Roman Catholic Diocese of Colle di Val d'Elsa

The Diocese of Colle di Val d’Elsa (Latin: Dioecesis Collensis) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Colle di Val d'Elsa in Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Siena. The diocese was established by Pope Clement VIII on 5 June 1592, in the bull "Cum Super Universas", with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Florence, the Archdiocese of Siena, the Diocese of Fiesole, and the Diocese of Volterra. The new diocese was made a suffragan of the metropolitanate of Florence.Cappelletti, pp. 277-282. On 18 September 1782 the diocese gained additional territory (including San Gimignano) from Diocese of Volterra. In 1986, it was suppressed."Diocese of Colle di Val d’Elsa" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 13, 2016"Diocese of Colle di Val d’Elsa" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved May 1, 2016

History The parish church (pieve) of Val d'Elsa already existed and had an archpriest in the 11th century. In 1061, Pope Alexander II ordered the creation of a Chapter of Canons.Biadi, pp. 188-189. Biadi cites a document of Pope Sergius IV, no longer extant, in which privileges are mentioned. Kehr, p. 305, no. 1, note, expresses doubt. Pope Paschal II, in 1112, joined the parish of S. Giovanni, Faustina and Giulitta with the parish of S. Salvatore in Colle under one and the same archpriest. They were directly subject to the pope.Kehr, pp. 304 and 305, no 2. That status was contested regularly by the bishops of Volterra, however, and they finally obtained a favorable ruling from Pope Clement III on 24 January 1188. The archpriests, though, continued the litigation, until Pope Clement VIII settled the matter in 1592.Kehr, pp. 304, 308 nos. 16 and 17.

The Collegiate Church nullius dioecesis of Ss. Giovanni, Faustina e Giulita in Val d'Elsa was apparently established by Pope Urban VI in 1386, from territory removed from the Diocese of Volterra.Cappelletti, p. 277.

The diocese of Colle was established by Pope Clement VIII on 9 June 1592, in the bull "Cum super universas". The territory (it was not even a village, or oppidum) of Colle was created a city (civitas).Gaetano Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica Vol. XIV (Venice: Tip. Emiliana 1842), p. 138. The impulse for the new diocese came from Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, as the papal bull and a letter from Ferdinando to the people of Colle indicate.Ughelli III, pp. 205, 208. The new bishop, Usimbardo Usimbardi, a Canon of the cathedral of Florence and a personal friend of Duke Ferdinando, was appointed on the same day as the establishment of the diocese.Ughelli III, p. 207, quoting a letter of Pope Clement of 9 June 1592; and p. 208. Usimbardo's brother Pietro was already Bishop of Arezzo (1589–1612): Eubel III, p. 112. The Chapter, which staffed and administered the new cathedral, was composed of three dignities (the Archpriest, the Dean, and the Archdeacon) and twelve Canons.Ughelli III, p. 204.

Bishop Usimbardo Usimbardi (1592–1612) held the first diocesan synod in April 1594, and promulgated a set of Constitutions for the government of the diocese.Biadi, pp. 185-186.

Reorganization of dioceses In a decree of the Second Vatican Council, it was recommended that dioceses be reorganized to take into account modern developments.Directoriae normae clare a Concilio impertitae de dioecesium recognitione; indicia atque elementa apta ad actionem pastoralem aestimandam ab episcopis suppeditata quibus plurium dioecesium regimen commissum est. A project begun on orders from Pope John XXIII, and continued under his successors, was intended to reduce the number of dioceses in Italy and to rationalize their borders in terms of modern population changes and shortages of clergy. The change was made urgent because of changes made to the Concordat between the Italian State and the Holy See on 18 February 1984, and embodied in a law of 3 June 1985. The change was approved by Pope John Paul II in an audience of 27 September 1986, and by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops of the Papal Curia on 30 September 1986. The diocese of Colle di Val d’Elsa was united to the dioceses of Siena and of Montalcino. Its name was to be Archidioecesis Senensis-Collensis-Ilcinensis. The seat of the diocese was to be in Siena. The former cathedral in Colle and the former cathedral in Montalcino were to have the honorary title of co-cathedral, and their chapters were to be the Capitulum Concathedralis. There was to be only one episcopal curia, one seminary, one ecclesiastical tribunal; and all the clergy were to be incardinated in the Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino.Acta Apostolicae Sedis An. et Vol. LXXIX (Città del Vaticano: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis 1987), pp. 783-786.

Bishops of Colle di Val d'Elsa Erected: 5 June 1592 Latin Name: Collensis Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Florence

