New Advent
 Home   Encyclopedia   Summa   Fathers   Bible   Library 
 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 
New Advent
Home > Catholic Encyclopedia > S > Sessa-Aurunca

Sessa-Aurunca

Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99...

(SUESSANA).

Diocese in Campania, Province of Caserta (Southern Italy). The city is situated on a hill in the midst of a fertile plain, and possesses a large and beautiful cathedral, built in 1113. A city of the Aurunci, it became a Roman colony 313 B.C. It was the birthplace of the poet Lucilius and of the philosopher Agostino Nifo. Local legend relates that the Faith was preached in Suessa (the Latin name of the city) by St. Peter himself. The inhabitants venerate as patron saint their Bishop, St. Castus, a martyr at the end of the third century. There still remain ruins of the ancient basilica dedicated to him, with which catacombs are still connected (cf. "Nuovo Bullettino d' Archeologia Cristiana", 1897, p. 140). The first bishop of certain date was Fortunatus (499); but until the end of the tenth century the names of the bishops are unknown. Of the others we mention: Erveo (1171), who rendered great services to the city, Pandulfo (1224), who donated the pulpit, adorned with mosaics, in the cathedral; Giovanni (1259), who embellished the cathedral; Angelo Geraldini (1462), a learned humanist; Galeazzo Florimonte (1552), who played an important part in the affairs of the Holy See under Paul III and Julius III, and published various works; Giovanni Placidi (1566), founder of the seminary; Ulisse Gherardini (1624), who restored the cathedral and the episcopal residence; Francesco Granata (1759), who promoted study in the seminary, and wrote various historical works. Later bishops were: Pietro de Felice (1797), who was cast into prison by the revolutionists; Ferdinando Girardi (1848), exiled in 1860. The diocese is suffragan of Capua; it contains 42 parishes with 56,750 souls and 90 secular clergy.

Sources

CAPPELLETTI, Le Chiese d'Italia, XX; DIAMARE, Memorie storico-critiche della Chiesa di Sessa Aurunca (Naples, 1906).

About this page

APA citation. Benigni, U. (1912). Sessa-Aurunca. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13737b.htm

MLA citation. Benigni, Umberto. "Sessa-Aurunca." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13737b.htm>.

Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph E. O'Connor.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.

Copyright © 2023 by New Advent LLC. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

CONTACT US | ADVERTISE WITH NEW ADVENT