Aquino, Sora, and Pontecorvo, The Diocese of. —An Italian diocese immediately subject to the Holy See. It comprises 29 towns in the province of Caserta and 7 in that of Aquila. Aquino became a bishopric in 465; Sora, in 275, with a regular list of bishops from 1221; Pontecorvo, on 28 June, 1725, and was immediately united to the diocese of Aquino. Sora was added to these in 1818 by Pius VII. Aquino has a population of 50,150; 21 parishes, 77 secular priests, 55 regulars, 55 seminarists, 91 churches and chapels. Sora has 95,200 inhabitants; 44 parishes, 182 secular priests, 37 regulars, 189 seminarists, 220 churches or chapels. Pontecorvo has 12,000 inhabitants; 8 parishes, 30 secular priests, 6 regulars, 25 churches or chapels. The seat of the bishop is at Rocca Secca. St. Constans is the patron of the cathedral. He was Bishop of Aquino in 566. Galeazzo (Bishop, 1543) was one of the four judges of the Council of Trent, and Filippo Filonardo (bishop, 1608) became a cardinal. The poet Juvenal (about a. p. 60-140), the Roman Emperor Pescennius Niger (A. D. 190), and the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas (a. Dp. 1225), were born at Aquino.
BATTANDIER, Ann. pont. cath., 1906.
Ara Coeli. Sec Rome, CHURCHES OF.