TheDiocese of Verdenwas adioceseof theCatholic Church.It was founded around AD 768 as asuffraganof theArchdiocese of Mainz.It was suppressed in 1648 as part of thePeace of Westphalia.The diocese was centered on the city ofVerden an der Allerin what is today thestateofLower Saxony,Germany.Thecathedralchurch of the diocese was dedicated to Ss Mary and Cecilia in 1028 but the building was only completed in 1490. TheBishopof Verden was also,ex officio,the ruler of aprincipalityof theHoly Roman Empire— thePrince-Bishopric of Verden.The territory of the diocese was not identical with that of theprince-bishopric;while the state was located within the boundaries of the diocese, it amounted to less than a quarter of the diocesan territory. Its last bishop wasFranz Wilhelm, Count von Wartenberg.Following theThirty Years' War,Verden, along with the neighbouringseesofMindenandBremen,fell into the hands ofProtestants.[1]Wartenberg was only able to retain theSee of Osnabrück.
Formation
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Charlemagne,King of the Franks,introduced Christianity toSaxonyaround 780 and founded bishoprics atMindenand Verden.[2] The first ten bishops were Irish or English men;[3]they include SaintErlulph(died 830).[4]Verden had a relationship withAmorbach Abbeyin theOdenwald.The abbey established a missionary centre in Verden an der Aller to assist in the conversion of the Saxons to Christianity. Many abbots from this centre later become Bishops of Verden. By the 9th century, the bishopric had become apolitical footballfor the regional nobility. For example, theBillungspromoted their favourite monks fromCorvey Abbeyto theepiscopal throne.
The presentdistrict of Verdenis roughly coterminous with the medievalgaueknown as theSturmigau.
In 985, EmpressTheophanu,acting as regent for the Holy Roman EmperorOtto III,granted the Bishop of Verden the privilege to hold a market, to mint coins, and to raise taxes. Furthermore, the bishop was granted the "ban" privilege (Privilegium de non appellando) in theSturmigau.These privileges formed the basis of the futureprince-bishopric(Hochstift), which came into being with the carve-up of the oldDuchy of Saxonyin 1180.
Since theInvestiture Controversyof the 11th and 12th centuries, it became the settled practice in theHoly Roman Empirefor diocesan bishops to be elected by theircathedral chapters.This resulted in a double confirmation: once by the pope for the see and once by the emperor for the governorship of the imperial state. In practice, papally confirmed bishops were then invested by the emperor with the princelyregalia.This meant that the first Prince-Bishop — Tammo of Verden — had responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the diocese and the temporal welfare of the principality which covered around a quarter of the diocesan territory.
In 1195, Prince-Bishop Rudolph I founded the castle ofRotenburg upon Wümmeas a stronghold against the neighbouringPrince-Archbishopric of Bremen.Later, the castle served as the prince-episcopalResidenz.
List of bishops, prince-bishops, and administrators
editTheincumbentsof the see held the following titles over the years:
- Catholic: Bishop of Verden until 1180
- Catholic: Prince-bishop of Verden (1180—1566)
- Lutheran:Diocesan Administratorof the Prince-Bishopric of Verden (1566—1630).
- Catholic: Prince-bishop of Verden (1630—1631)
- Lutheran: Diocesan Administrator (1631—1645).
Reformation
editDuring theProtestant Reformation,the cathedral chapter of Verden began to elect candidates who did not conform tocanon law(i.e. they were not validlyordainedor they failed to securepapal confirmation). Such candidates only held the title of "Diocesan Administrator" but were colloquially called "Prince-Bishop". Three such Diocesan Administrators were elected between 1566 and 1630. In strict canon law, Verden was "sede vacante"during this period.
In 1630, by the terms of theEdict of Restitution,a Catholic bishop was appointed —Franz Wilhelm, Count von Wartenberg.He only able to hold office until 1631 or 1634. Thereafter, the diocese was suppressed and the Catholic Church was only represented by theApostolic Vicariate of Northern Germany.Today, the territory of the diocese is part of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Hildesheimin theecclesiastical provinceofHamburg.
References
edit- ^Franz Wilhelm, Count von Wartenberg–Catholic Encyclopediaarticle. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
- ^O'Hanlon 1875,p. 251.
- ^Thomas Vogtherr, "Bistum und Hochstift Verden bis 1502", in:Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser:3 vols. [vol. 1 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995), vol. 2 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995), vol. 3 'Neuzeit' (2008)], Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.), (Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vol. 7), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008. ISBN (vol. 1)ISBN978-3-9801919-7-5,(vol. 2)ISBN978-3-9801919-8-2,(vol. 3)ISBN978-3-9801919-9-9,vol. 2 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)', pp. 279–320, here pp. 281seq.
- ^O'Hanlon 1875,p. 254.
Sources
edit- [1]Catholic.org - Verden
- O'Hanlon, John (1875),Lives of the Irish Saints: with special festivals, and the commemorations of holy persons,vol. 2, Dublin: J. Duffy,retrieved2021-07-24
- Arend Mindermann,Urkundenbuch der Bischöfe und des Domkapitels von Verden:2 vols. (vol. 1: 'Von den Anfängen bis 1300'ISBN978-3-931879-07-5;vol. 2: '1300 – 1380'ISBN978-3-931879-15-0), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, Stade, 2001 and 2004.
- Thomas Vogtherr (ed.),Chronicon episcoporum Verdensium = Die Chronik der Verdener Bischöfe,commented and translated, Stade: 1997,ISBN978-3-931879-03-7
