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ThePatriarchate of Aquileia was anepiscopal see andecclesiastical province in northeasternItaly, originally centered in the ancient city ofAquileia, situated near the northern coast of theAdriatic Sea. It emerged in the 4th century as ametropolitan province, with jurisdiction over the Italian region ofVenetia et Histria. In the second half of the 6th century, metropolitan bishops of Aquileia started to use the patriarchal title. Their residence was moved toGrado in 568, after the Lombard conquest of Aquileia. In 606, an internal schism occurred, and since that time there were two rival lines of Aquileian patriarchs: one inNew Aquileia (Grado) with jurisdiction over the Byzantine-controlled coastal regions, and the other inOld Aquileia (later moved toCormons). The first line (Grado) continued until 1451, while the second line (Cormons, laterCividale, and thenUdine) continued until 1751. Patriarchs of the second line were also feudal lords of thePatriarchal State of Aquileia. A number ofAquileian church councils were held during the late antiquity and throughout the middle ages. Today, it is atitular archiepiscopal see.[1][2]
Ancient tradition asserts that the see was founded bySt. Mark, sent there bySt. Peter, prior to his mission toAlexandria.St. Hermagoras is said to have been its first bishop and to have died a martyr's death (c. 70). At the end of the third century (285) another martyr,St. Helarus (or St. Hilarius), was bishop of Aquileia.
In the course of thefourth century the city was the chief ecclesiastical centre for the region of the head of the Adriatic, Regio X of theRoman emperorAugustus' eleven regions of Italy, "Venetia et Histria". In 381,St. Valerian appeared asMetropolitan bishop of the churches in this territory; his synod of that year, held against theArians, was attended by 32 (or 24) bishops. Valerian was succeeded byChromatius (388–408), known for his homiletic and exegetical works. He promoted the work ofJerome andRufinus and kept contact withAmbrose ofMilan andJohn Chrysostom.
In time, part of westernIllyria, and to the north,Noricum andRhaetia, came under the jurisdiction of Aquileia. Roman cities likeVerona,Trent,Pola,Belluno,Feltre,Vicenza,Treviso andPadua were among itssuffragans in the 5th and 6th centuries. As metropolitans of such an extensive territory, and representatives of Roman civilization among theOstrogoths andLombards, the archbishops of Aquileia sought and obtained from their barbarian masters the honorific title ofpatriarch, personal, however, as yet to each titular of the see. This title aided in promoting and at the same time justifying the strong tendency towards independence that was quite manifest in the relations of Aquileia withRome, a trait it shared with its rival,Ravenna, which, less fortunate, never obtained the patriarchal dignity.
EmperorJustinian's decision that Italy, too, should adopt his religious policy which favouredMonophysitism, was met with strong opposition by Aquileia's bishop Macedonius (539–557). In the meantime,Pope Vigilius gave in to Justinian's threats and adhered to theSecond Council of Constantinople of 553 which condemned the three representatives later known as theThree Chapters. Owing to the acquiescence of Vigilius in the condemnation of the "Three Chapters", the bishops of northern Italy (Liguria andAemilia) and among them those of the Venetia and Istria,broke off communion with Rome, under the leadership of Macedonius. ThisSchism of the Three Chapters provided the opportunity for the bishop of Aquileia to assume the title "patriarch". Macedonius' successorPaulinus I (557–569) began using the title around 560.[3]
Meanwhile, by the end of the next decade, theLombards overran all of northern Italy. In 568, the patriarch of Aquileia was obliged to flee, with the treasures of his church, to the little island ofGrado, nearTrieste, a last remnant of theimperial possessions in northern Italy. This political change did not affect the relations of the patriarchate with Rome; its bishops, whether in Lombard or imperial territory, persistently refused all invitations to a reconciliation.
