Ripatransone, Diocese of

RIPATRANSONE, DIOCESE OF. - In the province of Ascoli Piceno, from which it is 48 km. distant, 9 km. from the sea, at an altitude of 508 m., on steep hills, between the Menocchia and Tesino torrents. Over an area of 227.25 km², it has 9,034 resident inhabitants, 8,897 present (1951 census).

Almost impregnable because of its position and its very strong ancient walls, it was called the "propugnaculum Piceni."

The first nucleus of population dates back to the 10th century B.C., as lithic finds and a vast Cuprense necropolis suggest. According to local historians, R. originates from Cupra Montana, today a small village in the province of Ancona; according to others, from Cupra Marittima, the ancient city, religious center of the Cuprenses, situated on the sea about 2 miles north of the present-day village of the same name. The Romans, toward the end of the 2nd century B.C., established a military colony in Cupra, whose inhabitants, during the period of the barbarian invasions (5th-6th century), took refuge on the hill of R., which appears to have had the name Mons Cuprae. For three centuries (10th-12th) R. was a fief of the Dransone and Trasone family, whence its present name, derived from Ripa Transonum, as is indicated in the Constitutions of the Marca by Cardinal d'Albornoz (1357), in which R. is listed among the civitates mediocres. Others derive the name from trans Asonem, beyond the river Aso, with respect to other localities situated to the north of R. At the end of the 12th century, R. appears to have been formed by the union of four castles: Monte Antico, Capo di Monte, Agello, Roffano. In 1212 a commune was constituted; it then underwent various vicissitudes: sieges, sackings, fires on the part of Fermo, of the Malatesta, of F. Sforza, of the Spaniards, from whom it freed itself in 1521.

Pius V, with the bull Illius fulciti praesidio of 1 August 1571, declared R. a city and diocese, with territory dismembered from Fermo, Teramo, Ascoli P. and from the possessions of the abbeys of Farfa and Campofione. Sixtus V, with the bull Universis orbis Ecclesiis of 24 May 1589, elevating Fermo to an archdiocese, established R. as a suffragan of the latter. Pius V reduced the 14 parishes to 4, too numerous in relation to the inhabitants, one for each quarter: S. Benigno (existing before the year 1000, declared the cathedral), S. Angelo, S. Niccolò, S. Gregorio Magno. Subsequently the parish church of S. Gregorio was demolished, in order to build on its area a new cathedral (the first being insufficient), between the years 1597-1623, completed at the end of the 18th century, with the last works being carried out in 1842. At present R. has 22 parishes: 7 in the city, 15 in the diocese, distributed among the municipalities of Cossignano, Cupra Marittima, Grottammare, S. Benedetto del Tronto, Acquaviva Picena, Monteprandone, Colonnella (the latter in the province of Teramo). Besides the cathedral Chapter and a numerous secular clergy, in the diocese of R. reside the Augustinians, the Observant Friars Minor, the Conventuals, the Capuchins, the Passionists, the Sacramentines and various female communities, which direct institutes of education and instruction and orphanages. The local (minor) Seminary provides for lower studies; for the higher courses the students are sent to the regional Seminary of Fano. At present the diocese of R. is united ad personam with that of Montalto.

Among the various institutions, mention should be made of the Monte di Pietà, which dates back to 1471, the hospital of 1505 and the School of educational manual work, the first in Italy, founded (1889) by Emidio Consorti of R.

Personages. - In R. and in the diocese many personages distinguished for learning and holiness were born: St. James of the Marches and Blessed Rita in Monteprandone, Blessed Sante of the Observant Friars Minor in R., Blessed Alberto in Cossignano, the venerable Lavinia Sernardi-Giammarini in Grottammare; Apollonio Petrocchi (15th century), celebrated wood carver; A. Condivi, disciple and first biographer of Michelangelo.

Monuments. - R. still presents in part its medieval appearance, although little of the primitive forms remains of the ancient Romanesque churches. Notable: the apse (9th century) of S. Niccolò; the Romanesque portal of S. Maria d'Agello; the Romanesque-Gothic one of S. Angelo, which still preserves the ancient primitive crypt. In the Cathedral, splendid examples of wood sculpture (pulpit, episcopal throne, bench for the magistrates) by Desiderio Bonfini da Patrignone (17th century); a St. Charles by Guercino, a St. Gregory, a valuable statue by Fedele Bianchini da Macerata, one of the best followers of Canova; in the chapel of the Most Holy Virgin, a much venerated image of the Madonna of Loreto. In S. Caterina or S. Agostino (Gothic elements in the side), 15 small panels with the Mysteries of the Rosary by A. Condivi. Elegant are the 18th-century interiors of the churches of S. Chiara and S. Filippo. Important is the Palazzo del Podestà, now the Town Hall, of 1304. In the Museum and Picture Gallery there are important pictorial works, objects from excavations and curiosities, medals, coins, majolicas, etc.

Carlo Carletti