- Roman Catholic Diocese of Bergamo
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Diocese of Bergamo
Dioecesis BergomensisLocation Country Italy Ecclesiastical province Milan Statistics Area 4,243 km2 (1,638 sq mi) Population
- Total
- Catholics(as of 2006)
914,259
880,000 (96.3%)Parishes 389 Information Denomination Roman Catholic Rite Latin Rite Established 4th Century Cathedral Bergamo Cathedral Secular priests 790 Current leadership Pope Benedict XVI Bishop Francesco Beschi Emeritus Bishops Lino Bortolo Belotti Website diocesi.bergamo.it The Diocese of Bergamo (Latin: Dioecesis Bergomensis) is a see of the Catholic Church in Italy, and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Milan. It was founded in the fourth century CE, and its first bishop was Saint Narno. Narnus was succeeded by Viator of Bergamo.
Contents
Facts
The diocese is headed by Bishop Francesco Beschi, and has a strong fraternal relationship with the city and the archdiocese of Cochabamba in Bolivia. As of 2007, the diocese of Bergamo has 389 parishes, most of them belong to the political entity known as the Province of Bergamo (Italian: Provincia di Bergamo).
Patron saint
August 26 is the feast day of Bergamo's patron, Saint Alexander, who is believed to have been a Roman centurion of the Theban legion imprisoned for his Christian beliefs. He escaped, was recaptured, and was executed around 297 CE. He is considered a Christian martyr. A church, San Alessandro da Bergamo, had been dedicated to him since the earliest days of the diocese. The church is presently administered by the Benedictines, priests belonging to the Order of Saint Benedict.
Diocesan synod
In 2007, the diocese opened its 37th Diocesan Synod, a gathering dedicated to problems and opportunities confronting parishes in the twenty-first century.
Missionary activities
The diocese maintains strong relations with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cochabamba. Priests of the diocese manage parishes in Cuba and Cote d'Ivoire
Notable people in the history of the diocese
Parishes
The 390 parishes all fall within the Lombardy region. 375 are within the Province of Bergamo, 14 in the Province of Lecco,and one in the Province of Brescia.[1]
Notes
- ^ Source for parishes: CCI (2008), Parrocchie, Chiesa Cattolica Italiana, http://www.chiesacattolica.it/pls/cci_new/bd_edit_info.ric_parr?cod_reg=&cod_dioc=401&dadiocesi=1, retrieved 2008-03-14
Categories:- Roman Catholic dioceses in Italy
- Roman Catholic dioceses in Lombardy
- Bishops of Bergamo
- Province of Bergamo
- Province of Lecco
- Province of Brescia
- History of Bergamo
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