Diocese of Fidenza

DIOCESE OF FIDENZA. - In Emilia, in the province of Parma. The Church of F. traces its remote origins to the cult of the martyr St. Donninus, which developed on the site of ancient Iulia Fidentia. A legendary narrative (Passio s. Donnini, BHL, 2264), certainly later than the 5th century, holds that Donninus, a cubicularius of the emperor Maximian, while fleeing along the via Aemilia, was captured 12 miles from Iulia Chrysopolis (Parma), near the river Sisterion (Stirone), and there beheaded and buried. It does not appear that St. Donninus was a local martyr, but rather that he should be identified, on the basis of many significant indications, with the better-known Palestinian martyr commemorated in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum on 5 November. Nevertheless, on the site there arose and became established that

The primitive oratory of the 6th-7th century was succeeded by the more ancient basilica of the 9th century and in the 12th by the new and monumental one, governed by a provost and a Chapter, which some hold to have been consecrated by Pope Paschal II on 28 October 1106. The privileges of protection of Frederick I of 1162 and of exemption from the bishop of Parma of Innocent III of 26 August 1198 (Potthast, p. 355) initiated and favored, together with the concurrence of other factors, the process of freedom and autonomy of Borgo S. Donnino. In the 15th century it was granted in commendam with full exemption (nullus digiensis). With the bull Super universos of 12 February 1601 Clement VIII created it a bishopric, confirming for it the title of city, previously conferred on it by Ranuccio Farnese (1592-1622), lord of Parma, to whom Borgo S. Donnino was subject, and appointing Papirio Picedi as its first bishop. In 1604 it became a suffragan of Bologna. It is now a diocese immediately subject to the Holy See, and counts 63,000 inhabitants over a surface of 62 sq km; 86 churches, of which 57 are parishes; 3 male religious houses, 25 female.

MONUMENTS

The most distinguished is in the Cathedral, a large Romanesque construction of the 12th century; the facade is unfinished and there are completion structures in Gothic style on the exterior (apse) and in the interior (vaults) of the 13th century. The first story of the front, completed, presents an artistic little portico with columns and two portals and some valuable sculptures (stories of St. Donnino, statues of David, Ezekiel) belonging to the school of B. Antelami. Of notable value are the two sculptures (David and Ezekiel) that seem to come closest to the master's art. In the interior, the crypt, of the 12th century, rises on the site of the ancient basilica and preserves the marble urn of St. Donnino with bas-reliefs illustrating the life of the Saint.

The treasury of the Cathedral possesses some pieces of Romanesque goldsmithing, among them a silver chalice with handles and two dragons, and a eucharistic dove.

Serafino Prete