FOLIGNO, Diocese of. - 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.; pop. 51,840, all Catholics; churches 137, parishes 61, secular priests 67, regulars 54 (1950). Minor seminary; patron St. Felician martyr.
Fulginium, an Umbrian city that stood near the modern church of S. Maria in Campis, between 299 and 295 B.C. was subjected to Rome 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 driven out in the year 1305 by the Trinci, Lombard warriors, who became, not without conflict, first gonfaloniers, then captains of the people and from 1536 papal vicars, since in 1439 F. had been reunited to the domain of the Holy See by Card. Vitelleschi, taking it from Corrado Trinci. It seems that Christianity was introduced into the diocese very early; but the first certain bishop, owing to the corruption of the episcopal list, is Urban, who subscribed to the Synod of 487. Among the others the following are to be remembered: Eusebius (740), who persuaded King Liutprand to spare the city; Azzo degli Azzi, present at the Council of Rome of 1059 against the heresy of Berengar; Bonfiglio dei Bonfigli (1078), who took part in the first Crusade; Card. 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 St. Francis, the following are remembered: the Cathedral built in 1133, replacing the original basilica of St. Felician; the cloister of Sassovivo (1229); the church and monastery of St. Claudius (1232); the church of St. John Profanma (1231); that of St. Dominic (1251); the church of St. John of the Water (1339); and the churches of St. Catherine, St. Saviour and St. James, with the bell towers of St. Dominic, St. Augustine and St. James, all works of the 14th century like the Trinci Palace, with notable remains of frescoes and the chapel decorated by O. Nelli (1424), and today the seat of the museum, of a rich library with important manuscripts and of a picture gallery.
In F. the Divine Comedy was published in print for the first time, on 11 April 1472, by Giovanni Numeister, aided by Evangelista Angelini of Trevi.
The oldest abbey is that of the Most Holy Trinity, later St. Sylvester (6th century), founded by Eutychius and Florentius, later becoming the Hospital of the Holy Spirit.
For St. Cross at Sassovivo, v. SASSOVIVO.
The abbey of St. Benedict, on the Topino, was founded by Bishop Vincent, united in 1620 by Urban VIII to the Cassinese Congregation, suppressed at the time of the French Revolution. Also remembered are: St. Saviour of the Benedictines, founded around 970, collegiate in 1138; St. Mary in Campis, priory of the Benedictines of the Congregation of Corpus Christi until 1373 (dependent on the abbey of the same name near Gualdo Tadino), then abbey in 1393, passed to the Olivetans in 1582; St. Nicholas of the Olivetans, earlier than 1348; St. Felician, priory of the Canons Regular, known in the time of Innocent II.
Monasteries: St. Agnes of the Poor Clares (1399); St. Catherine of the Poor Clares (1425); St. Lucy; St. Claudius; St. Paterian of the Benedictine nuns; St. Mary of Bethlehem of the Cistercians (1379); of the Augustinian nuns.
Bibliography13 works
FOLKLORE: V. TRADIZIONI E USANZE POPOLARI.