FOLIGNO, Diocese of. – The diocese of Foligno, 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 River; area 300 sq. km.; inhabitants 51,840, all Catholic; 137 churches, 61 parishes, 67 secular priests, 54 regular clergy (1950). Minor seminary; patron saint, St. Felician the Martyr.
Fulginium, an Umbrian city that stood near the site of the modern church of Santa Maria in Campis, was subjected to Rome between 299 and 295 B.C. and became a municipium. Later it suffered barbarian invasions and, having become a free commune of the Umbrian Guelph League, fell in the 12th century into the hands of the Ghibellines, who were expelled in 1305 by the Trinci, Lombard warriors who became, not without opposition, first gonfaloniers and then captains of the people, and from 1536 papal vicars, since in 1439 Foligno had been reunited to the dominion of the Holy See by Cardinal Vitelleschi, who took it from Corrado Trinci. Christianity seems to have been introduced into the diocese at a very early date, but the first certain bishop, owing to the corruption of the episcopal list, is Urbanus, who subscribed to the Synod of 487. Among others are to be noted: Eusebius (740), who persuaded King Liutprand to spare the city; Azzo degli Azzi, present at the Roman Council of 1059 against the heresy of Berengarius; Bonfiglio dei Bonfigli (1078), who took part in the First Crusade; Cardinal Antonio Bettini of the Order of Jesuates (1451); Isidorus Clarius (1547), a theologian of the Council of Trent. In 1146 Foligno 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 San Francesco, there are to be noted: the Cathedral built in 1233 to replace the primitive basilica of San Feliciano; the cloister of Sassovivo (1239); the church and monastery of San Claudio (1232); the church of San Giovanni Profanima (1231); that of San Domenico (1235); the church of San Giovanni Santi dell’Acqua (1339); and the churches of Santa Caterina, San Salvatore, and San Giacomo, with the bell towers of San Domenico, San Agostino, and San Giacomo, all works of the 14th century, as well as the Palazzo Trinci, with notable remains of frescoes and the chapel decorated by Ottaviano Nelli (1424), now the seat of a museum, a rich library with important manuscripts, and a picture gallery.
In Foligno the *Divine Comedy* was printed for the first time, on 11 April 1472, by Johannes Numeister, assisted by Evangelista Angelini of Trevi.
The most ancient abbey is that of the Most Holy Trinity, later San Silvestro (6th century), founded by Eutychius and Florentinus, later becoming the Hospital of Santo Spirito.
For Santa Croce at Sassovivo, V. SASSOVIVO.
The abbey of San Benedetto on the Topino was founded by Bishop Vincentius, united in 1630 by Urban VIII to the Cassinese Congregation, and suppressed during the French Revolution. There are also to be noted: San Salvatore dei Benedettini, founded about 970, collegiate in 1238; Santa Maria in Campis, a priory of the Benedictines of the Congregation of the Corpus Christi until 1373 (dependent on the homonymous abbey near Gualdo Tadino), then an abbey in 1393, passing to the Olivetans in 1582; San Nilo degli Olivetani, prior to 1348; San Feliciano, prior of the Canons Regular, known in the time of Innocent II.
Monasteries: Sant’Agnese delle Clarisse (1309); Santa Caterina delle Clarisse (1423); Santa Lucia; San Claudio; San Paterniano delle Benedettine; Santa Maria di Bethlem of the Cistercians (1379); and those of the Augustinians.