Diocese of Como Dioecesis Comensis |
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Aerial view of the cathedral in Como
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Location | |
Country | Italy |
Ecclesiastical province | Milan |
Statistics | |
Area | 4,244 km2 (1,639 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2013) 533,000 (ca.) 518,000 (97.2%) |
Parishes | 338 |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 4th Century |
Cathedral | Basilica Cattedrale di S. Maria Assunta |
Secular priests | 376 (diocesan) 141 (Religious Orders) |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Oscar Cantoni |
Emeritus Bishops | Diego Coletti (since 2016) |
Map | |
Website | |
www.diocesidicomo.it |
The Catholic Diocese of Como (Latin: Dioecesis Comensis) in northern Italy, has existed since the fourth century. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Milan. The bishops' seat is in Como Cathedral.
Local legend credits the conversion of Como to the apostolate of Hermagoras of Aquileia (died c. 70). Until 1528 Como was, indeed, a suffragan of the patriarchate of Aquileia (later of Venice) and followed the Aquileian Rite. In 1528 Como was placed under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Milan.
In the tenth century the Bishops of Como were also its temporal lords. Como Cathedral was begun in 1396, and was completed only in 1595; later the cupola and some small chapels were added (1730–44).
The 338 parishes of the diocese are spread across four provinces of the Lombardy region: the Province of Como, the Province of Lecco, the Province of Sondrio, and the Province of Varese. There is one priest for every 1,001 Catholics.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.