visit is mentioned neither in Becket's correspondence nor in the lives written about him. De Magistris (1749), p. 107. and a chapel, which had once been a Mithraeum, was consecrated in his honor in the crypt of the cathedral, apparently at the request of Henry II of England.

Pope Boniface VIII was violently attacked at Anagni by Guillaume de Nogaret, the chancellor of Philippe le Bel, and Sciarra Colonna. He was so badly treated that he died two weeks later, after having fled to Rome.Julien Théry, "The Pioneer of Royal Theocracy. Guillaume de Nogaret and the conflicts between Philip the Fair and the Papacy", in: The Capetian Century, 1214-1314, ed. William Chester Jordan, Jenna Rebecca Phillips (Brepols, 2017), pp. 219-259. Richard A. Newhall (1921), "The Affair of Anagni," The Catholic Historical Review Vol. 7, No. 3 (October, 1921), pp. 277-295. Catholic Encyclopedia article. Ernest Renan (1872) "Un mininstre du roi Philippe le Bel: Guillaume de Nogaret. Première partie: L' attentat d'Anagni," Revue des Deux Mondes, Seconde période, Vol. 98, No. 2 (15 mars 1872), pp. 328-349.

Chapter In 1244, Pope Innocent IV intervened in a jurisdictional dispute between Bishop Pandulfus and the cathedral Chapter, deciding that the bishop should not have the exclusive right to name the rectors of the city churches, but that the assent of the Chapter was required for all of the bishop's nominations.

On 28 February 1251, Pope Innocent IV wrote to Bishop Pandulfus about the staffing of the cathedral Chapter; he had found that there was only one priest, and no deacons or subdeacons, actually seeing to services, and he authorized the bishop and the Canons to appoint two canons and two priests who were willing to reside at the cathedral.Ughelli I, p. 314. Some of the incumbents were too old or too young to perform their duties, others were non-residential. A few years later, Pope Alexander IV (1254–1261) fixed the number of dignities in the Cathedral Chapter at three: the Primicerius, the Archpriest and the Vicedominus; the number of Canons was limited to twenty-four. The right to elect the Archpriest belonged to the Canons, not to the bishop. The dignity of Provost was instituted by Pope Boniface VIII (1294–1303).Cappelletti VI, p. 372. In 1708, the Chapter of the cathedral of S. Maria Annunziata had one dignity, the Provost, and twenty Canons.Ughelli I, p. 306. Ritzler-Sefrin V, p. 83, note 1. The population of the city was c. 3,000 persons. The right of the Canons to elect a bishop was usurped by Pope John XXII in 1316.

Diocesan synods

The Fourth Lateran Council (1216) decreed that provincial synods should be held annually in each ecclesiastical province, and that each diocese should hold annual diocesan synods.Capitula, VI. De conciliis provincialibus: J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus XXII (Venice: A. Zatta 1778), p. 991.

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 (March 19, 1997): Acta Apostolicae Sedis 89 (1997), pp. 706-727.

A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Gaspare Viviani (1579–1605) on 4–5 March 1596.Constitutiones et decreta ecclesiae Anagninae. Edita, & promulgata in Synodo Dioecesana anno Domini 1596. a rev.mo D. Gaspare Viviano Vrbinati, ... episcopo. Roma: Typographia externarum linguarum 1597.

In 1630, Bishop Giovanni Gaspare Melis (1626–1642) presided over a diocesan synod, and in 1645, Bishop Sebastiano Gentile (1642–1646) held a diocesan synod.Both the acta of the synod of 1630 and the acta of the synod of 1645 are published in: Bishop Bernardino Masseri (1681–1695) held a diocesan synod in Anagni on 21–22 May 1685.

