Roman Catholic Diocese of Recanati

[1] Its principal church, S. Flaviano, was raised to the dignity of a cathedral on 21 December 1239, and separated from the jurisdiction of the diocese of Osimo.

[4] On 27 July 1263 the diocese was completely suppressed by Pope Urban IV in the Bull Cives Recanatensis, due to its support of Manfred, who claimed the Kingdom of Sicily.

Pope Sixtus conceived of a plan to honor the Virgin by exalting the town where her shrine was located.

The Administrator of Loreto, however, intrigued and eventually got Gregory XIV to appoint a second commission, which was agreed to restore the bishopric of Recanate, but not its territory.

[13] The next pope, Innocent IX, immediately proposed in Consistory the restoration of the diocese of Recanati, and on 19 December 1591 issued the decree.

[14] In implementing the Lateran Pact of 1929, it was necessary that the Holy See (Papacy) make extensive changes in the status of the diocese and sanctuary of Loreto.

[17] On 11 October 1935, the Roman Curia's Consistorial Congregation published a decree, stating that Pope Pius XI had ordered that the jurisdiction of the Administrator of the Pontifical Basilica of Loreto should extend to the city of Loreto and the surrounding district, in which the jurisdiction of the bishop of Recanati-Loreto was to be suspended as long as papal administration applied.

[23] When the seat of the bishop was in Macerata, the services in the Cathedral of S. Flaviano in Recanati were maintained by the College of Mansionarii (Altaristi), fourteen in number[24] In 1682, the Chapter of Recanati had four dignities (Provost, Archdeacon, Archpriest, Dean[25]) and twelve Canons, while the Chapter of Loreto had four dignities and seventeen Canons.

[29] Bishop Rutilio Benzoni (1592–1613) held a diocesan synod in Loreto on 21 September 1588, after having made a general pastoral Visitation of the entire diocese.

[32] Cardinal Giulio Roma (1621–1634) held a synod at Recanati on 29 January 1623; in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent, the offices of Theologus and Penitentarius were established in the cathedral Chapter.

He presided over a synod at Loreto on 8 January 1626, regulating clerical discipline and the operation of the Choir of the Basilica.