Roman Catholic Diocese of Pienza

The Diocese of Pienza (Latin: Dioecesis Pientinus) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Pienza in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany between the towns of Montepulciano (fifteen km distant) and Montalcino. Until 1462, the town was known as Corsignano. It took the name Pienza from its most famous native son, Pope Pius II (Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini), who elevated the town to the status of a city (civitas), and established the new diocese. The diocese existed as an independent entity from 1462 to 1772, directly subject to the Holy See (Papacy).[1][2]

Duomo of Pienza

History

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The architect chosen to carry out Pius II's plans to construct Pienza was Bernardo Rossellino.[3] The change in name of Corsignano was carried out by the Senate of Siena, at the suggestion of Pope Pius, on 1 June 1462.[4] On 29 August 1462, the Feast of the cutting off (decollazione) of the head of John the Baptist, the completed cathedral was dedicated by Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville, Bishop of Ostia, though the Pope personally dedicated the high altar.[5] The cathedral was named the Cathedral of the taking up of the body (Assumption) of the Virgin Mary into heaven. The edifice was damaged by the large earthquake of 26 November 1545, and the apse began to subside, a problem which persists to the present day.[6]

In April 1473, Bishop Tommaso della Testa Piccolomini presided over the first diocesan synod held in Pienza.[7]

On 23 May 1594, Pope Clement VIII separated the two dioceses of Pienza and Montalcino.[8]

On 15 June 1772, in the bull "Quemadmodum", Pope Clement XIV united the dioceses of Chiusi and Pienza.[9]

Bishops

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Diocese of Pienza e Montalcino

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Erected: 13 August 1462
Latin Name: Pientia et Mons Ilcinus

Diocese of Pienza

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1528: Split into the Diocese of Pienza and the Diocese of Montalcino
Latin Name: Pientinus

15 June 1772: United with the Diocese of Chiusi to form the Diocese of Chiusi e Pienza

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Cheney, David M. "Diocese of Pienza". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. [self-published]
  2. ^ Chow, Gabriel. "Diocese of Pienza (Italy)". GCatholic.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. [self-published]
  3. ^ Mack, pp. 32-35.
  4. ^ Mack, pp. 41-42.
  5. ^ Mannucci, p. 16.
  6. ^ Mannucci, pp. 19-20. Kees van der Ploeg (1987), "A Note on Rossellino's Design for Pienza Cathedral," Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art, Vol. 17, No. 1 (1987), pp. 38-40.
  7. ^ Chironi, p. 180, note 29.
  8. ^ Luigi Mezzadri; Maurizio Tagliaferri; Elio Guerriero (2008). Le diocesi d'Italia (in Italian). Vol. III. Cinisello Balsamo: San Paolo. p. 955. ISBN 978-88-215-6172-6.
  9. ^ Giuseppe Chironi (2000). L'archivio diocesano di Pienza: inventario. Pubblicazioni degli Archivi di stato / Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientali., Strumenti, 141. (in Italian). Roma: Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali, Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici. p. 26. ISBN 978-88-7125-170-7. Ritzler-Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica VI, p. 171, note 1.
  10. ^ A member of a noble Sienese family, Chinugi had been papal Master of Ceremonies, and then Bishop-elect of Chiusi (from 6 April 1462). He was transferred to the new seat of Pienza by Pope Pius II (Piccolomini) on 7 October 1462, and the seat which he vacated in Chiusi was given to Gabriele Piccolomini, O.Min.Obs. Bishop Giovanni died on 30 September 1470. Cappelletti, p. 620. Eubel II, pp. 131-132; 216.
  11. ^ a b c d Eubel II, p. 216. (in Latin)
  12. ^ a b c d Eubel III, p. 212. (in Latin)
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Gauchat, Patritius (Patrice) (1935). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi. Vol. IV. Münster: Libraria Regensbergiana. p. 280. (in Latin)
  14. ^ a b c d e Ritzler, Remigius; Sefrin, Pirminus (1952). Hierarchia catholica medii et recentioris aevi. Vol. V. Patavii: Messagero di S. Antonio. p. 314. (in Latin)

Books

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Studies

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  • Cappelletti, Giuseppe (1864). Le chiese d'Italia (in Italian). Vol. decimotto (18). Venezia: G. Antonelli. pp. 604–632.
  • Chironi, Giuseppe (2003), "Pius II and the Formation of the Ecclesiastical Institutions of Pienza," in: Z.R.W.M. von Martels, Arjo J. Vanderjagt (edd.), Pius II — 'El Pìu Expeditivo Pontifice': Selected Studies on Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini (1405-1464) (Leiden-Boston: Brill 2003), pp. 171–185.
  • Greco, G. (1990), 'La diocesi di Pienza tra XVII e XVIII secolo', in: A. Cortonesi (ed.), La Val d'Orcia nel medioevo e nei primi secoli dell' eta moderna (Rome 1990), pp. 447–490. (in Italian)
  • Mack, Charles Randall (1987). Pienza: The Creation of a Renaissance City. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-1-5017-4604-8.
  • Mannucci, Giovanni Battista (1915). Pienza: i suoi monumenti e la sua diocesi (in Italian). Montepulciano: Madonna della Querce.
  • Ughelli, Ferdinando; Coleti, Nicolò (1717). Italia sacra: sive De episcopis Italiae et insularum adjacentium, rebusque abiis praeclare gestis... (in Latin). Vol. Tomus primus (secunda ed.). Venice: apud Sebastianum Coleti. pp. 1174–1180.