Bishop Giovanni Battista Bassi (1708–1736) presided over a diocesan synod, held in Anagni on 25–27 June 1713.Dioecesana synodus ab illustriss. & reverendiss. D.D. Jo. Baptista Basso Anagniae episcopo, ... celebrata in ecclesia cathedrali diebus 25. 26. & 27. Junii anni 1713. Rome: J.M. Salvioni 1716 . Bishop Cirillo Antonini (1778–1789) held a diocesan synod on 22–25 October 1780.Dioecesana synodus, quam, sub faustissimis auspiciis sanctissimi in Christo patris Pii papae sexti, illustrissimus ac reverendissimus dominus d. Cyrillus Antonini, Dei et apostolicae sedis gratia episcopus Anagninus, ejusdem sanctissimi domini nostri praelatus domesticus ac pontificio solio assistens, nec non Terrae Acuti dominus, coegit, et diebus XXII, XXIII, XXIV et XXV mensis octobris anni aerae vulgaris christianae MDCCLXXX bisextilis, ecclesiae suae servandam proposuit. Romae, MDCCLXXXI, apud Antonium Fulgoni.

On 1–3 September 1805, Bishop Gioacchino Tosi (1804–1815) presided at a diocesan synod in the Basilica Cathedral of S. Maria in Anagni.

Bishops Diocese of Anagni

to 1200

... Felix (attested 487)Bishop Felix was present at the third Roman synod of Pope Felix III on 13 March 487. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus VII (Florence: A. Zatta 1762), p. 1171. Lanzoni, p. 166, no. 1. ... Fortunatus (attested 499, 501, 502)Lanzoni, p. 166, no. 2. ... [Petrus (593) forgery]Petrus is said to have signed a diploma in favor of S. Medard; the diploma is a forgery. There was no Petrus. Lanzoni, p. 167. Pelagius (attested 595)Bishop Pelagius was present at the Roman synod of Pope Gregory I of 595. Lanzoni, p. 167, no. 3. [Dominicus (595)]Ughelli I, p. 306, states that a Bishop Dominicus of Anagni was present at the Roman synod of 595. The manuscripts state that Bishop Pelagius of Anagni was present. Bishop Dominicus was Bishop of Civitavecchia. Gams, p. 663 column 1, questions the inclusion of Dominicus. Lanzoni, p. 167, positively rejects it. ... Opportunus (attested 649)Bishop Opportunus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Martin I, held at the Lateran Basilica in 649. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus X (Florence: A. Zatta 1764), p. 867. ... Mauritius (attested 680)Bishop Mauritius subscribed to the synodical letter of Pope Agatho, sent to the Council of Constantinople in 680. Ughelli Italia sacra I, p. 307. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus XI (Florence: A. Zatta 1765), p. 310. Cappelletti, Le chiese d'Italia VI, p. 276. ... Gregorius (attested 721)Bishop Gregorius attended the first Roman synod of Pope Gregory II on 5 April 721. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus XII (Florence: A. Zatta 1766), p. 262. Cappelletti VI, p. 276. ... Cesarius (attested 743)Bishop Cesarius was present at the Roman synod of Pope Zacharias in 743 (The date of the synod is disputed; it may have been in 744). J.D. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XII, p. 384c. Cappelletti VI, p. 276. ... Constantinus (attested 757, 761)Bishop Constantinus attended the Roman synod of Pope Paul I on 2 June 761. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XII, p. 384c. Cappelletti VI, p. 649. Cappelletti VI, p. 276. Nigortius (attested 769)Bishop Nigortius was present at the Roman synod at the Lateran of Pope Stephen III on 12 April 769. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Tomus XII, p. 384c. Cappelletti VI, p. 276. ... Romualdus (attested 826)Bishop Romualdus was present at the Roman synod of Pope Eugenius II on 15 November 826. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima editio, editio novissima, Tomus XIV (Florence: A. Zatta 1765), p. 999. Cappelletti, Le chiese d'Italia VI, p. 277. Sebastianus (before 853)Sebastianus was the immediate successor of Bishop Romualdus. He was bishop at the time of the Saracen invasions, which began in 847. Ughelli I, p. 307. Cappelletti VI, p. 277. Nicholas (attested 853)Nicholas: Ughelli I, pp. 307-308. Cappelletti VI, p. 277. Zacharias (attested 860–863)Zacharias was sent by Pope Nicholas I as his representative to Constantinople, but he failed to do the business for which he had been sent, and engaged in activities for which he had no warrant. He was deposed and excommunicated at the Roman synod of 863. He was later restored by Pope Adrian II. Cappelletti, Le chiese d'Italia VI, p. 277. Kehr II, p. 136, no. 1.