ROCCO da CESI NALE. – Archbishop, b. at Cesinale in the Cocchia family on 30 Apr. 1830, d. at Chieti on 19 Dec. 1900.
Capuchin in 1846, priest in 1853, he served as theologian at the Vatican Council and procurator general of the Order’s missions in the years 1870–72; in 1874–83 he was titular bishop and apostolic delegate of Santo Domingo, Haiti and Venezuela. In Aug. 1876, Abp. Cocchia went to Caracas and, through his persuasive and conciliatory manner, succeeded in averting the danger of schism on the part of the Republic.
At Santo Domingo he discovered in the cathedral on 10 Sept. 1877 the relics of Christopher Columbus. The bishop proved the authenticity of the relics in Spanish publications and also in an Italian book: C. Colombo e le sue ceneri (Chieti 1892). In 1878 he was named titular archbishop; in 1883 archbishop of Ortano; and in 1887–1900 archbishop of Chieti.
His most important work is the Storia delle missioni dei Cappuccini dagli inizi al 1700 (3 vols., I: Paris 1867; II and III: Rome 1872–73). Some scattered materials for a fourth volume are gathered in the periodical Anal. Ord., 24 (1908), pp. 43 ff., and the index of persons in Collectanea Franciscana, 9 (1939), pp. 540 ff. and 10 (1940), pp. 83 ff. Other works: Atti pastorali (Chieti 1899); Synodus Dioecesana of Santo Domingo (1878); Synodus Dioecesana of Chieti (ibid. 1894).