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The Diocese of Ascoli Piceno: a brief presentation
Hello everyone! Today, I'm talking about the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno, a Catholic diocese located in the Marche region of Italy. The diocese, which has over 100,000 baptized members, is guided by Archbishop Gianpiero Palmieri.
Territory of the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno
The diocese covers two Italian provinces and two Italian regions, spanning a total of 22 municipalities. The bishop's seat is in the city of Ascoli Piceno, where the Cathedral of Sant'Emidio is located.
Vicariates and Parishes
The territory is divided into 70 parishes, grouped into 6 vicariates. Here are the names of the vicariates: City of Ascoli, Vallata del Tronto, Offida, Marino del Tronto, Acquasanta, and Ascensione-Fluvione.
Religious Institutes in the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno
There are several male and female religious institutes present in the diocese. Among the male institutes are the Order of Friars Minor, the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, and the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Among the female institutes are the Benedictine Nuns, the Camaldolese Congregation, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sisters, the Franciscan Handmaids of the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Sisters of Saint Martha, the Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Pie Operaie Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.
History of the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno
According to tradition, the diocese dates back to the 4th century and is linked to the life and memory of Saint Emidio, proto-bishop of Ascoli and Christian martyr during the empire of Diocletian. The first known bishop was Lucenzio, who participated in the Council of Chalcedon in 451 as the papal representative of Pope Leo I.
The episcopal series became more continuous and certain in the second half of the 10th century. In the 11th century, the city of Ascoli welcomed two popes: Pope Victor II and Pope Urban II. The latter granted the Chapter of the canons of the cathedral the right to elect the bishop of Ascoli, who was immediately subject to the Holy See.
And so, we conclude this brief summary of the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno. I hope you enjoyed discovering more about the history and life of the Catholic Church in this area of the Marche. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