Various efforts of the popes at Rome and theexarchs at Ravenna, both peaceful and otherwise, met with persistent refusal to renew the bonds of unity until the election of Candidianus (606 or 607) as Metropolitan of Aquileia (in Grado). Weary of fifty years' schism, those of his suffragans whose sees lay within the empire joined him in submission to Rome; his mainland suffragans among the Lombards persisted in the schism. They went further and elected in Aquileia itself, patriarch John the Abbot (606 or 607) so that henceforth there were two little patriarchates in northern Italy, the insularpatriarchate of Aquileia in Grado and the mainlandpatriarchate of Old Aquileia, residing in the fortress ofCormons.
With the death of KingGrimuald (671), who was anArian, attitudes began to change. Royal court officials were prevalently Catholic and favoured an agreement with the Church of Rome. Eventually the Lombard kings wished to remove all conflicts with Rome, including the schism with the Aquileian church. Gradually the schism lost its vigour. KingCunipert summoned theSynod of Pavia (698/699) whereby Old-Aquileia reconciled with Rome, and Pope Gregory II granted thepallium to Patriarch Serenus (715–730) of Aquileia in 723.[4] It was probably during the seventh century that the popes recognized in the metropolitans of Grado the title of Patriarch of Aquileia, in order to offset its assumption by the metropolitans of Old-Aquileia. In succeeding centuries it continued in use by both, but had no longer any practical significance.
In 628, the patriarchs of Old-Aquileia transferred their residence toCormons. Patriarch Callistus moved the patriarchal residence toCividale del Friuli (Forum Julii) in 737 and it remained there until the thirteenth century when it was moved again, this time toUdine in 1223.
In 774, the region was incorporated into theCarolingian monarchy, and by the end of the 8th century a new metropolitan see atSalzburg was created, thus reducing the size of the ecclesiastical province of Old-Aquileia, which long claimed as its own the territory ofCarinthia and other northeastern regions. Patriarch Ursus of Aquileia (d. 811) accepted the arbitration ofCharlemagne, by which the Carinthian territory north of theDrave was relinquished to Arno of Salzburg.[5] After the death of Ursus,Maxentius solicited funds from Charlemagne's court to rebuild Aquileia.[6] Maxentius served as the Patriarch of Aquileia from 811 till his death in 837.[7]
Nevertheless, theHungarian invasion of the 9th century and the decline of imperial control increased the authority of the patriarchs.
German feudal influence was henceforth more and more tangible in the ecclesiastical affairs of Old-Aquileia. In 1011 one of its patriarchs, John IV, surrounded by thirty bishops, consecrated the new cathedral ofBamberg.Poppo, or Wolfgang (1019–1042), a familiar and minister of EmperorConrad II, consecrated his own cathedral at Aquileia on 13 July 1031, in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under his reign the city also received a new line of walls. Poppo also managed to free the patriarch definitively from theDuchy of Carinthia and warred againstGrado.
In 1047, the Patriarch Eberhard, a German, assisted at the Roman synod of that year, in which it was declared that Aquileia was inferior in honour only to Rome, Ravenna, and Milan. In 1063, however,Pope Leo IX declared Grado to have the supremacy, butGotebald retained the support ofEmperor Henry III.
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In 1077, the patriarchSieghard of Belstein received the ducal title of Friuli from German kingHenry IV, an act traditionally regarded as the birth of thePatriarchal State of Aquileia,[8] known in Italian asPatria del Friuli. The Patriarchal state subsequently extended its political control in the area: regions under Aquileian control in the following centuries also includedTrieste,Cadore, central parts ofIstria, and minor possessions throughoutCarniola andCarinthia. At its maximum height, the Patriarchal state of Aquileia was one of the largest states in Italy. Noblemen from the Patriarchal state were also protagonists in theCrusades. In 1186 PatriarchGodfrey crownedFrederick Barbarossa's son,Henry VI, in theBasilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan[9] as King of Italy; in retaliation, PopeUrban III deposed him.
In 1180, a long standing dispute between patriarchates of old Aquileia and Grado over jurisdiction inIstria was resolved by mutual agreement, in favor of old Aquileia.[10]
In the early 13th century, particularly underWolfger von Erla (1204–1218) andBerthold (1218–1251), the Patriarchate had a flourishing industry and commerce, favoured by a good road network, as well as a notable cultural activity. Damaged by earthquakes and other calamities, and reduced to a few hundred inhabitants, Aquileia was nearly abandoned in the 14th century. The capital of the state was moved first toCividale and then, from 1238, toUdine, in central Friuli, which had been a favourite residence of the patriarch since the 13th century and soon became a large city.
