Roman Catholic Diocese of Crema

Diocese of Crema

*Dioecesis Cremensis*
Diocese of Crema; Dioecesis Cremensis
	Crema Cathedral
Location
Country	Italy
Ecclesiastical province	Milan
Statistics
Area	276 km2 (107 sq mi)
Population; - Total; - Catholics	(as of 2021); 99,800 (est.); 98,500 (guess)
Parishes	63
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	11 April 1579; (445 years ago)
Cathedral	Cattedrale di S. Maria Assunta
Secular priests	72 (diocesan); 7 (Religious Orders); 2 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Daniele Gianotti
Map
Website
	www.diocesidicrema.it

The Diocese of Crema (Latin: Dioecesis Cremensis) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Lombardy in northern Italy. It has existed since 1579. It is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Milan.^[1]^[2] The seat of the bishop is the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

History

Founded in the sixth century, the town of Crema endured a particularly hazardous geographical position in terms of its civic independence.^[3] It is only 29.7 km east of Milan, and its neighbor to the east, the Serene Republic of Venice, was always pressing to expand its holdings on the mainland. In addition the German emperors held the overlordship of the Po Valley, and from time to time dominated the political situation.^[4] Otto of Freising (died 1158), for instance, draws attention to Crema's situation in the perpetual struggle between Cremona and Milan, situated as Crema was, just halfway between Cremona and Milan. It bore a good deal of the military action, and, as Cremona regularly rejected its demands in litigation for redress and reparations, Crema developed a grudge. This was particularly wrenching since Crema was politically subject to Cremona and spiritually subject to its bishop. To gain an advantage, the leaders of Cremona urged the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa to destroy Crema in exchange for a considerable sum of money, which would allow him to pursue his ventures in the Po Valley. The citizens of Crema therefore threw in their lot with Milan.^[5]

Crema became subject to the Republic of Venice in September 1449, and the possession was ratified by the Treaty of Blois, between Louis XII of France and the Republic of Venice,^[6] on 23 March 1513.^[7]

The diocese of Crema was created by Pope Gregory XIII on 11 April 1579, by splitting off territory that had been part of the Diocese of Lodi, the diocese of Cremona, and the diocese of Piacenza.^[8]

On 10 December 1582, with the bull "Universi orbis", Gregory XIII raised the diocese of Bologna, his birthplace, to the status of a metropolitan archbishopric, annexing the diocese of Crema and six others as its suffragans.^[9]

A diocesan synod was held in Crema on 3–5 January 1650 by Bishop Alberto Badoer (1633–1677).^[10] On 9–11 September 1688, Bishop Marcantonio Zollio (1678–1702) held a diocesan synod in the cathedral of Crema.^[11] Bishop Faustino Giuseppe Griffoni Sant’Angelo (1702–1730) presided over a diocesan synod on 4–6 November 1727.^[12] A diocesan synod was held by Bishop Ludovico Calini (1730–1751) in 1737 on 29 April and the two following days.^[13]

In 1801, following the principles established in law by the French National Assembly in 1791, the number of dioceses in French territory in Savoy, Piedmont, and Lombardy was to be reduced. Crema was one of the dioceses which was suppressed. The cathedral Chapter, the seminary, and the mendicant religious orders were also suppressed. It was the Emperor Napoleon, King of Italy, who, on 19 July 1806, brought the diocese back to life with his nomination of Tommaso Ronna of Milan to be the new bishop; Pius VII approved the candidate on 19 March 1807.^[14]

On 5 February 1835, with the bull "Romani Pontifices", Pope Gregory XVI assigned the diocese of Crema as suffragan of the archdiocese of Milan. The change was made at the insistence of Count Richard von Lutzow, the ambassador in Rome of Ferdinand I, King of Lombardy-Venetia.^[15]

Bishops of Crema

1580 to 1800

(1580–1584) : Girolamo Diedo^[16]
(1584–1616) : Gian Giacomo Diedo^[17]
(1616–1629) : Pietro Emo, C.R.^[18]
(1629–1633) : Marcantonio Bragadin^[19]
(1633–1677) : Alberto Badoer^[20]
(1678–1702) : Marcantonio Zollio^[21]
(1702–1730) : Faustino Giuseppe Griffoni Sant’Angelo^[22]
(1730–1751) : Ludovico Calini^[23]
(1751–1781) : Marco Antonio Lombardi^[24]
(1782–1800) : Antonio Maria Gardini, O.S.B.^[25]

