Bible Study Tools
Language Tools
Historical Writings
Pastoral Resources
Personal Resources
Site Resources
Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!
Home » Bible Dictionaries » 1910 New Catholic Dictionary » Letter I

Bible Dictionaries
Italy

1910 New Catholic Dictionary

Search for…
Enter query below:
or
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Prev Entry
Italo-Greeks
Next Entry
Itanagar, India, Diocese of
Resource Toolbox
Print Article
Additional Links

Independent country of southern Europe. Christianity was introduced in Rome by Saint Peter and Saint Paul a few years after the Crucifixion, and was soon extended to all parts of Italy, with converts from all ranks, so that it was strongly established before the time of Constantine. Milan, Aquileia, and Ravenna gained ecclesiastical importance, and synods were frequent during the 4th and 5th centuries, especially in Rome. Unity with Constantinople was broken by the Acacian schism (484-519) which foreshadowed the great Eastern Schism. After a period of occupation by the Goths, Italy again became part of the Roman Empire, subject to the Caesaro-papism and later the culpable neglect of the Byzantine rulers, until Pepin and Charlemagne were summoned by the popes to save Rome from the Lombards. Through the gifts of the German rulers, the generosity of the people, and the need of self defense the States of the Church were established in Italy. In the second half of the 11th century arose the long conflict between the papacy and the German empire which had made use of the episcopal sees in northern and central Italy to maintain its claim to dominion over the peninsula. With the support of the Lombard League of Cities and the Normans in the south, the papacy was victorious in the first phase of the struggle. The second phase, arising from the union of the imperial crown with the royal crown of Sicily, resulted in the ruin of the Hohenstaufens. In the 13th century religious life was strengthened by the foundation of the mendicant orders and the rise of the great universities, as Bologna and Padua, under the patronage of the papacy which reached the height of its temporal power. In the following century with removal of the papal residence to Avignon, Italy became the prey of despots who dominated for selfish ends the prevailing anarchy. Not until the Western Schism ended (1417) did the Papal States recognize papal dominion, under Pope Martin V.

The rise of pagan humanism and moral laxity among clergy and laity alike in the 15th century was offset by the development of extraordinary sanctity (Saint Bernardine of Siena, Saint John Capistran, Saint Antoninus of Florence, Saint Frances of Rome). Protestantism gained no strong hold in Italy because of vigorous civiland ecclesiastical opposition, the antipathy of the people, and the union of religious, ecclesiastical, and theological activities in the Counter-Reformation. During the 17th and 18th centuries there were continuous conflicts between Catholic states in Italy and the Holy See, supplemented by the political disturbances occasioned by Jansenism, Gallicanism, and the resistance against the power of Islam. Italy became the instrument of Spanish and Austrian policy alternately, and suffered from the anti-ecclesiastical measures of Emperor Joseph II. Religious life continued to flourish in the foundation of the Redemptorists by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1732) and the Passionists by Saint Paul of the Cross (1741). At the beginning of the 19th century Italy was divided among four powers, Austria, Sardinia, the papacy, and the Bourbons of Naples, Sicily, and Parma. Revolt against Austrian rule gathered momentum toward the middle of the century, and in 1859 Piedmont (now Sardinia) was victorious in the war for independence. It was then joined by Lombardy, Modena, Parma, Tuscany and the Romagna, the Marches and Umbria, Naples, and Sicily, and in 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed at Turin. Venice was annexed in 1866, Rome taken by force of arms in 1870 and declared the capital of the kingdom, 1871. In the same year Pope Pius IX refused to accept the Law of Guarantees according temporal allegiance to the civilgovernment of Italy. In 1929 through the efforts of Benito Mussolini the government signed a pact with the Vatican recognizing the pope's rightful claim to sovereignty, thus settling the Italian question which had been the cause of incessant hostility between Church and State.

Archdioceses, past and present, include

Dioceses, past and present, include:

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography Information
Entry for 'Italy'. 1910 New Catholic Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ncd/​i/italy.html. 1910.
terms of use • privacy policy • • rights and permissions • contact sl • about sl • link to sl
To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient contact form
StudyLight.org © 2001-2022
Powered by Lightspeed Technology
 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile