Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 3.djvu/884

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

CIVIL


798


CLAIRVAUX


That sphere comprises whatever may contribute to the temporal welfare of the whole body of citizens. As religion is a sacred duty and its practice contrib- utes much to the well-being of the citizens, the State must not be indifferent to religion. Still the direct care of religion has not been committed to the State, but to the Church founded by Christ, which is a society to which the baptized members of the State throughout the world belong, which has all the powers necessary for the attainment of its super- natural end, the sanctification and salvation of souls, and which is independent of the State. Hence, there are limits set to the duty of civil allegiance. The State is not competent to make laws in matters of religion, nor may it interfere with the rights of the Church. If the State transgresses the limits assigned to it, the duty of obedience ceases: "We ought to obey God rather than men." This undoubted Christian principle is not invoked by the Catholic to shield his disloyalty and disobedience to the State under the specious pretext of following his con- science. The Catholic is not guided in matters of duty by private judgment, but by the public teach- ing and law of the Catholic Church. The State has nothing to fear from the action of the Catholic Church; her whole energies are bent on making her children good men, good Christians, good citizens. Moreover, the spiritual teaching, power, and influence of the Church are necessary in order to correct cer- tain modern tendencies to exaggerate the power of the State. In proportion as certain doctrines of some socialists and idealists are translated into fact, the power of the State will be increased, and the liberty with which Christ has made free the Christian world will be in serious peril.

Wynne, The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII (New York, 1903); Hergenrother, Catholic Church and Christian Slate (London, 1876); Rxckaby, Political and Moral Essays (New York, 1902); Newman, A Letter to the Duke of Norfolk on Occasion of Gladstone's Expostulation (London. 1875); Wernz. Jus Decretalium, 2d ed. (Rome. 1905). 15-21. 21-54; Bianchi, Delia Potestd e delta Politico delta Chiesa (Rome, 1745; French version by Peltier, Paris, 1857).

T. Slater

Civil Constitution of the Clergy. See Revolu- tion.

Civilization, Christian. See Family; Individual; Missions; Morality; Progress; Slavery; Society; Woman.

Civil Law, Influence of the Church on. See Law.

Civil Marriage. See Marriage.

Civita Castellana, Orte, and Gallese, Diocese of (Civitatis Castellan.*:, Hortanensis et Gallesi- nensis). Civita Castellana is a town in the Province of Rome, on the Treia, an affluent of the Tiber, and was built mi the ruins of the ancient Falerii, capital of the Falisci, a Latin tribe frequently at war with the Romans until subdued by Camillus, 394 B. c. In 356 B. c, however, and during the Samnite War, this tribe renewed the struggle with Rome. Excavations nn the site of the ancient city have brought to light many important finds illustrating ancient Faliscan civilization. Pope Alexander III died, and was buried at Civita Castellana. In 1798 the Austrians under Mack were defeated here by the French gen- eral, Macdonald. A number of martyrs suffered within the limits of the Diocese of Civita Castellana. Its first known bishop was I Tescentius, h ho discovered, in 998, the relies of Martianus ami Johannes. In 1437 tli' I tiocese oi I i\ ita I !astellana was united with that of Orte. Orte ("the ancient llorta) is a town that rises on a travertine hill some distance north of Home. Not far from here are the catacombs of St. Euty- chius and others recently discovered. Thirty-eight bishops of Civit a Castellana are known previous to its union with Orte. Among the noteworthy bishops


since that date may be mentioned: Angelo Pichinoli (1486), nuncio to Hungary; Angelo Gozzadini (1621), and Gianfrancesco Tenderini (1736), who died in the odour of sanctity. In 1252 the Diocese of Gallese was incorporated with that of Civita Castellana. Re- established in 1562, Gallese was again suppressed in 1573. The diocese has a population of 40,200, with 29 parishes, 202 churches and chapels, 105 secular and 27 regular priests, 6 religious houses of men. and 13 of women. It is immediately subject to the Holy See.

Cappelletti. Le chiese d'ltalia (Venice, 18441, VI, 9, 16, 49, 6S; Ann. eccl. (Rome, 1907), 406-08.

TJ. Benigni.

Civita di Penne. See Penne.

Civita-Terranuova, Diocese of. See Ampurias.

Civitavecchia and Corneto, Diocese of (Cen- tumcellarum ctCorn'Et.wa). — Civitavecchia is an important and fortified Mediterranean seaport, in the province of Rome. Part of its fortifications and piers date from the time of the Emperor Trajan. The city, which enjoyed considerable importance, military and commercial, under the temporal sover- eignty of the popes, was improved to great advantage by Eugene IV, Nicholas V, Julius II, Gregory XIII, Sixtus V, Urban VIII, and others. During the perse- cution of Gallus, Pope Cornelius was exiled to Cen- tumcella?, the ancient name of this city (Lib. Pont., ed., Duchesne, 1. 150-52). Catacombs have been found here. In 314 Epictetus, its bishop, was present at the Council of Aries. Another Epictetus, Bishop of Centumcellse towards the middle of the fourth century, was a rabid Arian and a bad counsellor of Emperor Constantius. In 10S6 the see was suppressed and Civitavecchia was united to Toscanella and in 1193 to Viterbo. In 1825 Leo XII re-established the see, uniting it to Porto and Santa Rufina. In 1S54 the union with Santa Rufina was severed and Civitavec- chia was united with the Diocese of Corneto. The latter is a town in the province of Rome, situated on a hill about three miles from the sea, near the ruins of the ancient Tarquinii, once the capital of the Etrus- cans or rather of the southern part of ancient Etruria; it was in its time a seat of advanced civilization, if we are to judge from the painted earthenware and other objects found in the numerous tombs scattered through this region. The catacombs are a proof of the early introduction of Christianity, which however seems to have made its way thither, neither from Rome nor by sea, but from the neighbouring Bolsena. No bishops of Corneto are known for the ancient Christian period. The basilicas of Santa Maria in Castello and of Santa Restituta are very ancient. Cappelletti believes that it was made a diocese in 1435. The diocese is immediately subject to the Holy See, has 29, 700 Catholics, 12 parishes, 7 religious houses of men and 7 of women.

Cappelletti, Led. iteseaV Italia (Venice, 1844), I, 529; V, 649; Ann. eccl. (Rome, 1907) 426-7; Db Rossi. Bullet! . di arch, crisl. (1SS7) V. 10J-S; Calissf. Slaluti delta citla di Civita- lecchia in Studi e Document! 1 1885) VII, 109-37.

U. Benigni.

Clairvaux, Abbey of, third daughter of CSteaux

and mother in the fourth line of numerous and cele- brated monasteries, founded in 1115 by St. Bernard, in a deep valley upon the left bank of the Auhe. and known as the Vattie d' Absinthe (Valley of Worm- wood or Bitterness), then in the Diocese of Langres, to-day in that of Troves in Champagne, Department of tin- Aube, France. Bugues I. Count of Troves, donated this valley to the colony of Cistercians, In a short time it became the Clara Vallis, or Clairvaux, as the new abbey is already called in a charter of 1 1 Hi. After a trying ami laborious beginning, Clairvaux, under the direction of St. Bernard, de-