Montegallo
Welcome to the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno
Hello everyone, today I will talk to you about the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno, a Catholic Church seat in Italy, located in the ecclesiastical region of Marche. The diocese has 103,384 baptized out of a total population of 105,095 and is led by Archbishop Gianpiero Palmieri.
Territory
The Diocese of Ascoli Piceno spans 2 Italian provinces and 2 Italian regions that include 22 municipalities. It is a vast area that covers an extension of 840km², with the episcopal seat in the city of Ascoli Piceno, where the Cathedral of Sant'Emidio is located.
Vicariates and Parishes
The territory of the diocese is divided into 6 vicariates, which in turn consist of 70 parishes. The vicariates are: City of Ascoli, Tronto Valley, Offida, Marino del Tronto, Acquasanta, and Ascension-Fluvione.
Religious Institutes
The Diocese of Ascoli Piceno has several male and female religious institutes. Among male religious institutes, we can mention: 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 female religious institutes, there are: the Benedictine Monks, the Camaldolese Congregation, the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sisters, the Franciscan Handmaids of the Good Shepherd, the Sisters of Saint Martha, the Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Redeemer, and the Hospital Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
History
The Diocese of Ascoli Piceno dates back to the 4th century when it was founded in memory of St. Emidio, the protobishop of Ascoli, martyred during the reign of Diocletian and the patron saint of the diocese. Although the biography of Emidio was written late, the veneration towards him is documented as early as the 8th century.
The first known bishop of Asculum was Lucenzio, who represented Pope Leo I at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. After him, the episcopal series became more continuous and certain starting from the second half of the 10th century. In the 11th century, Ascoli Piceno welcomed Popes Victor II and Urban II, who granted the right to elect the bishop from Ascoli to the Chapter of the cathedral canons, who were immediately subject to the Holy See.
In conclusion, the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno is a place rich in history and religious tradition, which offers a wide variety of religious communities, parishes, and vicariates that play an important role in the ecclesial life of the area.
