The Diocese of Lodi (Latin: Dioecesis Laudensis) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church that existed since the 4th century; it is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Milan.

History

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Under Diocletian, according to the local legend, 4000 Christians with their bishop, whose name is unknown, were burned alive in their church. The diocese of Lodi and its bishop, Maurizio Malvestiti, reject the tale, naming Bassianus as their "protovescovo".

The actual origins of the diocese are obscure. Some name Bassianus as the first bishop, others name Julianus, whose time of service is equally obscure. St. Bassianus, the patron of the city of Lodi, was certainly bishop in 378.

Lodi was finally captured by the Milanese in the last week of May 1191.

On 9 January 1252, Pope Innocent IV restored the diocese of Lodi, which had been suppressed by Pope Gregory IX. In a separate document of 26 January 1252, Pope Innocent ordered Bishop Bongiovanni Fissiraga to confiscate all the benefices and fiefs of clergy and laity who had supported the Emperor Frederick II.

In 1298 Bishop Berardus Talente (1296–1307) became the first bishop of Lodi to assume the title of Count.

The episcopal palace was built in the 1730s by Patriarch Carlo Ambrogio Mezzabarba (1725–1741).

Synods, provincial and diocesan

Bishop Raimundus Sommaripa, O.P. (1289–1296) took part in the provincial synod held on 27 November 1271, by Archbishop Otto Visconti of Milan, for the purpose of aid to the Holy Land. The Siege of Acre (1291) had just ended, with the collapse of Christian power in the Levant. Pope Nicholas IV had written letters to all the archbishops, instructing them to hold such synods. Bishop Aegidius dall' Aqua (1307–1312) was represented by the Archpriest Pagazani at the provincial synod of Milan, held at Bergamo on 5 July 1311, under the presidency of Archbishop Castano Turriano.

A diocesan synod was an irregularly held, but important, meeting of the bishop of a diocese and his clergy. Its purpose was to proclaim generally the various decrees already issued by the bishop, to discuss and ratify measures on which the bishop chose to consult with his clergy, and to publish statutes and decrees of the diocesan synod, of the provincial synod, and of the Holy See.

In 1364, Bishop Paolo Cadamosto (1354–1387) held a diocesan synod pro tuendis ecclesiae suae legibus.

Bishop Ludovico Taverna (1579–1616) presided over a diocesan synod in 1591. The third diocesan synod was held by Bishop Michelangelo Seghizzi, O.P. (1616–1625) in 1619. Bishop Clemente Gera (1625–1643) held a diocesan synod in 1637. A diocesan synod took place in 1657, presided over by Bishop Pietro Vidoni (1644–1669). Bishop Bartolomeo Menatti (1673–1702) presided over the sixth diocesan synod in Lodi on 28–30 March 1689.

Bishop Giuseppe Gallarati (1742–1765) held the seventh diocesan synod in Lodi on 9–11 June 1755. Bishop Gaetano Benaglia (1837–1868) held the eighth diocesan synod in Lodi on 29–31 August 1854. Bishop Giovanni Battista Rota (1888–1913) presided over the ninth diocesan synod on 28–30 September 1896.

The tenth diocesan synod was held by Bishop Pietro Calchi Novati (1927–1952) on 27–29 October 1931; and another, the diocese's twelfth, on 16–17 October 1951.

The fourteenth diocesan synod, embracing themes of evangelization advocated by Pope Francis, took place, after more than ten years' preparation, in January 2020, under the leadership of Bishop Maurizio Malvestiti.

Chapter and cathedral

After the complete destruction of Lodi (Laus Pompeia) in 1111, a new cathedral was begun on 3 August 1158. In January of that year, every inhabitant of Lodi above the age of fifteen had been required to swear fidelity to Milan. Those who had refused, were expelled on 22 April 1153. The cathedral was completed, except for the façade, in 1163, and the remains of Bishop Bassianus reburied in the crypt, in the presence of Antipope Victor IV and the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Originally dedicated to Bassianus, the new cathedral acquired the dedication to the taking up (Assumption) of the physical body of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Bishop Alberico di Merlino (1160–1168), who had joined the imperial schism, was excommunicated by Cardinal Joannes de Anagnia, the papal Legate, on 12 March 1160. Albericus was expelled from Lodi by the forces of Pope Alexander III in 1168.

In 1617, the cathedral Chapter was composed of five dignities and nineteen Canons. In 1717, there were four dignities (Provost, Archdeacon, Cantor, and Archpriest) and fourteen Canons, one of whom was responsible for the souls of the parishioners of the cathedral.

In 1817, in accordance with the decree of 8 June 1805, promulgated by Napoleon, King of Italy and Emperor of the French, the cathedral Chapter of Lodi consisted of one dignity, the Archpriest, and eight Canons, two of whom were designated the Theologus and the Penitentiarius, in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent.

Bishops of Lodi

to 1200

1200 to 1500

1500 to 1800

since 1819

Parishes

The diocese has reorganized its internal structure, and now has 123 parishes.