FABRIANO, DIOCESE OF. — The history of the city and territory of Fabriano is bound up with that of the Church of Camerino, to whose extensive jurisdiction Fabriano belonged from its origins throughout the Middle Ages until the 18th century. In 1728, Benedict XIII established it as a bishopric, though united *aeque principaliter* with Camerino. Later, to eliminate any dispute, Pius VI, with the bull *Saepae factum est* of 8 July 1785, made it autonomous and at the same time erected the bishopric of Matelica, uniting it *aeque principaliter* with Fabriano; the two dioceses had a single bishop until the present day. The bishop resides in Fabriano. In all, the diocese covers 322 sq. km., with a population of 38,000, all Catholic, distributed among 43 parishes, served by 63 diocesan priests and 33 religious, a seminary, 7 male religious communities with 56 professed members, and 16 female communities with 166 professed members (1949).
Numerous monastic foundations, flourishing during the period of the rule of the Church of Camerino, belong to the city and diocese of Fabriano: S. Maria in Campo, 11th century; S. Salvatore di Val di Castro, c. 11th century, where St Romuald died (S. Pier Damiani, *Vita di s. Rom.*, 6g: PL 1, 145); S. Angelo, 13th century; S. Biagio, in the city, of the Camaldolese Order, and S. Vittore delle Chiuse, near Picciorsara on the right bank of the Sentino. The monastery was first Benedictine, then of the Congregation of S. Croce di Ponte Avellana, suppressed by Innocent VII in 1405; ancient charters preserved date back to the 10th century (R. Sassi, *Die documenti capitali su le origini del monastero di S. Vittore delle Chiuse*, in *Rassegna marchigiana*, [1950], pp. 335-53); finally S. Maria d’Appennino, 11th century (R. Sassi, *Le carte di S. Maria d’Appennino*, in *Studia Picena*, 5 [1929], pp. 77-122). Later the Sylvestrine monks settled there in the 13th century, of whom the Venerable Andrea di Giacomo da Fabriano was general (1298-1326), as well as the Franciscans (R. Sassi, *Un documento per la storia francescana di F.*, in *Atti e memorie della r. Deputazione di storia patria per le Marche*, 5th ser., 4 [1941], pp. 57-66) and the Dominicans.
Similarly to its religious history, the civil history of Fabriano is well known for the late medieval period. It became a free commune after the year 1000, then fell under the rule of the Chiavelli family, who governed it as vicars of the Holy See until the 15th century, when their tyranny was ended by the extermination of the entire family in 1353 by Alexander V. The history of the city and its territory gained greater prominence in the 16th century, when its governor in 1520 was Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici (Clement VII; R. Sassi, *L’umanista camerinese Varino Favorito governatore di F.*, in *Studia Picena*, 19 [1949], pp. 63-95); subsequent events followed those of the Papal States until the annexation of 1860.
MONUMENTS. — Fabriano possesses a notable group of artistic churches: S. Lucia, of which much of the 14th-century structure remains (c. 1350); apse, left side, and bell tower (R. Sassi, *Chiese artistiche di F.*, in *Rassegna marchigiana*, 7 [1928], pp. 45-53); in the chapel of S. Orsola and in the adjoining convent are extensive frescoes of the Fabrianese school of the 13th-15th centuries; among the precious panels preserved is a *Madonna and Child* by Fr. Ghisai; the Cathedral dedicated to S. Venanzio: the original church and the cult were decreed by the Chapter and people of Camerino (c. 1046); the characteristic apse remains, and in the spaces between it and the choir are preserved frescoes of the local school; S. Agostino, rebuilt in 1768, with a 14th-century portal and frescoes; in the territory, the church of S. Vittore delle Chiuse is among the most important Romanesque monuments of the Marche region. To the Baroque period belong, with transformations largely carried out in the 17th century, the churches: S. Niccolò, originally 13th century (R. Sassi, *Chiese artistiche di F.*, in *Rassegna marchigiana*, 8 [1930], pp. 269-82); S. Biagio, of the Camaldolese, rebuilt in 1657: it preserves the body of St Romuald, translated there in 1486; S. Benedetto, originally 13th century, of the Sylvestrines: it was also the original seat of our Confraternity of the Gonfalone (1535); S. Venanzio (cathedral) and S. Lucia (S. Domenico).
The native city of Gentile da Fabriano had a strong school of artists (13th-15th centuries) of Giottesque tradition, dominated by the painter Allegretto Nuzi (1315-73): the largest episcopal collection of his panels, together with other fine works, is preserved in the civic picture gallery (L. Serra, *La Pinacoteca civica e il Museo degli anziani di F.*, Fabriano 1921). The municipal and chapter archives of S. Venanzio possess valuable material on medieval and monastic history. — See pl. LXIV.