Roman Catholic Diocese of Como
The Diocese of Como (Latin: Dioecesis Comensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in northern Italy. It was established in the Fourth Century. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Milan. The Bishop of Como's cathedra is in the Como Cathedral.
Diocese of Como Dioecesis Comensis | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the cathedral in Como | |
| Location | |
| Country | Italy |
| Ecclesiastical province | Milan |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 4,244 km2 (1,639 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2021) 548,600 (est.) 529,890 (96.6%) |
| Parishes | 338 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 4th Century |
| Cathedral | Basilica Cattedrale di S. Maria Assunta |
| Secular priests | 330 (diocesan) 128 (Religious Orders) 13 Permanent Deacons |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Oscar Cantoni |
| Bishops emeritus | Diego Coletti |
| Map | |
| Website | |
| Diocesi di Como (in Italian) | |
Local legend credits the conversion of Como to the apostolate of Hermagoras of Aquileia (died c. 70).
The diocese of Como was originally suffragan of Milan, as the consecration of its first bishop by Ambrose of Milan demonstrates. By the mid 6th century the diocese was subject to Aquileia. Pope Stephen V (885-891) twice ordered Patriarch Walpert of Aquileia to consecrate Liutard, the Bishop-elect of Como. Until 1751 Como was, indeed, a suffragan of the patriarchate of Aquileia and followed the Aquileian Rite; the Patriarchate was suppressed by Pope Benedict XIV, who, on 18 April 1752, created the metropolitanate of Gorizia, and made Como subject to Goriza. In 1789 Como was placed under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Milan by Pope Pius VI.