Diocese of Boiano

Diocese in the province of Benevento, Italy, suffragan to the Archbishopric of Benevento. The city, situated at the foot of Monte Matese, occupies the site of the ancient Roman colony of Bovianum or Bobianum. Cappelletti has demonstrated the error of Ughelli (Italia Sacra, VIII, 241) who thought he recognized a bishop of this see in a certain Laurentius at the beginning of the sixth century. The see, however, is decidedly ancient. Its first recorded bishop is Adalberto (1071). Others worthy of note are: Poliziano (1215) who consecrated the cathedral; Giovanni (1226), who decorated the façade at his own expense, as recorded in an inscription; Silvio Pandoni (1489), who restored the work of Giovanni; Cardinals Franciotto Orsini (1519) and Carlo Carafa (1572), who adorned the cathedral with costly furnishings; Celestino Bruni (1653), a distinguished theologian and preacher. After the death of Bishop Nicolò Rosetti (elected in 1774), differences between the Holy See and the court of Naples prevented the appointment of a successor until 1836, when Giuseppe Riccardi was appointed. The most notable sacred edifice is the cathedral, dedicated to St. Bartholomew the Apostle. The diocese has a population of 90,300, with 33 parishes, 134 churches and chapels, 173 secular priest, 19 regulars, and 62 seminarians.

CAPPELLETTI, Le chiese d'Italia (Venice, 1844), XIX, 191; BATTANDIER, Ann. pont. cath. (Paris, 1907).

U. BENIGNI