Rieti Cathedral
Description
The original Rieti Cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and was in existence by 598. In that year, a deacon of the church wrote to Pope Gregory I, requesting that he order the relics of Ss. Hermas, Hyacinth and Maximus be enshrined in the cathedral, a task which the Pope entrusted to Bishop Chrysanthus of Spoleto, presumably because the See of Rieti was vacant. This cathedral was subject to the unwelcome attentions of the Goths, the Lombards, and the Saracens, leaving it in a dilapidated condition. The influx of population into the town made its size inadequate.
A new cathedral was begun by Bishop Benincasa, a patrician of Rieti, who laid the cornerstone on 27 April 1109. The design included a lower church (or crypt) and an upper church. The lower church was consecrated in 1137, and was the site of the election of Bishop Dodo. There was a long intermission in building due to the attacks of King Roger of Sicily, a supporter of Pope Anacletus II against Pope Innocent II; Roger was an enemy of Pope Innocent, defeated him in battle, and dominated central Italy. In 1148, the city of Rieti was destroyed by King Roger, and its people fled to the hills and dispersed. In 1201, the city was destroyed again, this time by fire. Another fire took place in 1214.[18] The upper church was consecrated by Pope Honorius III, who had been driven out of Rome and was living in exile in Rieti, on 9 September 1225. Bishop Antonino Camarda (1724–1754) renewed the pavement of the cathedral in 1735, and Bishop Marini rebuilt the tribune, presbytery, and the high altar, which was reconsecrated in 1806. The cathedral was given the title of basilica by Pope Gregory XVI in 1841.
The bishop's palace, next to the cathedral, suffered repeated injuries from fires and earthquakes, until, in 1283, Bishop Pietro Guerra (1278–1286) began a complete reconstruction, along with the addition of a grand salon for large meetings.
The Chapter of the cathedral is a corporate body, which is responsible for the administration and serving of the cathedral and the maintenance of its liturgical events. At Rieti it was composed of sixteen Canons, headed by the Archdeacon. The Canons had a common treasury, rather than individual prebends. There were also twelve beneficed priests, called clerici beneficiati. Cardinal Benedetto Cappelletti (1833–1834) established an additional twelve beneficed priests, called beneficiati Cappelletti.
Address
Piazza Cesare Battisti 1, Rieti, Italy
Established
1109