Usimbardo Usimbardi (1592–1612)Usimbardi was a personal friend of Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany. He was a native of Colle. He held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Pisa. He spent some years in Rome, until recalled to Florence by his brother Pietro, who was secretary of Ferdinando I. He was named a Canon of the cathedral of Florence, and Abbot commendatory of S. Donnino near Pisa. The Grand Duke had pressured Pope Clement VIII to create the diocese of Colle, both for his own prestige and for the satisfaction of his friend. Usimbardi was named bishop on the day the diocese was created, 5 June 1592. He died in 1612. Biadi, p. 216. Cappelletti, pp. 282-283. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 156 with note 2. Cosimo della Gherardesca (1613–1633)Born in Florence in 1567 (Biadi says 1569), Gherardesca was the son of Bernardo (of the Counts of Pisa) and Beatrice di Don Ferrante d’ Appiano d' Aragona. Principe di Piombino. Ughelli states that he was a grand-nephew of Pope Leo XI (1605), which Biadi firmly denies; neither offers proof. He was a Canon of the cathedral of Florence by 1591, and Archpriest by 1606. He was named Bishop of Colle on 11 February 1613. He spent large sums advancing the building of the seminary. He was a patron of the Servites, and requested burial in their religious habit. He died in August 1633 (Biadi, p. 219, gives the date of 10 May). Ughelli III, p. 208. Biadi, pp. 216-219. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 156 with note 3. Tommaso Salviati (1634–1638)Born of a noble family in Florence, Salviati held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Pisa (1622), and then became a follower of Cardinal Barberini in Rome. He was made a Canon and then archpriest of S. Eustachio. While still in minor orders, he was appointed Bishop of Colle on 21 August 1634. On 1 March 1638, Salviati was transferred to the diocese of Arezzo by Pope Urban VIII (Barberini). Biadi, p. 226. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 93, 156 with note 4. Roberto Strozzi (1638–1645)Roberto Strozzi was a member of the Florentine nobility, and the brother of Archbishop Alessandro Strozzi of Fermo (1606–1621). He was a Canon in the cathedral of Florence. He was named Bishop of Colle on 21 June 1638; his nephew Alessandro took possession of the diocese on his behalf. On 12 June 1645, Strozzi was appointed Bishop of Fiesole. He died in 1670. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, pp. 156 with note 5; 187 with note 7; 188. Giovanni Battista Buonacorsi (18 Sep 1645 – Jan 1681)Buonaccorsi: Ughelli, p. 210. Gauchat, Hierarchia catholica IV, p. 156 with note 6. Pietro Pietra (Petria), O.S.B.Camald. (1681–1703)Pietra was born in Monte S. Savino (Arezzo) in 1619. He became a Consultor of the Office of the Holy Inquisition in Pisa in 1661. He became Prior General of S. Romualdo in Rome. He was approved as bishop by Pope Innocent XI on 28 July 1681, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Carlo Pio di Carpi on 31 August. He died in Colle in November 1703. Cappelletti, p. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica V, p. 163 with note 3. Domenico Ballati Nerli, O.S.B. (1704–1748)Nerli was born of a noble family of Mantua, and was a doctor of theology and doctor of Canon Law of the local university (1687). He became Abbot of S. Giacomo in San Gimignano (diocese of Arezzo). Ritzler-Sefrin, V, p. 163 with note 4. Benedetto Gaetani (1749–1754)Gaetani was born in Pisa in 1697. He obtained the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Pisa in 1737. He became a Consultor of the Office of the Holy Inquisition in Pisa in 1740. At the time of his appointment, he was Prior of the parochial church of S. Silvestro in Pisa. He was appointed Bishop of Colle on 21 April 1749, and consecrated in Rome on 27 April by Cardinal Giovanni Antonio Guadagni. He died in Colle on 12 June 1754. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 172 with note 2. Domenico Gaetano Novellucci (1755–1757)Born in 1721, Novellucci was a native of Prato, and a Canon and prebend of its cathedral. He obtained the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Pisa in 1746. He was named bishop of Colle on 21 July 1755 by Pope Benedict XIV, and consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Giovanni Antonio Guadagni on 25 July. He died before 15 October 1757. Cappelletti XVII, p. 274. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 172 with note 3. Bartolomeo Felice Guelfi Camaiani (1758–1772 Resigned)Camaiani was born in Arezzo in 1714. He obtained the degree of Doctor in utroque iure from the University of Pisa in 1739. He was archpriest of the church of S. Maria de Plebe. He was named bishop of Colle on 22 November 1758 by Pope Clement XIII, and consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Giovanni Antonio Guadagni on 26 November 1758. He resigned the diocese on 6 August 1772, and on 7 September 1772 he was named titular Archbishop of Seleucia in Isauria (Turkey) by Pope Clement XIV. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, p. 172 with note 4. Cappelletti XVII, p. 285, says that he died in May 1773. Ranieri Mancini (1773–1776)Mancini was born in Cortona in 1735. He attended the University of Siena, where he was granted the degree of doctor of theology in 1768, and Doctor in utroque iure in 1771. He served as Vicar General of Cortona and was Provost of the cathedral Chapter. He was named Bishop of Colle on 14 June 1773. On 15 April 1776 Mancini was appointed Bishop of Fiesole by Pope Pius VI. He died in Parma on 10 February 1814. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 172 with note 5; 215 with note 3. Aloisio Buonamici (15 Apr 1776 –1782)On 23 September 1782, Buonamici was appointed Bishop of Volterra. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 172 with note 6. Niccolò Sciarelli (16 Dec 1782 –1801)Sciarelli: Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 173 with note 7, stating that Sciarelli died before 26 January 1801. Raimondo Luigi Vecchietti (1801–1805)Vecchietti was born in Florence in 1767. He held a master's degree in theology, and was parish priest of S. Pietro in Bozzolo (diocese of Florence). He was Prior of the collegiate church of S. Lorenzo in Florence. He was professor of theology at the University of Pisa. He was named titular bishop of Erythrae, and coadjutor of Bishop Sciarelli of Colle on 24 July 1797; Sciarelli turned over all administration of the diocese to him. He succeeded Sciarelli as Bishop of Colle on his death, on 26 January 1801. He died in January 1805. Ritzler-Sefrin, VI, pp. 173 with note 8. Niccolò Laparelli (1805–1807)Born in Cortona in 1741, Laparelli was made Bishop of Colle on 23 September 1805 by Pope Pius VII, and was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Giulio della Somaglia on 6 October. On 23 March 1807 he was transferred to the diocese of Cortona. He died on 23 September 1821. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VII, pp. 155, 164. Marcello Maria Benci (23 Mar 1807 – 27 Jan 1810)Benci: Biadi, p. 225. Sede vacante (1810–1815)