since 1800

Tommaso Ronna (1807–1828)^[26]
Carlo Giuseppe Sanguettola (1835–1854)^[27]
Pietro Maria Ferré (1857–1859)^[28]
Carlo Macchi (1859–1867)^[29]
Francesco Sabbia (1871–1893)^[30]
Ernesto Fontana (1894–1910)
Bernardo Pizzorno (1911–1915)
Carlo Dalmazio Minoretti (1915–1925)^[31]
Giacomo Montanelli (1925–1928)^[32]
Marcello Mimmi (1930–1933)^[33]
Francesco Maria Franco (1933–1950)
Giuseppe Piazzi (1950–1953)^[34]
Placido Maria Cambiaghi, B. (1953–1963)^[35]
Franco Costa (1963)
Carlo Manziana, C.O. (1963–1981)
Libero Tresoldi (1981–1996)
Angelo Paravisi (1996–2004 Died)
Oscar Cantoni (2005–2016)^[36]
Daniele Gianotti (2017–present)

Parishes

The 62 parishes of the diocese are all located in the Province of Cremona, Lombardy.^[37] In 2013 in the diocese of Crema there was one priest for every 1,000 Catholics.^{[needs update]}

References

^ "Diocese of Crema" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved October 7, 2016
^ "Diocese of Crema" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved October 7, 2016
^ Sforza Benvenuti, I, p. 8.
^ Solera, p. 8.
^ Otto of Freising, Gesta Friderici Imperatoris Book IV, chapter 39, in: Monumenta Germaniae Historica Tomus XX, (Hannover 1868), p. 466.
^ Kenneth Meyer Setton (1976). The Papacy and the Levant, 1204-1571. Vol. III. Philadelphia PA: American Philosophical Society. pp. 144–145. ISBN 978-0-87169-161-3.
^ Jean Dumont (1726). Corps universel diplomatique du droit des gens. Vol. Tome IV partie 1. Amsterdam & La Haye: Chez P. Brunel, R. et G. Wetstein, les Janssons Waesberge, et L'Honoré et Chatelain. pp. 182–183. M. E. Mallett; J. R. Hale (23 November 2006). The Military Organisation of a Renaissance State: Venice C.1400 to 1617. Cambridge University Press. pp. 222–223. ISBN 978-0-521-03247-6.
^ Solera, p. 9. The text of the papal bull, "Super Universas", is quoted in full by Cappelletti XII, pp. 247-251.
^ Bullarum diplomatum et privilegiorum sanctorum Romanorum pontificum Taurinensis editio (in Latin). Vol. Tomus VIII. Turin: Seb. Franco. 1863. p. 402 § 4.
^ Synodus Dioecesana Sancta Cremensis Ecclesia ab illustrissimo et reverendissimo D. D. Alberto Baduario ejusdem Ecclesia Episcopo etc. Primo habita die III Januarii et duobus subsequentibus anni MDCL, sub Innoccntio X. P. 0. M. (Milano: Vigoni 1670. Solera, p. 65.
^ Synodus Dioecesana Cremensis habita ab illustriss. et reverendiss. D. D. Marco Antonio Zollio Dei et Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopo Cremensis die ix Septembris et duobus sequentibus in Cathedrali Cremae, anno mdclxxxviii, cum nonnullis decretis et constitutionibus Apostolicis additis ad regimen Ecclesiarum et ministrationem Sacramentorum praecipue spectantibus. Bergamo: Rossi 1688. Solera, p. 70.
^ Synodus Dioecesana Cremensis babita ab Illustriss. et Revercndiss. D. D. Faustino Josepho Griffono de Sancto Angelo, Dei et Apostolicae Sedis Gratia Episcopo Cremensi, Die iv novembris et duabus sequentibus in Cathedrali Cremae Anno mdccxxvii. Crema: Mario Carchano 1727. Solera, pp. 75, 79-80.
^ Synodus Dioecesana Cremensis habita ab illustriss. et reverendiss. D. D. Ludovico Calini Dei et Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopo Cremensi in Cathedrali Cremae die 29 Aprilis et duobus sequentibus anno mdccxxxvii. Brescia: ex typoqraphia Joannis-Mariw Rizzardi, mdccxxxvii. Solera, p. 86.
^ Cappelletti XII, p. 260. Solera, p. 97.
^ Bullarium Romanum: summorum pontificum Clementis XIII, Clementis XIV, Pii VI, Pii VII, Leonis XII . (in Latin). Vol. (Tomus XX). Roma: Typ. Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae. 1857. pp. 1–2.
^ Diedo was a native of Venice, and the nephew of the Patriarch of Venice, Vincenzo Diedo. Gian Giacomo was appointed Bishop of Crema by Pope Gregory XIII on 20 November 1580. He took possession on 19 May 1581, and resigned the office in favor of his nephew on 28 May 1584. He died in 1585 at the age of sixty-three. Solera, pp. 35-37.
^ Gian Giacomo Diedo attended the University of Padua, taking his degree in 1573. He had been Primicerius of the Cathedral of Padua, and served as Vicar General of his uncle in Crema. On 14 January 1585, he consecrated the new cathedral of Crema. He died on 6 June 1616 at the age of seventy-two, after thirty-two years as bishop. Solera, pp. 45-48.