However, late in the century, the Patriarchate had to face the increasing power of theRepublic of Venice, as well as the inner strifes between its vassals, and also became entangled in the endless wars betweenGuelphs and Ghibellines. A recovery occurred during the rule ofBertrand (1334–1350), a successful administrator and military leader. He was killed in 1350 in a plot, at the age of ninety.
Since the transfer of the patriarchal residence to Udine the Venetians had never lived in peace with the patriarchate, of whose imperial favour and tendencies they were jealous. In the 15th century the state also suffered a series of inner strifes between Cividale and Udine. In 1411 this turned into a war which was to mark the end of the Patriarchal state, Cividale having received support from most of the Friulian communes, theda Carrara of Padua, the Emperor and the King of Hungary, while the latter was backed by the Venetians. In the December of that year the imperial army captured Udine and, in the following January,Louis of Teck was created Patriarch in the city's cathedral. On 23 July 1419 the Venetians conquered Cividale and prepared to do the same with Udine. The city fell on 7 June 1420 after a long siege. Soon afterwardsGemona,San Daniele,Venzone andTolmezzo followed. Venetians thus annexed the territory, depriving the Patriarch of Aquileia of his temporal powers.[11]
In 1445, after the defeated patriarchLudovico Trevisan at theCouncil of Florence had acquiesced in the loss of his ancient temporal estate, in return for an annual salary of 5,000 ducats allowed him from the Venetian treasury, the war was finally over. The former Friulian state was incorporated in theRepublic of Venice with the name ofPatria del Friuli, ruled by a General Proveditor or aLuogotenente living in Udine.
In 1451, thePatriarchate of Grado (new Aquileia) was suppressed, and replaced by thePatriarchate of Venice, that kept Aquileian historical claims and traditions of Grado.[12]
In the same time, Patriarchs of old Aquileia, deprived of their previous temporal powers, continued to exercise their ecclesiastical jurisdiction. UnderDomenico Grimani (cardinal since 1497), Austrian parts ofFriuli were added to the territory of the patriarchate whose jurisdiction thus extended over some Austrian dioceses. In 1623 provost of AquileiaAlbert Pessler, on behalf ofFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, requested establishment of the Bishopric of Gorizia and removing the Austrian dioceses from jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Aquileia.[13]
The 109th and last Patriarch of old Aquileia was Daniel Dolfin,coadjutor since 1714 of his predecessor, Dionigio Dolfin, his successor since 1734, and a cardinal since 1747.
The Venetian claim to the nomination of the Patriarch of Aquileia had been met by a counter-claim on the part of Austria since the end of the fifteenth century when Austrian dioceses came to be included within the jurisdiction of the patriarchate.
Finally,Benedict XIV was chosen as arbiter. He awarded (1748–49) to theArchdiocese of Udine the Venetian territory in Friuli, and for the Austrian possessions he created avicariate apostolic with residence atGorizia, independent of the Patriarch of Aquileia, and exempt (i.e., immediately dependent on the Holy See), in whose name all jurisdiction was exercised.
This decision was not satisfactory to Venice, and in 1751 with the 6 JulybullInjunctio Nobis, the Pope divided the patriarchate into two archdioceses; one atUdine, with Venetian Friuli for its territory, the other atGorizia, with jurisdiction over Austrian Friuli. Of the ancient patriarchate, once so proud and influential, there remained but the parish church of Aquileia. It was made immediately subject to the Apostolic See and to its rector was granted the right of using episcopal insignia seven times in the year.
In 1968,Aquileia was inserted into the Catholic Church's list oftitular (no longer residential)sees withmetropolitan rank.[14] As of 2014[update], the see is held byCharles John Brown, currentlyApostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, who was appointed to the see on 26 November 2011.
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