Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.
BISENZIO. - Ancient episcopal see of Latium on the western shore of Lake Bolsena. An inscription of the year 254 mentions the «Senatus populusque Visentinus» (CIL, XI, 2914). In the passage from the Dialogues of St. Gregory (III, 17), which mentions a «Quadragesi-
(fot. Alinari) BISCEGLIE - Church of S. Margherita, founded in 1197. Tomb of the Falcone family, the work of Anserano da Trani and Pietro Facitolo da Bari (late 13th century).musa baxentinae » or « buxentinae ecclesiae subdiaconus », L. Duchesne saw the first mention of the diocese of B., against the opinion of those who referred it to Busento in Lucania. Since the aforesaid passage states that Quadragesimo used to graze his flock « in Aureliae partibus », it was correct to seek the « ecclesia baxentina » or « buxentina » in Tuscia, as F. Ughelli did, who however read « Bulcentinae » or « Bolciensis ecclesiae », due to the proximity of Vulci to the Via Aurelia. The expression « in Aureliae partibus » is to be interpreted broadly; thus B. as well, not far from Valentano and the ruins of Castro, can be considered « in Aureliae partibus ». During the Lombard invasion, the bishop of B. would have moved to Castro (v.) while retaining the official name, which reappears in 743 as « Bisuntianus episcopus ».
BIBL.: Ughelli, X, p. 189; L. Duchesne, Le sedi episcopali nell'antico ducato di Roma, in Archivio della R. Soc. Rom. di Storia Patria, 15 (1892), pp. 487, 489; Lanzoni, pp. 527-28. Benedetto Pesci
Cite this article
“BISENZIO.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. II (1949), p. 967. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/bisenzio.
