Roman Catholic Diocese of Orte

The Diocese of Orte (Latin: Dioecesis Hortanus) was a Roman Catholic diocese located in the town of Orte in the province of Viterbo in the Italian region of Latium. In 1437, it was suppressed and united with the Diocese of Civita Castellana to form the Diocese of Civita Castellana e Orte.^[1]

History

In Orte, the cathedral was named Santa Maria Maggiore, and dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral was served by an ecclesiastical corporation called the Chapter, which was composed of one dignity (the Provost) and seventeen (or eighteen) canons.^[2]

In 1197, when the cathedral Chapter undertook the restoration of the Church of S. Giorgio, insufficient funds forced them to appeal to Pope Celestine III, who issued a call for contributions throughout the dioceses of Amelia, Narni, Todi, and Spoleto.^[3] S. Giorgio later became a monastery, under the care of the Order of S. Damiano (Poor Clares). In 1442 it was suppressed, and its income added to the income of the bishops.^[4]

In the bull "Sacrosancta Romana" of 5 October 1437, Pope Eugenius IV united the dioceses of Orte and Civita Castellana under one bishop.^[5]

Residential Bishops

[ Landus (I or IV cent.) ]^[6]

[ Giovanni Montano (mentioned in 330) ]^[7]

[ Cassianus ? (363) ]^[8]

[ Leone (in 384) ]^[9]

[ Martiniano (502) ]^[10]

[ Ubaldus Prosenio ? (592) ]^[11]

[ Blandus ? (598) ]

[ Calunniosus ? (600) ]^[12]

Julianus (649)^[13]
Mauritius (743)^[14]
Adone or Adamo (761, 769)^[15]
Stephanus (I) (826)^[16]
Arsenius (c. 855 - death August 868)^[17]
Zaccaria (869)
Stefano II (904)
Pietro I (916)
Giorgio (963)
Lamberto (1005)
Giovanni I (c. 1017 - after 1024)
Landovinus (1036)^[18]
Gregorio (in 1049)
Rodulfus (c. 1126 - after 1149)^[19]
Paolo I (prima del 1168 - dopo il 1196)
Paulus (II) (c. 1200)^[20]
Giovanni (II) (6 October 1206–after 2 October 1212)^[21]
Guido (1221 - after 1224)^[22]
Trasimondo (c. 1239 - after 1243)
Giovanni (III) (in 1248)
Pietro (II), O.F.M. (1255-1284?)^[23]
Conradus (1284-1295?)^[24]
Bartolomeo (1296-1298)^[25]
Lorenzo da Velletri, O.F.M. (3 October 1298 - 1338/39)^[26]
Nicolò Zabereschi (1 March 1339 - death 1362)
Giovanni (IV) (1363 - ?)^[27]
Pietro (III) (in 1365)
Giovanni Cappucci, O.P. (1366–1393)^[28]
Paolo Alberti, O.F.M. (12 Nov 1395–1420^[29]
Sancius (22 Apr 1420–19 Mar 1432)^[30]
Valentin Narnia (19 Mar 1432–5 Oct 1437)^[31]

Titular bishops

In 1991 the diocese was restored in name only as the Latin Titular bishopric of Orte (Italian) / Hortanum (Latin) / Hortan(us) (Latin).

It has had the following incumbents:

José de Jesús Madera Uribe, M.Sp.S (28 May 1991 – death 21 January 2017)^[32]
Andrzej Przybylski (20 May 2017 – 29 August 2025)^[33]

