CAELENAE. — There is no doubt that a fairly ancient Christian church existed in the land of the Marsi. In the sixth century, explicit mention is made of a bishop Giovanni marsicanus. It is nevertheless impossible at present to establish its origin, since the legendary tradition concerning s. Rufino, the first bishop of the Marsi in the third century (BHL, 7360–63), is not worthy of credence.
It is reasonable to suppose that the first episcopal see was Marruvium (today s. Benedetto), the chief town of the Marsica, and later probably C. (Celano). From the tenth century, certain information makes it possible to follow its history, which was illustrated somewhat later by the bishop s. Bernardo, cardinal of the title of S. Crisogono. After the ancient city was destroyed, the cathedral church of S. Sabina remained; the Roman pontiffs, as metropolitans, repeatedly confirmed its possessions
Of the numerous collegiate and abbey churches, which the abundant documents lead us to suppose were once flourishing, as at Celano and Trasacco, subject to the bishop of the Marsi, very little remains. The abbey of S. Cosma at Taglia-cozzo, of which the church remains, is noteworthy.
At Pescina, the episcopal and capitular archives contain few documents, owing to the dispersal that occurred before the transfer of 1580.