CAMPAGNA, Diocese of. - In the province of Salerno, C. rises on the southern slopes of the Monti Picentini, in a gorge crossed by the Tenza. Its historical importance goes back to the times of Greek civilization; abandoned in ancient times, it is said that the present-day city was built by inhabitants of the banks of the Sele who, harassed by the Saracens, are said to have taken refuge in this locality. On June 19, 1525, at the request of Charles V, Clement VII with the bull Pro Excellenti elevated the collegiate church of S. Maria della Pace in C. to a cathedral, thus creating the episcopal see which he united "aeque et principaliter" to Satriano, which had fallen into ruin and in whose territory C. stood. Its first prelate was the Dominican Cherubino Gaetano, bishop of Satriano from 1521 and died in 1545.
In the 17th century the diocese was a suffragan of Salerno. In 1818 the diocese of Satriano was suppressed and C. passed into perpetual administration to Conza, from which it was separated on Sept. 30, 1921.
Among the most important churches: the Most Holy Trinity, S. Salvatore and S. Bartolomeo. In the territory of the diocese: the abbey of S. Cataldo, founded around 1160 by Romualdo II, archbishop of Salerno, and the Benedictine abbey of S. Maria Nuova.
The diocese, immediately subject to the Holy See, comprises a few municipalities in the province of Potenza and the others in that of Salerno, over an area of 96 sq km.; it has 28 parishes, 49 diocesan priests and 11 regular clergy, 69,102 inhabitants, all Catholics (1948).
Bibliography4 works
Noemi Crostarosa Scipioni