References

[1]
"Diocese of Orte" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 1, 2016.^{[self-published source]} "Titular Episcopal See of Orte" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved May 1, 2016.^{[self-published source]}
[2]
R. Ritzler & P. Sefrin, Hierarchia catholica vol. 6 (Pavia 1958), p 167, note 1.
[3]
Kehr II, p. 193, no. 4.
[4]
Kehr II, p. 194.
[5]
Ughelli I, pp. 738-740.
[6]
Mamachi, p. 17. Landus (Lando) is rejected by Lanzoni, p. 546-547: "Checché sia di tutto ciò, per ammettere in Orte nel i, o nel ili e iv secolo il martirio di- un tedesco, di cui tacciono tutte le antiche fonti, si richiederebbero argomenti ben più forti di quella sua recentissima Passione. In tempi moderni questo s. Landò, senza alcuna prova, fu ritenuto vescovo d' Orte."
[7]
Cappelletti VI, p. 26. Joannes Montanus is claimed as having been from Gaul, to have come to Italy and been made a bishop. He is connected with Ostia, not Orte. Lanzoni, p. 547: "Non è meglio assicurato il Ioannes Montanus sub Silvestro, omesso dal Mamachi e messo in dubbio dal Gams."
[8]
Cassianus: Ughelli, Italia sacra I, p. 734.
[9]
The sepulchral inscription of Leo belongs to the 7th century, not the 4th. Lanzoni, p. 547: "L' iscrizione sepolcrale di un vescovo Leone: « Hic requiescit in pace Leo epe. qui sedit annos XXIII, mense... die... », secondo il giudizio dei competenti (manca nel CIL), non solo non è del iv secolo, come si è preteso, ma discende al VII."
[10]
Martinianus (Martianus) was assigned to Orte by a misreading of the name of the diocese. Lanzoni, p. 547: "Il Martinianus e il Marcianus del 502 non spettano a Horta, ma il primo a Ostra e il secondo a Aeca."
[11]
Ubaldus: Cappelletti VI, p. 35: "Lanzoni, p. 547: "E qui va escluso il vescovo Ubaldo, cui, senza verun fondamento, inseri in questo luogo l'Ughelli...." Un Hubaldus Prosenius, nel 592, è ignoto al Registrum Gregorii ; quindi espunto dal Mamachi e dal Gams."
[12]
Calumniosus: Lanzoni, p. 547: "Anche il Cahimniosus del 599 {J-L, 1721) non fu Eortanus, bensì Hortonensis. Il lettore non può meravigliai'si di un catalogo episcopale di otto nomi, che, seriamente esaminato, sfuma."
[13]
Bishop Julianus was present at the Lateran synod of Pope Martin I in 649. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, (in Latin), Vol. 10 (Florence: A. Zatta 1764), p. 866. Mamachi, p. 46.
[14]
Bishop Mauritius was present at the Roman synod of 743. Ughelli I, p. 735.
[15]
Bishop Adone was present at the Lateran synod of Pope Stephen III on 12–14 April 769. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, (in Latin), Vol. 10 (Florence: A. Zatta 1764), p. 715. Cappelletti VI, p. 36.
[16]
Bishop Stephanus attended the Roman synod of Pope Eugenius II in S. Peter's Basilica on 15 November 826. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, (in Latin), Vol. 14 (Florence: A. Zatta 1764), p. 999. Cappelletti VI, p. 36.
[17]
Bishop Arsenius attended the Roman synod of Pope Nicholas I in 861. In 865 he was sent to France by Pope Nicholas to arrange a peace between Charles the Bald and the Emperor Ludovicus II. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, (in Latin), Vol. 15 (Florence: A. Zatta 1770), p. 602. Cappelletti VI, p. 37.
[18]
Bishop Landovinus participated in the Roman council of Pope Benedict IX on 2 November 1036. J.D. Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, editio novissima, (in Latin), Vol. 19 (Florence: A. Zatta 1774), p. 582. Ughelli, Italia sacra I, p. 736. Cappelletti VI, p. 38.
[19]
A dispute between Bishop Rudolfus and the cathedral Chapter was brought to the papal court, where it was settled by Pope Eugenius III; in a letter of 2 January 1149, Eugenius advised the Chapter's Prior that he had decided the case. Kehr, Italia pontificia II, p. 192: "Inter episcopos , qui semper Romano pontifici immediate subiecti fuere, s. sedis apostolicae legati claruerunt Arsenius sub Nicolao I, Petrus sub Iohanne X, et Rodulfus, qui ab Honorio II ad cardinalatum promotus, etiam in Innocentii II privilegiis inter cardinales episcopos subscripsit." Eugenius III: Kehr, p. 193, no. 1.
[20]
Paulus: Cappelletti VI, p. 40. Eubel Hierarchia catholica I, p. 278.
[21]
Joannes: Cappelletti VI, p. 40. Eubel Hierarchia catholica I, p. 278.
[22]
Guido was consecrated by Pope Honorius III in 1221. Eubel I, p. 278 with note 1.
[23]
Petrus de Popleto had been a chaplain of Cardinal Ottaviano Ubaldini. He was elected unanimously by the Chapter, and the papal nuncio Rainerius petitioned Pope Alexander IV for confirmation, which was granted on 12 April 1255. Ughelli I, p. 737. Cappelletti VI, p. 47. Eubel I, p. 278.
[24]
There had been two successful elections by the Chapter of Orte, but both electi had declined. Conradus was the archpriest of the cathedral of Viterbo. He was requested by the Chapter of Orte, and was approved by Pope Martin IV on 19 December 1284. Cappelletti, pp. 47-48. Eubel I, p. 278. Les registres de Martin IV (in Latin) (Paris: Fontemoing 1901), p. 272, no. 558.
[25]
Bartolomeo was confirmed by Pope Boniface VIII on 26 January 1296. He died in 1298. Cappelletti VI, p. 48. Eubel I, p. 279.
[26]
Laurentius was appointed by Pope Boniface VIII on 3 October 1298. In 1333 he completed the restoration of the cathedral. Cappelletti VI, p. 48. Eubel I, p. 279.
[27]
Joannes had been Bishop of Kisamos (Crete) from 1361 to 1363. He was transferred to Orte by Pope Urban V on 25 July 1363. Eubel I, pp. 185, 279.
[28]
Giovanni Capucci: Eubel I, p. 279 with note 6.
[29]
On 13 May 1420, Bishop Alberti was appointed Bishop of Ajaccio.
[30]
Sancius (Sancho, Sante) was appointed Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo on 19 March 1431
[31]
Narnia, who held the degree of Doctor in utroque iure (JUD), was appointed on 19 March 1432. He was named the new bishop of the combined dioceses of Civita Castellana e Orte by Pope Eugenius IV in 1437. He was transferred to the diocese of Ascoli Piceno on 28 January 1442. Eubel, Hierarchia catholica II, pp. 96, 166 with note 3.
[32]
Madera: Auxiliary Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of United States of America (28 May 1991 – 15 September 2004) and as emeritate; previously Coadjutor Bishop of Diocese of Fresno (USA) (18 December 1979–1 July 1980), succeeding as Bishop of Fresno (1 July 1980–28 May 1991) Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 83 (1991), p. 624: "1991 die 28 Maii. — Titulari episcopali Ecclesiae Hortanae, Exc.mum P. D. Iosephum Iesum Madera, M.Sp.iS., hactenus Episcopum Fresnensem, quem deputavit Auxiliarem Exc.mi P. D. Iosephi Thomae Dimino, Ordinarii Militaris in Republica Foederata Americae Septemtrionalis."
[33]
Przybylsik was named Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Częstochowa (Poland). Named Archbishop of Katowice (29 August 2025) by Pope Leo XIV. Acta Apostolicae Sedis vol. 109 (2017), p. 679.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Orte

History

Residential Bishops

Titular bishops

See also

References

Sources

Episcopal lists

Studies

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks