VOLTERRA, Diocese of. - City in the province of Pisa, in Tuscany, and a diocese included in the provinces of Pisa, Livorno, Grosseto, Siena, Florence: it extends over 1913 sq km with a population of 113,600 inhabitants, all Catholics, 112 parishes, 140 diocesan priests and 22 regulars; it has a seminary, 5 male religious communities, with a total of 26 members; 34 female ones with 275 members (Ann. Pont. 1953, p. 491).
Leaving aside legends that do not withstand even the most benevolent criticism, V., a very ancient and famous Etruscan city, was an episcopal see in the second half of the 5th century, as is documented by a letter of Pope Gelasius I (492-96; MGH, Auct. antiq., XII, p. 389 n. 2) and fully organized with its movable and immovable patrimony - praedia mancipia - with the presence of the archdeacon and of the legal and administrative guardian. Among the bishops are remembered Elpidius, who was in Rome in 501-502 (ibid., pp. 436, 454); Gaudentius in the time of Pelagius I (558-60); Peter under Stephen V (886); Roger under Paschal II (1105-15) and Callistus II (1119-24); Galganus under Eugene III (1151) and Adrian IV (1154-59).
A first account of the diocese is obtained from the two pontifical bulls of Alexander III (1179) and of Urban III (1187) to Bishop Hugh. It extended from the Elsa to the Tyrrhenian Sea, as far as Vada, from the foothills of the Sienese Montemaggio and from Tocchi to the upper Val d'Era: 48 plebes, which are mother churches; 12 monasteries. It appears larger and more complete from the Synod of Bishop Belforto (1356): territory, already divided into fifths, from 1274 into sixths: city and slopes, Val d'Elsa, Val d'Era, Marittimo, Val di Strove, Montagna: 52 plebes, 326 churches, 23 monasteries and 42 hospitals, which from the 12th century to the 15th century, although some had a brief life, rise to 116. Added to these is a convent of Friars Minor (1251) and one of Augustinians in V. (1279). Some monasteries go back to the early years of the 11th century, associated with the movement of religious restoration, also erected by petty lords for their own salvation. More famous, also for their art, are the Camaldolese abbey of S. Giusto in V. (1034) and the abbey of S. Galgano in Val di Merse, the first of the Cistercian Order in Tuscany. Three plebes, although included in the territory (Colle, Elsa with its 16 subordinate churches, and Morrona) are exempt from episcopal jurisdiction.
In the Middle Ages the bishops, counts and princes of the Holy Roman Empire also exercised civil jurisdiction; the earliest records go back to 821; by imperial privilege they minted coin. Characteristic of the time was the existence of a Universitas Cleri, that is, of the corporation of the diocesan clergy, also exempt, established in 1265 and still alive in 1454.
Another statistical survey is available for 1596: 49 pleban churches, by then no longer mother churches, 223 curacy churches, 44 sine cura, 15 in ruins, 24 oratories, 23 hospitals; furthermore the monasteries: in V. the Friars Minor of St. Jerome (1445), a house of Benedictine nuns (1548-1821), Capuchins (1573-1922); later the Piarists (1711-1935), where the young Mastai Ferretti, later Pius IX, was educated; furthermore the Capuchins in Peccioli. When the pleban church of Colle d'Elsa was erected into a diocese in 1592, V. immediately lost 80 parish churches; then in 1782 another 52, including the celebrated castle of S. Gemignano.
Among the notable figures, we limit ourselves to recalling the saints. Apart from St. Linus, successor of St. Peter, principal patron of the diocese, whom tradition calls a native of Volterra, there are Anthony of Monticiano, Vivaldo of S. Gemignano, Galgano of Chiusdino, James of Montieri, hermits, Attinea and Greciniana, and the bishop Ugo.
The Cathedral was always dedicated to the Virgin, and from the earliest parchments of the 9th century in the precious episcopal and canonical archives we learn that it is S. Maria di mezzo ag.: the city's feast par excellence, with economic and social characteristics and with a complete, most solemn first-class liturgy and octave. It was consecrated on 20 May 1120 by Pope Callixtus II. The façade, attributed by G. Vasari to Nicola Pisano, is rather the work of Pisan architects. The interior has three naves divided by monolithic columns with 16th-century capitals; the pulpit is of the 13th century, restored, with bas-reliefs representing episodes of the Old and New Testament; on the left portal, a terracotta bust of St. Linus by Giovanni della Robbia; the arch of St. Octavian by Raffaele Cioni da Settignano. In the main chapel, two angels bearing candelabra by Mino da Fiesole. The Baptistery (1283), octagonal, is the work of Girolamo di Jacopo da Como or da Lugano; on the outside it has alternating isometric bands of white and green marble; the portal is Romanesque; the ciborium is by Mino da Fiesole, assembled in 1467-71; until 1590 it was in the Cathedral. The church of S. Michele has a Romanesque façade inspired by those of Pisa. The church of S. Francesco has a fresco dated 1410 by Cenni di Francesco di ser Cenni, representing the Discovery of the Holy Cross. One km from V. is the church of S. Girolamo, of the 15th century with later alterations, where there are two terracottas by Giovanni della Robbia of 1501 and the panel by Benvenuto di Giovanni with signature and date 1470, with the Annunciation and, above, God the Eternal Father, and also Sts. Michael, Catherine of Alexandria and the donor. The Guarnacci Museum was begun with the collection of Canon P. Franceschini: it took its name from the munificent Monsignor Mario Guarnacci (1701-85), who donated his rich collection to the municipality in 1781. It contains one of the most remarkable collections of Etruscan art, including more than 600 cinerary urns of the 3rd century B.C.
The municipal Picture Gallery in the Palazzo dei Priori is rich in works by Tuscan painters. Notable are the panel with the Annunciation by Luca Signorelli, dated 1491; the Redeemer in Glory by Domenico Ghirlandaio with Sts. Benedict, Romuald, Attinia and Greciniana, and in the right corner the donor Abbot Buonvicino; the Deposition from the Cross in wood by Rosso Fiorentino of 1521; Nativity by Benvenuto di Giovanni (1470).
The Guarnacci Library has over 30,000 volumes, 500 manuscripts and 233 incunabula. The municipal historical archive has documents going back to the year 907 and manuscripts to 1219; the Statutes are precious; it has a rich numismatic collection.
In the Piazza Maggiore is the 13th-century Palazzo dei Priori with the coats of arms of the Florentine commissioners; the Palazzo pretorio with the tower called del Porcellino, from the sculpture at its top. At S. Dalmazio, between Pomarance and Larderello, there remain ruins of the pleban church and of the Romanesque church with Gothic elements. In the parish church is a tabernacle by della Robbia. At Silano is a grandiose fortress of the bishops of V. which had a triple circuit of walls and a polygonal keep. At Monteverdi marittimo are the ruins of the abbey of S. Pietro in Palazzolo. The ancient pleban churches of Cellori and of Ghianni d'Elsa are famous.
The diocese of Volterra was from its origin, and remained, by privilege, a Roman province and therefore immediately subject to the Holy See. Pius IX aggregated it to Pisa and granted, in compensation, the privilege of the pontifical pallium. - See plate CLV.
