FOLIGNO, DIOCESI di. – The diocese of F., immediately subject to the Holy See, is located in the province of Perugia, where it comprises the eastern edge of the Umbrian valley traversed by the Topino; area 300 sq km; inhabitants 51,840, all Catholics; churches 137, parishes 61, secular priests 67, religious priests 54 (1950). Minor seminary; patron saint s. Feliciano the Martyr.
Fulginium, an Umbrian city that stood near the modern church of S. Maria in Campis, was subjected to Rome between 299 and 295 B.C. and became a municipium. It subsequently suffered the barbarian invasions and, having become a free commune of the Umbrian Guelph League, in the 12th century fell into the hands of the Ghibellines, who were expelled in 1305 by the Trinci, Lombard warriors who, not without opposition, became first gonfaloniers, then captains of the people, and from 1536 papal vicars, since in 1439 F. had been reunited with the dominion of the Holy See by Cardinal Vitelleschi, who took it from Corrado Trinci. Christianity seems to have been introduced into the diocese very early; but the first certain bishop, owing to the corruption of the episcopal list, is Urbano, who subscribed to the Synod of 487. Among the others, the following should be remembered: Eusebio (740), who persuaded King Liutprando to spare the city; Azzo degli Azzi, present at the Council of Rome in 1059 against the heresy of Berengario; Bonfiglio dei Bonfigli (1078), who took part in the First Crusade; Cardinal Antonio Bettini, of the Order of the Gesuati (1461); Isidoro Clario (1547), a theologian of the Council of Trent. In 1146 F. was the seat of a Council.
MONUMENTS. — Besides the Roman bridge over the Topino and the remains of a villa in the garden of the convent of S. Francesco, the following are remembered: the Cathedral, built in 1133 to replace the primitive basilica of S. Feliciano; the cloister of Sassovivo (1229); the church and monastery of S. Claudio (1232); the church of S. Giovanni Profanma (1231); that of S. Domenico (1251); the church of S. Giovanni dell'Acqua (1339); and the churches of S. Caterina, S. Salvatore, and S. Giacomo, with the bell towers of S. Domenico, S. Agostino, and S. Giacomo, all works of the fourteenth century, like the Palazzo Trinci, with notable remains of frescoes and the chapel decorated by O. Nelli (1424), and now housing the museum, a rich library with important manuscripts, and a picture gallery.
The Divina Commedia was first printed in F. on 11 April 1472, by Giovanni Numeister, assisted by Evangelista Angelini of Trevi.
The oldest abbey is that of the Most Holy Trinity, later S. Silvestro (sixth century), founded by Eutichio and Florenzio, and later transformed into the Hospital of S. Spirito.
For S. Croce at Sassovivo, V. SASSOVIVO.
The abbey of S. Benedetto, on the Topino, was founded by Bishop Vincenzo, united in 1620 by Urban VIII with the Cassinese Congregation, and suppressed at the time of the French Revolution. The following are also remembered: S. Salvatore dei Benedettini, founded around 970, collegiate in 1138; S. Maria in Campis, a priory of the Benedictines of the Congregation of Corpus Christi until 1373 (dependent on the abbey of the same name near Gusido Tadino), then an abbey in 1393, and transferred to the Olivetans in 1582; S. Nicola degli Olivetani, dating from before 1348; S. Feliciano, a priory of the Canons Regular, known in the time of Innocent II.
Monasteries: S. Agnese delle Clarisse (1399); S. Caterina delle Clarisse (1425); S. Lucia; S. Claudio; S. Pateriano delle Benedettine; S. Maria di Bethlem delle Cistercensi (1379); that of the Augustinian nuns.
BIBLI: L. Iacobilli, Vita et s. Feliciano martire, Foligno 1628, 3rd ed. there 1904; Cappelletti, IV, p. 397 ff.; B. Camo, Series episcop., Rotisbona 1873, pp. 695–97; Camplem., p. 3; L. Lugano, Delle chiese della città e diocesi di F. nel sec. XIII, in Bull. s. deput. di storia per l'Umbria, 10 (1904), p. 435 ff.; 12 (1906), p. 173 ff.; U. Falcoi Polignani, F., Bergamo 1907; id., Il duomo di F. e l'ureh. G. Piermarini, Foligno 1908; O. Gerstfeldt, Umbrier, F., Lipsia 1912; Lanzoni, I, p. 446 ff.; Cortinescu, I, cols. 1165–67; A. Mestini, Le origini e i primordi del Monte di Pietà di F., Foligno 1940; id., Il Cantalicio vuestro di scuola a F. (1477–83), in Giornale st. lett. italiano, 58 (1940), p. 15 ff.
Alberto Galetti
FOLKLORE: V. TRADIZIONI E USANZE POPOLARI.