^ A native of Venice and a learned theologian, Emo had already been titular bishop of Larissa (from 1612) and was appointed Coadjutor with the right of succession to Bishop Diedo. Solera, pp. 53-55. Gauchat, IV, p. 145; p. 216.
^ Bragadin was a native of Venice, and had been Referendary of the Two Signatures in the Roman Curia, when he was appointed Bishop of Crema by Pope Urban VIII on 5 December 1629. He was consecrated in Rome by Cardinal Antonio Barberini on 21 December 1629. He took possession of his See on 17 May 1630. He was appointed Bishop of Ceneda (1633), and then Vicenza (1639). On 16 December 1641 he was named a Cardinal. He died in 1658. Solera, pp. 58-59. Gauchat, IV, pp. 145 and 167.
^ Badoer, a Venetian nobleman, was appointed by Pope Urban VIII on 26 February 1633. He was particularly interested in saving prostitutes; in 1647 he established the church of S. Maria Maddelena for their use. He held a diocesan synod in 1650. Solera, pp. 61-64. Gauchat, IV, p. 145
^ A native of Bergamo, Zollio was a Doctor in utroque iure (Civil Law and Canon Law), and served as sommistore of the Inquisition. On 18 July 1678 he was appointed by Pope Innocent XI, but he did not take possession until May 1684, due to a dispute between the Pope and the Serene Republic of Venice. In 1688 Bishop Zollio held a diocesan synod. Solera, pp. 66-69. Ritzler, V, p. 175 with note 3.
^ Griffoni was a native of the diocese, and belonged to the family of the Conti Sant'Angelo. He was the Vicar General of Bishop Zollio. He was consecrated in Rome on 1 October 1702. He held a diocesan synod in 1727. Solera, pp. 71-76. Ritzler, V, p. 175 with note 4.
^ Calini was born in Calino in the diocese of Brescia. He was Doctor in utroque iure (Civil Law and Canon Law), and Prebendary of the Cathedral of Brescia. He was Synodal Examiner of the diocese. Appointed to the diocese of Crema on 11 September 1730, Calini was consecrated in Rome on 21 September 1730 by Cardinal Angelo Maria Quirini. He resigned on 27 January 1751, and was named titular Archbishop of Antioch on 1 February. Ritzler, VI, p. 186 with note 2.
^ Born in Verona, Lombardi received a doctorate in utroque iure from the University of Mantua (1746). He was consecrated a bishop in Rome on 21 March 1751 by Cardinal Carlo Rezzonico. Ritzler, VI, p. 186 with note 3.
^ Gardini was a native of Venice. He joined the Benedictine community of San Michele de Murano. He was appointed theologian of the Bishop of Torcella in 1769 and lectured in houses of his order. He was Consultor of the Inquisition of Venice for twelve years. He was named to the diocese of Crema on 23 September 1782, and consecrated in Rome on 29 September by Cardinal Carlo Rezzonico the Younger. He participated in the Conclave of 1799–1800 in Venice as one of the Custodians, and gave the oration pro pontifice eligendo at the opening. He died on 8 September 1800. Solera, pp. 94, 95. Ritzler, VI, p. 186 with note 4.
^ Ronna had been a Canon, and then Provost of San Babila in Crema. Gams, p. 789.
^ Sanguettola had been Provost of Santo Stefano in Milan. Gams, p. 789.
^ Ferré had previously been Canon-Archpriest of the Cathedral. He was transferred to Pavia (1859–1867); from Pavia he was transferred to Casale. Gams, pp. 789, 801. Cappelletti, XII, p. 260.
^ Macchi was transferred to Reggio. Gams, p. 789.
^ Giuseppe Pecora (1944). Mons. Francesco Sabbia vescovo di Crema: cenni biografici (in Italian). Milan: Gasparini.
^ Minoretti was then appointed Archbishop of Genoa. He was named a cardinal on 16 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI.
^ Montanelli was then appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Vercelli
^ Mimmi was then appointed Archbishop of Bari. He was named a cardinal by Pope Pius XII in January 1953.
^ Piazzi was then appointed Bishop of Bergamo.
^ Cambiaghi was then appointed Bishop of Novara.
^ Cantoni was appointed Bishop of Como on 4 October 2016. Diocese of Como, Appointment Announcement of Bishop Cantoni, retrieved: 2016-11-06.
^ Source for parishes: CCI (2008), Parrocchie, Chiesa Cattolica Italiana, archived from the original on 2007-11-01, retrieved 2008-03-13.